2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

[ZedLeppelin]

Losing Nelson and Rankin really ended up hurting this team. Of course that allowed other players to have great years. The years that Gough and Dobson had may never have happened with them there as both the latter girls played behind the two that didn't play. The Frosh would not have received as much time. Four full lines did not work out so well for PSU so who knows.

Fun to speculate how Kampersal would have put the four lines together if Shea Nelson and Katie Rankin had come back for their senior season. Nelson was really improving each season and was primed to be a real force as a senior. Rankin was a faceoff artist, really fun to watch in the circle, and you know how badly Penn State could've used that this year. Why they wouldn't return for their senior season is anyone's guess. Another would've-been-a-senior who isn't here is defender Morgan Rolph, who was big and strong like Jessica Adolfsson. She wasn't an offensive threat, but she sure was good at her job on defense. Penn State only has five defenders, so losing Rolph really hurt.

Four years of pulverizing your goaltender. Riding the hot hand I get, but in the last four years, Paniccia, Brenneman, Burke, and Bothun have all worn down with overuse.

Well, Paniccia never got to be a starter - she got cut for concussions before she took that spot, after sitting behind Hannah Ehresmann her first two seasons. Everyone else only played one full season in net, and I don't think that's too much for a goalie. Can you imagine a roster this season with Jenna Brenneman (would've been a redshirt senior), Chantal Burke (would've been a senior), and Josie Bothun all available as starting goalies? Wow, that would've been something.

[Reddington]

Losing Nelson and Rankin really ended up hurting this team. Of course that allowed other players to have great years. The years that Gough and Dobson had may never have happened with them there as both the latter girls played behind the two that didn't play. The Frosh would not have received as much time. Four full lines did not work out so well for PSU so who knows.

+- has to come into playing time when it counts.

Four years of pulverizing your goaltender. Riding the hot hand I get, but in the last four years, Panicia, Brenneman, Burke and Bothun have all worn down with overuse.

You need to be at .94-96 percent to win at this level.

[zambonidriver]

So being at the game 4 things were obvious.
1. For some reason the gap control by the D has been awful the last 3 games. on two of the goals that was a direct cause. The first and the third.
2. Power play is horrible the difference was Syracuse converted on a powerplay and PSU didn't.
3. Big game nerves. Penn State has their players hooked up to moniters it wasn't until the 3rd period that they were with in their normal range.
4. They can't win a face off to save their lives.

[ZedLeppelin]

It really is! Cc the Hurst RMU game that just wrapped up. Both teams in tomorrow’s final will be on their 3rd game in 3 days. Don’t think CHA has ever seen that before

Now you have me wondering - has the CHA final ever been #3 vs #4?

[Lindsay]

Syracuse hates Penn State and Penn State treats Syracuse just as another game. Hate is a great motivating factor.

It really is! Cc the Hurst RMU game that just wrapped up. Both teams in tomorrow’s final will be on their 3rd game in 3 days. Don’t think CHA has ever seen that before

[Lindsay]

If SLU beats Colgate on Sunday Colgate will still be ahead of PSU. Colgate just beat the number 10 team. PSU lost to the number 16 team.

Yes we will see how much they rely on the more flawed than usual numbers this year. I really struggle with sending 2 teams from an extremely small ECAC. I think for an at large bid Penn State separated itself from the pack that it played, better than Colgate did. At any rate, we’ll see. May be a moot point.

[Reddington]

Syracuse hates Penn State and Penn State treats Syracuse just as another game. Hate is a great motivating factor.

[Rightnut]

I don't think ECAC deserves 2 teams this year. A four team league and SLU started their season in January, and none of them produced a really strong record. Early on the Clarkson Colgate splitting wins with each other suggested maybe they were both pretty strong, but Clarkson fell off and proved beatable by numerous programs which lessens the extent to which Colgate has "good losses" against Clarkson. Sending 50% of a 4 team league (especially with the records in question) to a national tourney makes no sense. The WCHA with much stronger teams has never been given that courtesy. The CHA when it had fewer than 6 teams was not given an auto bid.

CHA fought tooth and nail for a decade to get an autobid. Then it wasn't until this year that they have a scenario where they have their auto bid slot, and a different team has racked up an impressive win loss record to deserve an at large bid. Looking at the past two years suggests Penn State struggled more in conference than out of conference. This year they did great in conference, and obviously no out of conference record but we can surmise they would have been fine out of conference as I said previously. They deserve to be in the National Tourney. It will be a disgrace on Sunday if CHA only gets 1 team. I feel pretty good about Penn State's chances at getting in on Sunday.

If SLU beats Colgate on Sunday Colgate will still be ahead of PSU. Colgate just beat the number 10 team. PSU lost to the number 16 team.

[Lindsay]

I think Penn State better be pulling for Colgate to win the ECAC. If they lose, it would put Penn State in peril potentially.

I don't think ECAC deserves 2 teams this year. A four team league and SLU started their season in January, and none of them produced a really strong record. Early on the Clarkson Colgate splitting wins with each other suggested maybe they were both pretty strong, but Clarkson fell off and proved beatable by numerous programs which lessens the extent to which Colgate has "good losses" against Clarkson. Sending 50% of a 4 team league (especially with the records in question) to a national tourney makes no sense. The WCHA with much stronger teams has never been given that courtesy. The CHA when it had fewer than 6 teams was not given an auto bid.

CHA fought tooth and nail for a decade to get an autobid. Then it wasn't until this year that they have a scenario where they have their auto bid slot, and a different team has racked up an impressive win loss record to deserve an at large bid. Looking at the past two years suggests Penn State struggled more in conference than out of conference. This year they did great in conference, and obviously no out of conference record but we can surmise they would have been fine out of conference as I said previously. They deserve to be in the National Tourney. It will be a disgrace on Sunday if CHA only gets 1 team. I feel pretty good about Penn State's chances at getting in on Sunday.

[ZedLeppelin]

Put 2 CHA teams in the NCAA tourney! Let’s go.

Tough break for Penn State. Hopefully this is not the end for them. Big third from Wallin, with 2 goals.

I’ve always felt Cuse had a “oh hell no,” attitude toward Penn State’s ascent in this league. Cuse had to slog through Hurst’s strongest years when they first joined the league; I may be imagining it but I’ve wondered if they have a “make Penn State pay their dues” mentality, more than any other team in the league.

Congrats to Cuse on making the final.

It sure feels like every CHA tournament ends with a loss to Syracuse. Got to hand it to them - they know what it takes to end Penn State's season.

Penn State game recap: https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/3/...emifinals.aspx

And a couple from the Daily Collegian:

https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...243eaa5d0.html

https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports...851c05210.html

[Lindsay]

Put 2 CHA teams in the NCAA tourney! Let’s go.

Tough break for Penn State. Hopefully this is not the end for them. Big third from Wallin, with 2 goals.

I’ve always felt Cuse had a “oh hell no,” attitude toward Penn State’s ascent in this league. Cuse had to slog through Hurst’s strongest years when they first joined the league; I may be imagining it but I’ve wondered if they have a “make Penn State pay their dues” mentality, more than any other team in the league.

Congrats to Cuse on making the final.

[Offsides Guy]

FWIW, I'm not convinced Penn State doesn't get in to the NCAAs anyway (depending on other upsets, etc.).

I say they’ll be in.

[Rightnut]

FWIW, I'm not convinced Penn State doesn't get in to the NCAAs anyway (depending on other upsets, etc.).

I think Penn State better be pulling for Colgate to win the ECAC. If they lose, it would put Penn State in peril potentially.

[robertearle]

Valiant effort.... great season, ladies! Sad for it to end this way for the seniors, but the younger ladies have something to build on....

FWIW, I'm not convinced Penn State doesn't get in to the NCAAs anyway (depending on other upsets, etc.).

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State turned it into a game and got to 3-2 on two goals from Olivia Wallin, but it was too little too late. It wasn't Penn State for two periods - I don't know who that team was - but the third period finally looked like them. I don't know what you chalk that up to. A lot of these players have been in big games before they came to Penn State, so I don't think playoff jitters were a thing. It is what it is, and hats off to Syracuse for figuring out what to do to stop this normally very fast Penn State team.

Go Mercyhurst!