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2021-22 Penn State Nittany Lions

After one at LIU the game is scoreless. Penn State leads the shots on goal 15-6, so LIU has already matched their shots total from yesterday. No penalties in that period. LIU still can't really get anything going, but they look a whole lot better than they did yesterday, and their goalie is stopping shots she missed yesterday. Most of that period was spent in the LIU zone, but goals aren't as easy to come by as they were in game one. We'll see how much gas is in the tank from both teams.
 
After two at LIU, Penn State is up 1-0 on a powerplay goal from Natalie Heising. Penn State leads the shots on goal 33-9. LIU has taken two penalties and Penn State has taken one. LIU is still getting smothered when they get offensive chances, but their goalie is keeping them in this one and looking so much better than she did last night. I figured this would be a lower scoring game, but I thought Penn State would have at least a couple more on the board by now. One more period to go.
 
spwood said:
Is a split not good for Penn State? I haven't even tried to do the math on whether it's possible for Penn State to win the league or not...
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Well, the best Penn State can finish is .714, (edit --->and the rest of what I said made no sense)...

First, let me recap this LIU game. Penn State comes away with the 2-0 win on a goal from Rachel Weiss. Shots on goal were 42-12, and both teams took two penalties. That's really about all there is to say about this game, like yesterday. Next week it's RIT at Penn State to finish the regular season.
 
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spwood said:
Is a split not good for Penn State? I haven't even tried to do the math on whether it's possible for Penn State to win the league or not...
Click to expand...

From my math, the Syracuse win today clinches the CHA regular season title for them at a .719 win percentage, and they're done now with CHA play.

The best Mercyhurst can finish is at .688 if they sweep Lindenwood next week.

The best Penn State can finish is .714 if they sweep RIT next weekend.
 
Syracuse clinched the CHA regular season title today by beating Mercyhurst, and Syracuse finishes the regular season at a .719 win percentage.

The best Mercyhurst can finish is at .688 if they sweep Lindenwood next weekend.

The best Penn State can finish is at .714 if they sweep RIT next weekend. If Penn State had not tied RIT (or Syracuse), they would be playing next weekend to win the CHA regular season title. That's how close it got...win either tie game and they would've had a great shot at finishing first next week.
 
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Four lost faceoffs in the last 1:40 of that RIT game. You win any one of those....... I'd rather be playing Mercyhurst than Syracuse in the first round just saying.. not that Mercyhurst isn't capable of beating PSU. Lindenwood is dangerous for Syracuse.
 
It's close enough to start throwing around CHA tournament ideas, so this is how I see it setting up.

First, I see the regular season finishing with Syracuse #1, Penn State #2, Mercyhurst #3, Lindenwood #4, and RIT #5. Syracuse is done and has already won the regular season, so they host the CHA tournament. Penn State has RIT next weekend to finish their regular season, and Mercyhurst has Lindenwood to finish theirs. For the CHA tournament, I see it going like this:

First Round (Feb. 24) - Lindenwood vs RIT (I'll say Lindenwood wins)
Semifinal (Feb. 25) - Syracuse vs Lindenwood, and Penn State vs Mercyhurst
CHA Championship (Feb. 26) - Syracuse vs Penn State


Penn State went 3-1-0 against Mercyhurst this season, and 1-2-1 against Syracuse (with 3 of the 4 Syracuse games going to overtime). That looks like Mercyhurst would be the opponent for Penn State to hope for, but I'd really like to see Penn State beat Syracuse in the CHA tournament. Beat them badly, on their ice, in front of their fans, and then do a victory parade around their city.

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I sure do wonder how this season would've shaken out if Robert Morris hadn't shut down their hockey program, especially with the top three being so closely matched this season.
 
Desmet would still be at RMU instead of Syracuse. The four game series was missed though.

The good news is Rachel Weiss is heating up and Bothun's play has been in the range needed for PSU to be dangerous.


Enough of the myopic one game at a time mantra and it is time for the big picture. PSU needs to win the next two and then it is set up for an epic need to beat Mercyhurst to go-to the championship and win 20 games for the first time all in the same game. Then, the bigger prize would be the Championship as it should be with a chance to punch a ticket to Pegula. If that does not motivate the girls and coaching staff over the next two weeks nothing will.
 
Penn State has one more weekend of regular season hockey (tomorrow and Saturday) before the CHA tournament next weekend. The tournament is a two-game series for everyone except RIT and Lindenwood - one of them has to win two games to get to the championship game.

The tournament games for the top three teams are already set, except for the championship. Syracuse, Mercyhurst, and Penn State are all off on Thursday while Lindenwood plays RIT, and on Friday it's Mercyhurst vs Penn State, and Syracuse vs either Lindenwood or RIT. The winners on Friday play for the CHA title on Saturday.

Results for this weekend won't change anything for Penn State. Penn State and Mercyhurst will finish the season at #2 and #3, in whatever order, and play each other in the tournament semifinals.

Tomorrow and Saturday are a formality, but Penn State might want to avenge the tie at RIT that cost them a shot at the regular season title.

BTN+ has the Friday (2:00 Eastern) video stream here:
https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1173211

Saturday (1:00 Eastern) video stream is here:
https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1173319
 
ZedLeppelin said:
Penn State has one more weekend of regular season hockey (tomorrow and Saturday) before the CHA tournament next weekend. The tournament is a two-game series for everyone except RIT and Lindenwood - one of them has to win two games to get to the championship game.

The tournament games for the top three teams are already set, except for the championship. Syracuse, Mercyhurst, and Penn State are all off on Thursday while Lindenwood plays RIT, and on Friday it's Mercyhurst vs Penn State, and Syracuse vs either Lindenwood or RIT. The winners on Friday play for the CHA title on Saturday.

Results for this weekend won't change anything for Penn State. Penn State and Mercyhurst will finish the season at #2 and #3, in whatever order, and play each other in the tournament semifinals.

Tomorrow and Saturday are a formality, but Penn State might want to avenge the tie at RIT that cost them a shot at the regular season title.

BTN+ has the Friday (2:00 Eastern) video stream here:
https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1173211

Saturday (1:00 Eastern) video stream is here:
https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/playerpage/1173319
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Thanks for keeping us up to date on Nittany Lions WHockey. You guys do the program proud!

Good luck the rest of the way, and here's to Natalie Heising finishing her PSU women's hockey with a bang from here on out!!
 
KTDC said:
Thanks for keeping us up to date on Nittany Lions WHockey. You guys do the program proud!

Good luck the rest of the way, and here's to Natalie Heising finishing her PSU women's hockey with a bang from here on out!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, KTDC...Saturday is Senior Day at the game, and I wish BTN+ would show the quick recognition the seniors get, but they probably won't. That will be the last regular season home game for Natalie Heising, Amy Dobson, Anna Promersberger, Cam Leonard, and Avery Mitchell.

The two additional seniors who aren't being recognized on Saturday because they're coming back next season are Rene Gangarosa and Izzy Heminger.
 
After one period, it's Penn State up 1-0 on RIT on a goal from Natalie Heising. Both teams have taken one penalty, and Penn State leads the shots on goal 16-3. No surprises at all so far, with almost all of the play going on in the RIT zone. If anything, I think Penn State is letting the RIT goalie see too well, and needs more bodies in front of the net. Other than that, everything looks good.
 
After two, it's tied up 1-1 at Penn State. No penalties in the period, and Penn State leads the shots on goal by 28-10, but the RIT goalie is absolutely standing on her head, especially in that period. It looked like Celeste Brown dressed a whole new team for the second period, and they really took it to Penn State. One thing that's becoming more obvious as the game goes on is just how much work the Penn State defense needs to do with passing...they're just not very good at it, especially when they're challenged. Another thing I wonder about is what seems like a hard rule to never go to the point with the puck in the offensive zone, but instead force it into the corners. I don't get that. I know Penn State wants to work from deep in the offensive zone, but when that's not working and two defenders are wide open on the points, why not cycle it back there and start the play over again?
 
And as soon as I say that about the defense, Rene Gangarosa does her usual gratuitous dipsy-doo with the puck in front of Josie Bothun, loses the puck, and RIT scores to go up 2-1.
 
Good lord...going to a 3-on-3 OT with RIT...again. I know this series doesn't change anything come tournament time, but come on. The bottom team in the CHA takes you to OT again?
 
And, once again, Penn State can't beat RIT and it ends in a 2-2 OT tie. Shots on goal were 45-15, which means little if they don't go in. Yes, I'm frustrated, so that's all the comment for the game.
 
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