2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State remains at #8 in this week's USCHO poll: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-womens-poll/

That's no real surprise. I wonder if a sweep at Lindenwood would have moved them up to #7.

[Reddington]

This is not the first time Asplundh has had a good game against PSU.

Lindenwood took it to PSU in first two minutes of first game before PSU scored two quick ones and Lindenwood just never recovered.

Penalties cost PSU the second game since Lindenwood only scored on pp.

D to D passing in offensive zone was non-existent. Can't remember the exact details, but at least twice faceoffs were won in the offensive zone directly back to strong side d and it was not moved cross ice to weak side d. That's hockey 101 there.

PSU was lucky to be tied going into ot, yet Lindenwood was lucky to end up with the tie in ot.

The whole plane trip thing comes into play with so many new players on the team.

The CHA regular season title is on the line next weekend.

[ZedLeppelin]

Takeaways from Lindenwood series.
1. Trap weekend and learning experience. Play seemed sloppy and disjointed.
2. Powerplay needs to get better. Spend way to much time on the perimeter. Need to get greasy goals. Too much talent to be this inefficient on the PP.
3. I noticed for the first time a little to much individual play trying to do to much.
4. On the positive a tie seemed like a loss.
5. Have to stay out of the box.(two offensive zone penalties Saturday)
6. PK was really good minus the two breakdowns on Saturday.
Just a bump in the road.

Maybe it's good for such a young team on such a good ride to get knocked down at least once, just to keep them grounded and focused. Penn State isn't the first ranked team to not win what should have been a winnable game. Actually, it may end up being a good thing by motivating them to tighten things up and play the way they've played all season. Your point about individual effort was exactly what I thought while I was watching the game - all kinds of individual work that wasn't connecting with anyone else, and a lot of trying just a little too hard to force a play. They're freshmen...they were probably bound to have a game like yesterday's game.

The penalty kill has been good, but I wish they didn't have to play it so often. Penn State historically has been a disciplined team, and this team would do well to continue that tradition. The powerplay can't get better until they get more time playing it than they spend killing penalties. Yesterday was a hard game for that, though, when refs are as bad as this crew was. I was wondering how many times Rachel Weiss was going to have to be checked and dropped before someone got called for it, but it (and lots of others) never got called. I guess chalk it up as a learning experience, especially in the CHA, where every game is chippy and physical. You know they're already looking to next weekend at home against Robert Morris, and they'll learn from yesterday.

[zambonidriver]

Takeaways from Lindenwood series.
1. Trap weekend and learning experience. Play seemed sloppy and disjointed.
2. Powerplay needs to get better. Spend way to much time on the perimeter. Need to get greasy goals. Too much talent to be this inefficient on the PP.
3. I noticed for the first time a little to much individual play trying to do to much.
4. On the positive a tie seemed like a loss.
5. Have to stay out of the box.(two offensive zone penalties Saturday)
6. PK was really good minus the two breakdowns on Saturday.
Just a bump in the road.

[ZedLeppelin]

And it ends in a 2-2 OT tie at Lindenwood. I wouldn't have been at all surprised if Lindenwood had won that game. The three stars for Penn State were Josie Bothun, Josie Bothun, and Josie Bothun. All in all it was not a good showing by Penn State. The passing was just plain bad the whole game and nothing looked like it was clicking. I guess that was the off game I've been wondering if they would have. That was also the worst officiating crew I've seen this season. They better get things back on track before Robert Morris shows up at Pegula Ice Arena next weekend.

[ZedLeppelin]

Headed to 3-on-3 overtime still tied 2-2...yes, against Lindenwood.

[ZedLeppelin]

After two periods at Lindenwood it's tied 2-2 on Penn State goals from Olivia Wallin and Julie Gough. Lindenwood's goal was another powerplay goal. Penn State's passing is horrible, so they're lucky to get two goals out of it, and Wallin's was all individual effort. I don't understand their reluctance to get the puck back to either point, when both defenders are standing at the line wide open, nobody around them, ready to shoot...but I guess that's why I'm not a hockey coach. Josie Bothun in net is keeping this one as close as it is.

[ZedLeppelin]

After one period, it's Lindenwood up 1-0 on Penn State on a powerplay goal. Josie Bothun came up huge with saves on on two Lindenwood breakaways, and that's about all the highlights for Penn State so far. They can't get anything much going past the neutral zone. Kind of a sloppy first period, so I hope Jeff Kampersal has some ideas for the second period.

And no live stats, so...

[ZedLeppelin]

Robert Morris held serve and pounded RIT. Nice offensive barrage by PSU, three notable breakaways by Lindenwood, resulting in two Lindenwood goals, and I think the goalies first game under a .90 save percentage. There are things to work on today. Rachel Weiss had/has to much speed for Lindenwood.

Penalties need to be cleaned up.

I thought Penn State looked kind of ripe for seeing a Lindenwood breakaway or odd man rush, and it looked like Lindenwood thought the same thing. I couldn't agree more on taking so many penalties, but it's got to be tough playing someone like Lindenwood, who's going to blast you every chance they get.

Here is video of all six Penn State goals last night: https://twitter.com/PennStateWHKY/st...48042712256514

[Reddington]

Robert Morris held serve and pounded RIT. Nice offensive barrage by PSU, three notable breakaways by Lindenwood, resulting in two Lindenwood goals, and I think the goalies first game under a .90 save percentage. There are things to work on today. Rachel Weiss had/has to much speed for Lindenwood.

Penalties need to be cleaned up.

[ZedLeppelin]

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

Lindenwood game recap: https://lindenwoodlions.com/news/202...on-friday.aspx

Daily Collegian game recap: https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...5d671a5d8.html

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State beats Lindenwood by a score of 6-2 on third period goals from Jessica Adolfsson and Rachel Weiss's second goal of the game. Penn State led the shots on goal by 48-19, and took 6 penalties to Lindenwood's 5. Neither team scored a powerplay goal. Penn State looked better as the game went on, but never did look completely on their game. Some of the passing was frustrating to see, and things took a little too long a little too many times (Rene Gangarosa, you're not a forward anymore). The striped shirts let a lot of stuff go, but they let a lot of stuff go for both teams, so at least it was fair play. Penn State moves to 9-1-1 on the season.

Back at it tomorrow at 4:30 (Eastern).

[ZedLeppelin]

After two periods, it's Penn State up on Lindenwood by a score of 4-1, on goals from Mallory Uihlein and Alyssa Machado's first career goal. Penn State leads the shots on goal 27-11, but also leads in penalties 4-3. Penn State looked better that period, and Josie Bothun made some huge saves to keep Lindenwood down.

[ZedLeppelin]

After one period, Penn State leads Lindenwood 2-1 on a goal from Kiara Zanon and a penalty shot goal by Rachel Weiss. Already five penalties in this one, 3 for Lindenwood and 2 for Penn State, typical of a game with Lindenwood. Penn State had some good chances, but it looked like a first period on the road - kind of disjointed. Expect a lot more of the chippy in this game.

[ZedLeppelin]

That’s a shame, wish you could go. I’m sure there are players who don’t have family there. Maybe someone can adopt you.

I do wish the authorized attendee list included obnoxious fans - I'd be first in line (haha)!

Nonetheless looks like they are putting together a great season. One of the most interesting storylines in college Hockey right now imo.

I think Natalie Heising hit on that, too, in her podcast interview yesterday (https://gopsusports.com/podcasts/let...lie-heising/76). She talks about how this group of talented freshmen have really sparked Penn State into the style of play we've seen this season, and also how they've motivated upper classmen to kind of up their game to make it work. I've had a hard time trying to describe just how different Penn State is this season, and how much better they look, because the changes happened in one season with one class, rather than getting a series of individual hot shot players over the course of a few recruiting years who gradually change the program. It's not a drastic enough change to have Penn State challenging for a national title or anything, but it's a pretty big jump from what anyone is used to with Penn State women's hockey. Like I said earlier, consistency is what will "legitimize" the attention they're getting right now, at least for anyone still on the fence about them (which is completely reasonable).

Yada yada - it's just really fun being a fan of Penn State women's hockey this year.

(EDIT: here are links for tonight's live stream ($9.99 per game) and for live stats at Lindenwood: https://twitter.com/PennStateWHKY/st...90382502547461)