2021-22 Penn State Nittany Lions

[Reddington]

I agree on Hockey East not having anything on the top 3 CHA teams, but I would say Northeastern is a cut above.

I would also agree with the CHA regular season title being chump change to the CHA tournament winner. But, I have seen the conference winner in men's sports touted. For example in the ACC where it is so hard to win the regular season and the conference tournament and multiple teams from that conference are going to the dance.

In the CHA, multiple teams are not going to the tournament, and only the tournament winner is going to the dance which hammers home your position.

[EMPTYNETTER]

The main issue with lines appears to be the fact that there simply aren't enough solid players to establish two strong lines. It's should be a given that you need hard working players, but without having hockey IQ and an appropriate skill level it just doesn't work. Hard working players are a dime a dozen, and fill the rosters on DIII teams but you can only have so many role players and still be able to compete and become a top level team at the D1 level. You can use MN Duluth as an example if Hughes Giguere and Klein get kept in check, they have a tall hill to climb to win games, and they have more talent on their 2nd and 3rd lines than PSU has.

[Lindsay]

I agree on Hockey East not having anything on the top 3 CHA teams, but I would say Northeastern is a cut above.

agreed. Nu ahead of the best in the cha. Hopefully not forever. :-)

I would also agree with the CHA regular season title being chump change to the CHA tournament winner. But, I have seen the conference winner in men's sports touted. For example in the ACC where it is so hard to win the regular season and the conference tournament and multiple teams from that conference are going to the dance.

.

Maybe I was unclear or perhaps you are responding to someone else, but I think reg season champ is an amazing accomplishment! Perhaps tourney champ is better cause it gets you into national tourney, but I absolutely think reg season champ should be touted. Only so many opportunities for trophies, enjoy them all.

[CROSS BAR]

agreed. Nu ahead of the best in the cha. Hopefully not forever. :-)

BU and BC are down this year - no question. However, there seems to be a few other teams in Hockey East that have taken a step forward. The CHA is 1-3-1 against the teams that currently sit in 2,3,4 in Hockey East. No games against NE. If you throw in BC who currently sits in 5th in Hockey East, the CHA is 2-5-1. The CHA is 4 and 0 against 2 of the bottom 4 teams in Hockey East. Holy Cross has an exceptional coach, but needs the players to compete. Right now they do not have the players, ie.. losing to Vermont 9 to 0 this past week.

The CHA has competitive teams. With that said, there was a lot of hype about Penn State last year, IMO way too much. If you look back, you will read a lot of "you will see next year" comments. I think this year has provided a more realistic view and results. The win against UMD was awesome, but as stated above, there are a number of blemishes that show the reality as well. Growing pains!

[Puckndeep]

agreed. Nu ahead of the best in the cha. Hopefully not forever. :-)



Maybe I was unclear or perhaps you are responding to someone else, but I think reg season champ is an amazing accomplishment! Perhaps tourney champ is better cause it gets you into national tourney, but I absolutely think reg season champ should be touted. Only so many opportunities for trophies, enjoy them all.

Regular seasons means absolutely nothing. The goal of every team is to be the best team at the end of the year (at least it should be) not the beginning.

[D2D]

Adolffson was named to team Sweden for the Olympics I see. And Allison Coomey is going as a US scout I think? Congrats to both.

I see where UMD's Soderberg has also been named to the Swedish team.
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sp...am-leaving-ope

And also,
"The Bulldogs aren’t the only WCHA team losing their starting goaltender to the Olympics. Buckeyes senior Andrea Braendli is also heading to Beijing with Switzerland, though OSU will have three other options, including two who have started a game this season."

[ZedLeppelin]

I see where UMD's Soderberg has also been named to the Swedish team.
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sp...am-leaving-ope

And also,
"The Bulldogs aren’t the only WCHA team losing their starting goaltender to the Olympics. Buckeyes senior Andrea Braendli is also heading to Beijing with Switzerland, though OSU will have three other options, including two who have started a game this season."

UMD has a habit of sending players to the Olympics, and half of them are Scandinavian...lots of Olympic-level Finns and Swedes (and Swiss and Canadian and German and Russian and, oh, some Americans) have gone through that program.

[ZedLeppelin]

The CHA has three goalies on the watch list for Hockey Commisioners Association Goalie of the Year - Penn State's Josie Bothun, Mercyhurst's Jenna Silvonen, and Syracuse's Ariel DeSmet. Man, they are in some good company, too:

https://hockeycommissioners.com/arti...-announced.php

[Reddington]

Levy was a brick wall when facing PSU. If I had to guess she received a summer full of privates. She has considerably cooled off. PSU lost both games 2-1 one being in ot and outshot BC all day 42-17 in both games. When BU played PSU, BU was second in the conference and lost to two CHA teams that weekend.

PSU has a good record against Hockey East over the last three years. If PSU can compete with the Hockey East teams, one can extrapolate that to Syracuse and Mercy Hurst, also being able to.

As far as overhyped last year, I'm still trying to figure out how a spreadsheet that used other years was used to influence getting in Providence and BC over PSU.
But, I could really care less as that ship sailed long ago.

As far as the comments that PSU does not have enough talent, I am going to respectfully disagree. Don't worry I have the same position on Syracuse. Do I think that PSU is in the top tier? No, I don't. But, there is slot of parity in 5-20.

[ZedLeppelin]

Associate head coach Allison Coomey was on tonight's Penn State Coaches Show, so here's the video: https://gopsusports.com/watch/?Archi...5&type=Archive

Once the ads are done, her interview starts at the 2:50 mark and goes to 11:05.

[Reddington]

Nice interview, media has fallen dramatically from the start of the season. I'm not sure how it helps PSU, but I'm sure it is a feather in her cap. And I like to see Kampersal gave her the thumbs up. That shows a good boss.

[ZedLeppelin]

Here is the latest from Inside College Hockey America - an interview with sophomore goalie Josie Bothun:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/154500...the-cha-josie-

[Reddington]

Another nice interview. It was really interesting that the sponsor for the program was Mike Boyle who is the father of former RMU player Michela Boyle

[spwood]

How does the points % the CHA using work? I can’t make sense of the current standings. Mercyhurst is 6-2 but has a points % of .500? Makes no sense to me.

[ZedLeppelin]

How does the points % the CHA is using work? I can't make sense of the current standings. Mercyhurst is 6-2 but has a points % of .500? Makes no sense to me.

I don't get it, either. The CHA website has Mercyhurst at .500, Syracuse at .400, and Penn State at .375, but:

Mercyhurst has won 6 of 8 conference games...that makes them .750 in CHA play

Syracuse has won 7 of 10 conference games...that makes them .700 in CHA play

Penn State has won 5 of 8 conference games...that makes them .625 in CHA play