2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

[ZedLeppelin]

Still 3-1 Penn State after two periods. Penn State took three penalties in that one, including handing Mercyhurst a 5 on 3, but their penalty kill kept Mercyhurst away. Mercyhurst has switched goalies, putting Nystrom in net now, and she's doing a great job (obviously). Penn State leads the shots on goal by 23-18, but Mercyhurst looked 100% better in that period.

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State is up 3-1 against Mercyhurst after one period, on goals from Olivia Wallin, Kiara Zanon, and Rene Gangarosa. The first half of the period was all Penn State. Mercyhurst took two penalties and Penn State took one. Penn State looks like they didn't lose a step from yesterday.

[ZedLeppelin]

Game two with Mercyhurst starts at 2:00 (Eastern).

Video link - subscription required: https://www.btnplus.com/game/mercyhu...1242021?tid=19

[Reddington]

Mercyhurst and PSU have a one goal difference. That's a surprise. NOT. Great rivalry.

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State game recap: https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/1/...ercyhurst.aspx

Mercyhurst game recap: https://hurstathletics.com/news/2021...enn-state.aspx

Daily Collegian game recap: https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...a425eaa9b.html

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State beats Mercyhurst 2-1 on goals from Amy Dobson and Olivia Wallin. Penn State led the shots on goal 34-33, but took six penalties in this game, including an interference call at the worst time, up 2-1 with three minutes left to go. Josie Bothun played a great game in net, as did the Mercyhurst goalie. It was a very physical game that got better as it went on. It should be some great hockey tomorrow at 2:00.

[ZedLeppelin]

Still scoreless after two periods. Penn State took three more penalties in the second, including a five-minute game misconduct on Izzy Heminger, but they killed them off. Penn State leads the shots on goal 23-21, but Mercyhurst looked a lot better that period. Josie Bothun is coming up huge in net for Penn State. I don't know what either team is going to have to do to score in the third - this one is pretty even so far.

[ZedLeppelin]

Scoreless after the first period with Mercyhurst. Penn State is up 12-8 in shots on goal. Penn State had two penalties and Mercyhurst had one. Both teams look a little jittery, so hopefully things settle down a bit. Penn State is doing a good job of stopping any real Mercyhurst offensive rushes, and Josie Bothun came up big on some good saves. Penn State is doing their usual good job of moving the puck, but I think they're trying just a little too hard...but that's a normal first period thing, I guess. It's a physical game so far.

[ZedLeppelin]

Here's the starting lineup for tonight: https://twitter.com/PennStateWHKY/st...509382/photo/1

[Reddington]

Big weekend for PSU, they either come back to the pack or create separation. Replacing Nuutinen's production has to be hard, yet they squeezed one from RMU. Sisti will have the Lakers ready to go.

[ZedLeppelin]

It's a hockey weekend at home for Penn State, taking on Mercyhurst at Pegula Ice Arena at 6:00 PM (Eastern) on Saturday and 2:00 PM (Eastern) on Sunday. Both games will be streamed live on the BTN+ network and will require a $ub$cription. Good news on that - a $9.95 monthly Penn State school pass will get you both of this weekend's Mercyhurst games, as well as both games against Robert Morris on February 5-6 at Pegula. Also, since there will be a three-week break for Penn State after the Robert Morris series, that would be the time for getting to make up at least one of the postponed RIT series, so if that happens and it's also played at Pegula, you'd get that with the monthly pass, too. Not bad for $9.95.

Getting a read on Mercyhurst for this weekend isn't happening. They are 3-2-1, but have had 5 of their 12 scheduled games postponed so far, so there's no telling where they're at in their start-stop-start-stop season. They went 3-1 with RIT and 1-1 with Robert Morris. The End.

Penn State has been luckier and gotten 8 games in and only 2 postponed, and they've worked hard with those opportunities. They earned their first national ranking in program history, and freshman Kiara Zanon was named the National Rookie of the Month in December, and leads all other freshmen nationally in points per game. The good news for Penn State is that this isn't a "one or two hotshot players" show - this is a team with talent all over the roster. The freshman class gets most of the attention, but they earn it, and they push the rest of the roster. Penn State is faster than they've ever been, they finally capitalize on scoring chances, they have a solid goalie in freshman Josie Bothun, and the defense (which was already tough) is still tough but even more offensively minded, too. Jeff Kampersal had a lot of work to do to redefine this program's style of play, but it's finally coming together, and it's fun to watch.

This weekend vs Mercyhurst will be a great test for Penn State, and should be some really good hockey to watch.

[zambonidriver]

daily collegian preview of this weekend https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...31e94d5b0.html

[ZedLeppelin]

John Buccigross has put out his "Women's Cawlidge Hawkey" Top 11 poll (spoiler alert: he has Penn State at #8)

https://twitter.com/Buccigross/statu...52087079985152

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State has moved up to #9 in this week's USCHO poll: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-womens-poll/

[ZedLeppelin]

The CHA podcast this week features a talk with junior defender Jessica Adolfsson:

https://twitter.com/CHAWomensHockey/...49366678433793