2020-21 Penn State Nittany Lions

[Offsides Guy]

The CHA conference awards were given tonight, and Penn State was busy:

CHA Coach of the Year: Jeff Kampersal

CHA Player of the Year: Kiara Zanon

CHA Rookie of the Year: Kiara Zanon

CHA Goalie of the Year: Josie Bothun

CHA Individual Sportsmanship Award: Natalie Heising

CHA All-Conference First Team: Kiara Zanon, Natalie Heising, Jessica Adolfsson, Josie Bothun

CHA All-Conference Second Team: Izzy Heminger

CHA All-Rookie Team: Kiara Zanon, Olivia Wallin, Lyndie Lobdell, Josie Bothun

https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/3/...-honorees.aspx

Especially impressive awards for Zanon & Bothun given they’re freshmen.

[ZedLeppelin]

If anyone has any info on how we can watch the CHA tournament, please post it.
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Never mind, I found it: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cha/

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Ugh, another edit: the schedule for the tournament doesn't give an option to buy individual games, like it did for the regular season - only a link to buy a season pass (at the end of the season??) for $79...forget that.

[ZedLeppelin]

The CHA conference awards were given tonight, and Penn State was busy:

CHA Coach of the Year: Jeff Kampersal

CHA Player of the Year: Kiara Zanon

CHA Rookie of the Year: Kiara Zanon

CHA Goalie of the Year: Josie Bothun

CHA Individual Sportsmanship Award: Natalie Heising

CHA All-Conference First Team: Kiara Zanon, Natalie Heising, Jessica Adolfsson, Josie Bothun

CHA All-Conference Second Team: Izzy Heminger

CHA All-Rookie Team: Kiara Zanon, Olivia Wallin, Lyndie Lobdell, Josie Bothun

https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/3/...-honorees.aspx

[zambonidriver]

In a normal year I agree with rightnut and I am PSU biased. Let's face it the ECAC would look totally different in a normal year and could have three teams in the tournament. Cornell which is probably the Best ECAC team did not play and Princeton is also at the top. So as women's hockey grows, is it time to expand the tournament to 16 teams. A good argument could be made that there are enough strong programs to warrant it. Being from MN The best girls in the 2020 class left the state and are playing all over the #1 and 2 recruiting classes were Quinnipiac and Penn State in 2020. I see this trend continuing.

[ZedLeppelin]

Except that all of those ECAC teams are better than every one of the CHA teams other than PSU. So that argument doesn't really hold.

Syracuse took Colgate to overtime to start the season, Mercyhurst swept Syracuse, Robert Morris split with Syracuse, Robert Morris and Mercyhurst were about even, and Penn State went 16-2-2 against all of them - I don't think the top four CHA teams are any weaker than the four ECAC teams that played this season. I also think Penn State would have beaten any of them, including Colgate. I know that's my Penn State bias showing through, but I believe it.

[Rightnut]

Penn State moved up to #7 in this week's USA Today/USA Hockey poll: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/usa-today-womens/

This is at least close, other than I think Penn State should be #6 and Colgate #7. Colgate has played a grand total of three teams (other than opening against Syracuse, who took them to OT in one of the games): St. Lawrence, Quinnipiac, and Clarkson. That's it. Penn State has played each of the other five CHA teams, four times each, and come away 16-2-2. I think that's good enough for #6.

Except that all of those ECAC teams are better than every one of the CHA teams other than PSU. So that argument doesn't really hold.

[ZedLeppelin]

Penn State moved up to #7 in this week's USA Today/USA Hockey poll: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/usa-today-womens/

This is at least close, other than I think Penn State should be #6 and Colgate #7. Colgate has played a grand total of three teams (other than opening against Syracuse, who took them to OT in one of the games): St. Lawrence, Quinnipiac, and Clarkson. That's it. Penn State has played each of the other five CHA teams, four times each, and come away 16-2-2. I think that's good enough for #6.

[Reddington]

Abbey Levy was the Shattuck girl who went to college in Minnesota and not Frankel. When I just looked this up, they are both mentioned in the same article. Thanks for the correction.

[Lindsay]

Didn’t realize Frankel was a transfer. I was thinking this might be a year the goalie would win Patty Kaz. With possible transfer bias if it exists, and the creation of a new goalie award perhaps she’ll be impacted. Perhaps she was never going to win Patty Kaz anyway. Or perhaps she’ll win. Fun to surmise. Wouldn’t it be cool if a highlight of the deliberations got released, post award? As folks always say, the coaches are the ones that really know the players and have relevant commentary.
...

nice job by Penn State making it to number 7 in the country. A great season to date for them, really have made the best of this year.

[ARM]

Point is Frankel is another transfer. I wonder if the bias will hit her or will she get the pass since she came to Boston instead of leaving Boston.

This is Frankel's fourth season at Northeastern.

[Reddington]

It's really interesting - If Maureen Murphy had stayed at Providence and been a main cog with Providence in and out of the top ten, I'm sure she would be up for it, instead she is a role player on a team currently number 1. Lots of girls will have hard choices moving forward with the extra year. As far as Watts, I think she should have won last year. But, there seemed to be a transfer bias? If Giguere won the Patty Kaz last year, one has to wonder if the voters want their vote back, since Clarkson is not in the top ten this year.

Point is Frankel is another transfer. No she is not a transfer, my mistake. I wonder if the bias will hit her or will she get the pass since she came to Boston instead of leaving Boston.

[zambonidriver]

Giving up 5 goals this past weekend is going to make it tough for Bothun to get goalie of the year. Still a great year for a frosh. Shutting the door on Syracuse will be very important this weekend. Lindenwood is capable of knocking them off. Looney has been making calls all over the country on how to beat Syracuse. PSU needs to give extra attention to Klimek.

I think you are right either watts or Zumwinkle will get Kaz and Frankel will get goalie.

[Reddington]

Giving up 5 goals this past weekend is going to make it tough for Bothun to get goalie of the year. Still a great year for a frosh. Shutting the door on Syracuse will be very important this weekend. Lindenwood is capable of knocking them off. Looney has been making calls all over the country on how to beat Syracuse. PSU needs to give extra attention to Klimek.

[zambonidriver]

All great points in one game tournaments talent usually wins. Penn State has easily the most talent in the CHA 16-2-2. That record is no fluke.
They will be able to roll 4 lines for the first time all year. Balanced scoring throughout the lineup. Arguably the best goalie in the country.
The D when they are playing to win and not to not lose are better than most units in the country. The only team in the conference to not get swept this year.
NCAA tournament
1. Northeastern
2. Wisconsin
3 Ohio State
4. Colgate
5. PennState
6.UMD
7. Gophers
8.Providence or BC

Northeastern and Wisconsin will be the 1-2 seed
the rest of the seeds are best guess.

[ARM]

Hurst is going to be pretty motivated to win the tourney what with hosting Frozen Four.

The other intangible that the Lakers have going for them is that three of their four classes were denied the chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament last year through no fault of their own.