2022-23 Penn State Nittany Lions

[Lindsay]

Neither of these teams may score another goal tonight.

I would have preferred to see some calls in regulation. Penn state had so much going on the rush. They are so gassed now, they settle for throwing something at the net that is really not likely to do much. May hurt the quality of the Saturday game as well regardless who wins this.

[ZedLeppelin]

Quinnipiac wins in 3 OT.

[vicb]

Quinnipiac wins in 3 OT.

The old VicB Kiss of death. Sorry Penn State.

[ZedLeppelin]

Final shots on goal were 58-52 for Quinnipiac. Penn State took three penalties (one was a "too many players") and Quinnipiac took two. I don't know what Penn State could have done differently, especially the deeper into the game it got. Both teams got their chances. Good luck to Quinnipiac on Saturday against Ohio State, but they're going to be running on fumes.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Final shots on goal were 58-52 for Quinnipiac. Penn State took three penalties (one was a "too many players") and Quinnipiac took two. I don't know what Penn State could have done differently, especially the deeper into the game it got. Both teams got their chances. Good luck to Quinnipiac on Saturday against Ohio State, but they're going to be running on fumes.

Speaking of penalties it was typical WCHA officiating, usually two penalties per team early on and after that it's anything goes.
Awesome game but my back is not happy after all that time on the bleachers.

[ZedLeppelin]

Some random "Day After" thoughts on the triple OT game vs Quinnipiac last night...

I don't think I've ever heard a name ("Quinnipiac") pronounced so many different ways from the same two announcers over the course of a hockey game. Good lord, they were stumped. Then again, these were the same two who, with the camera fixed on the Quinnipiac bench during a break, mentioned that we were "looking at Jeff Kampersal in a grey overcoat". Never mind that he was surrounded by players on the same bench who were wearing Quinnipiac jerseys......ope! (<--- in a Minnesota accent)

I thought these two teams looked about as evenly matched as any two teams I was able to watch this season. It reminded me of games against Mercyhurst. Both goalies had great games, both defenses did a good job, and both offenses had plenty of great chances to score. It was some fun hockey to watch...and watch...and watch.

I thought the officiating was pretty bad. At least they were bad for both teams and didn't favor either one. I get it that you want NCAA tournament games to play through as much as possible, but there were some pretty blatant penalties getting the silent treatment.

I do wish the NCAA could schedule these regional games to where the winners get a full week off before moving on, so tournament games are played by teams at their best. As it is now, a rested Ohio State is going to get a worn out and beaten-up Quinnipiac who will get one full day of rest after a triple OT game. Hell, a rested LIU could probably give them a run in that scenario.

Last night was the career end for Rene Gangarosa, Izzy Heminger, grad transfers Courtney Correia and Elleri MacKay, and presumably Mallory Uihlein. Penn State does have a couple rookie defenders coming next season, so we'll see what kind of game they bring with them.

All in all, I thought it was a great game between two very evenly matched teams, and a great goalie duel.

[ARM]

All in all, I thought it was a great game between two very evenly matched teams, and a great goalie duel.

Agreed. Very nice first showing by Penn State in its first trip. The Nittany Lions borrowed a page from Mercyhurst's first CHA representatives and while unable to advance, they played long enough that it was almost like a second game.

[vicb]

I too really enjoyed watching Penn State. Offense, defense and goaltending. My wife and I took a trip up from Maryland to Happy Valley in 2017 to watch Clarkson play 2 games at Penn State. Beautiful rink and luckily it was not a football home weekend. Stayed at a nice B&B on the outskirts of State College. I am really hoping that Penn State and Clarkson can set up another series in the near future so that we can go up and enjoy some more hockey. Thanks to the Penn State players and coaches for a great game last night.

[robertearle]

I thought the officiating was pretty bad. At least they were bad for both teams and didn't favor either one. I get it that you want NCAA tournament games to play through as much as possible, but there were some pretty blatant penalties getting the silent treatment.

That pair of refs - Ludwig and Kaehler - are the top pair in the WCHA. If there's a 'big' game or weekend series, there's a high likelihood that they will be the ones working the series. I think they do a pretty good job of handling what have to be difficult match-ups to referee - Minn vs Wisconsin or Ohio State, etc. Others (Eeyore, for one) tend to disagree. I only saw the overtimes yesterday, so I can't comment on anything earlier, but that was the best the WCHA has to offer. (I wonder if they'll get a NCAA quarterfinal involving Ohio State on Saturday. I know they did last year's championship game, Duluth and Ohio State, but I would think interconference games would get refs from a 'third party' conference.)

[Reddington]

Agreed on the blatant penalties not being called. PSU was up 2-1 with six to go and could not lock it down. They were a whisker from going up 3-1.

25+ wins, a CHA regular season title, a CHA Tournament title and a great showing in the NCAA's. The program is in good hands.

Even though there is a lot graduating, there is plenty returning and I think other players will want to go to Happy Valley more so than ever.

[Still Eeyore]

That pair of refs - Ludwig and Kaehler - are the top pair in the WCHA. If there's a 'big' game or weekend series, there's a high likelihood that they will be the ones working the series. I think they do a pretty good job of handling what have to be difficult match-ups to referee - Minn vs Wisconsin or Ohio State, etc. Others (Eeyore, for one) tend to disagree.

I should note that my problem is their approach to reffing rather than objections to specific calls. Ludwig, especially, was refusing to call penalties long before it apparently became the chic thing for everyone to do. As refs all over have trended in this direction, my problems with Ludwig specifically aren't as great as they used to be. In fact, as No-Cal refs go, he's had enough practice that he's better at it than most.

[ARM]

One thing for Ludwig and Kaehler is that those teams played for ~ 110 minutes and we aren't saying that the refs factored heavily into the outcome. In comparison, the refs for the UMD/Clarkson game did play a role in the game. Did I think the calls on the Golden Knights were legit? Yes. I don't think the officials wanted to call the second major (heck, even the call that put them down 5-on-3 could have been a major), but it was so blatant that they were forced to call it. However, there were at least three calls that could have gone against UMD in the first 40 minutes, and those were all no calls. Don't remember too many games of that importance where two periods into it one team has been shorthanded for 14 minutes and the other team doesn't even know where the box is yet.

[pgb-ohio]

Congratulations to Penn State on both their season and their stellar performance last night.

As I do for Ohio State Home Games, I created a 3 Stars List for the Penn State/Quinnipiac Game. Bonus Coverage, you might say. If you have an interest, it's posted on the Ohio State Thread.

[Still Eeyore]

One thing for Ludwig and Kaehler is that those teams played for ~ 110 minutes and we aren't saying that the refs factored heavily into the outcome. In comparison, the refs for the UMD/Clarkson game did play a role in the game. Did I think the calls on the Golden Knights were legit? Yes. I don't think the officials wanted to call the second major (heck, even the call that put them down 5-on-3 could have been a major), but it was so blatant that they were forced to call it. However, there were at least three calls that could have gone against UMD in the first 40 minutes, and those were all no calls. Don't remember too many games of that importance where two periods into it one team has been shorthanded for 14 minutes and the other team doesn't even know where the box is yet.

It has seemed to me over the last couple of years that refs are less concerned about evening up penalty calls. I haven't actually looked it up, but it feels like they are more comfortable calling one team for significantly more penalties than they used to be.

[ARM]

It has seemed to me over the last couple of years that refs are less concerned about evening up penalty calls.

And that is fine if that's the game that they're presented. There are games where they don't call anything because there simply isn't anything to call. That's not what I saw last night. If after two periods at Ridder last night it had been 2 majors + 2 minors on Clarkson versus 2 minors on UMD, IMO, that's in the neighborhood of what the play deserved.