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Penn State Hockey Fails to Sweep Wisconsin, Loses 2-1

The Nittany Lions missed too many opportunities – and shots – to come away with the series sweep Saturday.

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Penn State Hockey
Sep 26, 2016; State College, PA, USA; A general view of Pegula Ice Arena prior to a preseason hockey game between the Minnesota Wild and the Buffalo Sabres. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State hockey (20-13-1, 10-13-1 Big Ten) failed to complete the series sweep of Wisconsin (13-21, 6-18 Big Ten) Saturday night, losing by a score of 2-1. The loss comes on the heels of a dominating 6-1 win Friday and a disappointing series against Minnesota last weekend.

Looking for the sweep to lock up the second seed for the Big Ten tournament, the Nittany Lions now depend on action from around the conference to determine if they will get home ice next weekend.

First Period Power Plays Benefit Badgers

Tempers flared early following a roughing call on Penn State’s Connor McMenamin three minutes into the first period. The officials needed to separate the two teams directly in front of the student section, which brought the crowd – the third largest in Pegula Ice Area history –  alive. The Lions defended the ensuing power play, keeping the game scoreless into the period’s midway point.

Penn State went on a power play of its own seven minutes into the first period. The Nittany Lions fired a flurry of shots on goal in the closing seconds of the power play but to no avail.

This matchup continued to get chippy as the first period wore on. In another power play – their third of the period – Wisconsin was finally able to break through. The power play goal scored by Corson Cuelemans gave the Badgers a 1-0 lead with under seven minutes to play in the period.

Penn State led the period in shots on goal 18-11, with several fast break opportunities and other chances to score. However, the Lions couldn’t convert and ended the first period down one.

McMenamin Evens Things in the Second

The start of the second period was relatively quiet compared to the first. Both sides struggled to put shots on goal, with Penn State still maintaining a slight advantage. The Nittany Lions had scoring opportunities but failed to make the most of them.

However, momentum quickly shifted back towards the Nittany Lions as the period continued. McMenamin capitalized on a 3-2 advantage, scoring his eighth goal of the season to even the score at one with 8:57 remaining in the period.

The Nittany Lion defense was tested late in the period, as goaltender Liam Souliere fended off a series of shots, including a breakaway opportunity. Penn State missed an excellent scoring opportunity itself, as Connor MacEachern’s fast break shot went wide off the right pipe.

By this point, the sleepy start to the second period wore off, and the crowd became fully engaged again. A long delay for a penalty review sent the home fans into a frenzy. The Lions used the power play to create several more scoring opportunities to close the period, but they all failed.

Missed Opportunities

Despite dominating the puck and holding a significant advantage in shots on goal, Penn State struggled to produce points. With just under 14 minutes to play, Wisconsin’s Mathieu De St. Phalle squeezed one through the upper right corner of the goal to give the Badgers a 2-1 lead.

Penn State had nearly seven minutes of power play time through the period’s midway point. Despite having several excellent looks at the goal, the Lions could not score once again. Penn State even had a MacEachern goal overturned, which the Hockey Valley faithful did not receive well.

The night’s story – too many missed opportunities for the Nittany Lions. Penn State had 48 shots on goal to Wisconsin’s 19. However, Wisconsin’s shots found the back of the net, and Penn State’s didn’t. Overall, Penn State more than doubled Wisconsin in total shots attempted, 92-41.

The Lions had every opportunity to score over the final eight minutes of play – and the entire game – but were unsuccessful. After a blowout win last night, Penn State fell in a close one at home, losing 2-1.

“I don’t think we had to do anything differently,” head coach Guy Gadowsky said after the game. “I thought we had a lot of looks…it just didn’t go our way tonight.”

Home Cooking for Penn State Hockey?

This weekend’s series was meaningful beyond attempting to end the regular season on a high note. Despite a touch-and-go season at times, the Lions had the opportunity to secure the second seed for the Big Ten tournament.

With the possibility of finishing anywhere from second to sixth, Penn State would have benefitted significantly by sweeping the Badgers this weekend. However, with the loss, we will need to wait for the results of the Notre Dame and Michigan game later Saturday evening to see if the Nittany Lions can get home-ice advantage next weekend.



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PSU Hockey NCAA Tournament Preview: Michigan Tech

The Nittany Lions are vying for their first Frozen Four berth in program history.

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Penn State Hockey, NCAA Tournament
Mar 14, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre DameÕs Dylan St. Cyr (1) reacts after being scored on by Penn State at the Compton Family Ice Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY NETWORK

State College, PA — Basketball isn’t the only sport with March Madness. Penn State hockey is dancing! For the first time since 2018 and the third time in program history, the Nittany Lions (21-15-1, 10-13-1 B1G) have qualified for the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament. Penn State earned a No. 2 seed in the recent bracket selections, the highest in school history. 

The Nittany Lions’ previous trips to the NCAA tournament in 2017 and 2018 ended at the hands of Denver University. The good news for Penn State is that it finally avoided the Pioneers in its region. 

The bad news is that the Lions still got a tough draw. They will open the tournament against the Michigan Tech Huskies at 5:00 p.m. on Friday at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA

Michigan Tech University Snapshot

Name: Michigan Technological University

Location: Houghton, MI

Enrollment: 7,009

Acceptance Rate: 86%

Conference: Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)

Men’s Hockey National Titles: 3 (1962, 1965, 1972)

Mascot: Blizzard T. Husky

About the Huskies

If you don’t follow college hockey regularly, you probably haven’t heard of Michigan Tech. A small school tucked away in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan, hockey is their only Division I sport. The rest of its athletic programs compete at the Division II level. 

Michigan Tech’s hockey team has had considerable success, claiming three national titles, numerous conference championships, and NCAA tournament appearances. The team appeared in last year’s tournament and bowed out to Minnesota Duluth in the first round. 

Led by CCHA Coach of the Year Joe Shawhan, the Huskies (24-10-4, 15-7-4 CCHA) are a team built on the back of its netminder. Michigan Tech’s goaltender Blake Pietila may be the best in the country. He was named a finalist for the Richter Award, given to the best goaltender in the country. He was also named the CCHA Player of the Year. His play has been so strong that he is even a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s Heisman. This season, he posted a 0.929 save percentage, allowing just 1.98 goals per game. He leads the nation with 10 shutouts this season. 

Michigan Tech can also light the lamp on the other end. The Huskies offensive attack is led by CCHA Rookie of the Year Kyle Kukkonen, who scored 18 goals this season. He is complimented by All-CCHA First Team forward Ryland Mosley, who has 31 points this year. 

The Huskies have some impressive wins this year. They swept Alaska on the road and picked up a win over a very good Boston University team. This is a particularly poor draw for Penn State hockey, given the Nittany Lion’s style of play. Michigan Tech is built similarly to a typical Notre Dame team that Penn State is used to facing. They have elite goaltending and a first line with talented scorers. 

Will Penn State Hockey Advance in the NCAA Tournament?

Penn State hockey has an advantage in this one, given that they are playing just about 150 miles from campus in Allentown, PA. Not far from Philadelphia, the area has a large alumni base. There should be a large crowd on hand for Friday evening’s showdown. 

However, the crowd only goes so far. Michigan Tech has shown they can handle challenging road environments, going 12-5-1 away from home this season. 

Penn State’s recent run of play has been mediocre at best, going 4-10-1 in their final 15 games. When you combine that with the fact that Michigan Tech’s style of play is almost tailor-made to handle Penn State’s offensive attack, it is tough to envision Penn State hockey coming away with its second-ever tournament win on Friday. I’ll go with Michigan Tech, as Penn State will need help to solve Blake Pietila. 

Michigan Tech-3, Penn State-1

The winner of this game will go on to face the winner of the Michigan and Colgate game also on Friday. The winners of the two opening-round games will play at the PPL Center at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday for a right to go to the Frozen Four.



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Penn State is New No. 1 Team in the Nation

It’s the Nittany Lions first No. 1 ranking since 2009.

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Penn State Men's Volleyball, No. 1 Team in the Nation
October 8, 2011; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions mascot performs during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Rec Hall. Illinois defeated Penn State 3 sets to 2. Mandatory Credit: Rob Christy-USA TODAY Sports

State College – Men’s volleyball has a new top team, and it resides in Happy Valley. Penn State men’s volleyball is the new No. 1 team in the nation, up one spot from the week prior.

Penn State Men’s Volleyball is Now the No.1 Team in the Nation

The Penn State men’s volleyball team has been on a tear lately. The Nittany Lions are 18-2 on the season, including a shutout of Saint Francis on Saturday.

And when the new American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll was released Monday, the Lions found themselves in the top spot. The bump up marks the first time that Penn State men’s volleyball has been ranked No. 1 since 2009.

Penn State replaced Hawai’i, who was previously the No. 1 team. The Nittany Lions ended the Rainbow Warriors’ 25-match win streak in a 3-1 victory during the Outrigger Challenge earlier this month. Hawai’i lost to Long Beach State on Friday night, which allowed Penn State to take the top spot.

The Nittany Lions’ first match as the No. 1 team in the nation will be in Rec Hall Tuesday when they take on Ohio State. The match begins at 7 PM and will air on B1G+. Penn State then has road series against Harvard and George Mason over the next two weeks and will finish the regular season at home with Charleston (WV) on April 14-15.

What a Time to be a Lion 

Penn State men’s volleyball’s new ranking was just the latest in a string of positives for Nittany Lion athletics.

On Saturday, Penn State wrestling capped off an undefeated regular season by winning the program’s 10th national title in 12 years. The men’s basketball team recently played for the Big Ten title and won its first NCAA Tournament game in over 20 years. In addition, men’s and women’s ice hockey made the NCAA Tournament in their respective sports.

On the diamond, the Penn State softball team has won at least seven games in a row twice already this season. Across campus, the baseball team swept its home opener to improve to 10-5 on the year.

And, of course, who could forget about Penn State football. The Nittany Lions are one week into spring practice for the anticipated 2023 season. James Franklin will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him, but the Lions are already dark horse candidates to make the College Football Playoff this fall. 

For Penn State fans, there certainly is no time like the present.



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Penn State Baseball Sweeps Georgetown

The Nittany Lions’ bats made quick work of the Hoyas on Sunday.

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Penn State Baseball, Georgetown
Vintage baseball gloves in the Norwell studio of Huntington Base Ball Co Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. 110222 Gd Baseballs16 Jpg © Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

State College — After winning their home opener Saturday, the Penn State Nittany Lions made quick work of Georgetown Sunday. The 7-2 victory gave Penn State baseball a clean sweep of the Hoyas for the weekend.

Penn State Baseball Sweeps Georgetown

Penn State struck first when third baseman Ben Kaliher singled and scored Anthony Steele. They took the lead 1-0.  

The scoring continued in the second inning for the Nittany Lions. Another single, this time by Thomas Bramley, scored Tayven Kelley and increased the lead to 2-0.  

A Jay Harry double then broke the game open for the Lions, as a double by him scored Bramley and Kaliher and increased the margin to four runs.

Penn State added another run in the fourth inning after another Jay Harry hit, this time a single, scored Tayven Kelley and increased the score in the Lions’ favor to 5-0.  

Georgetown would get on the board in the sixth inning when a fielding error allowed a runner to score. But Penn State responded in the eighth inning. A wild pitch allowed Ben Kaliher to score. Another fielding error increased the lead to 7-1.

Georgetown would add another run in the ninth inning, but it would not suffice in their favor. The Nittany Lions won with a final score of 7-2 to sweep their first home series against Georgetown.  

Jordan Morales, who picked up the win, pitched a solid game. Morales allowed three hits and two walks and recorded two strikeouts. Most importantly, he allowed no earned runs.  

With the win, the Nittany Lions improve to 11-5 on the season.

Penn State baseball continues play at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Tuesday against Binghamton. The Nittany Lions then head into conference play by going on the road to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines.  



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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