PREVIEW: Penn State hockey battles Boston for national title berth

Penn State hockey has ridden its wave of second-half momentum all the way into uncharted waters: the Frozen Four. The No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s Allentown Regional, the Nittany Lions pulled two upsets in three days to advance to the program’s first National Semifinal appearance. 

Now, the Boston Terriers await in St. Louis, Missouri, on Thursday. The first meeting between the two programs, an unknown opponent in an unfamiliar setting doesn’t have the Nittany Lions concerned.

“Business as usual,” Guy Gadowsky said of the matchup.

Tall task faces the Nittany Lions in St. Louis

Penn State hockey forward Charlie Cerrato. © Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2025.

However, Penn State is now well-versed in the Terriers’ conference: the Hockey East. The Nittany Lions’ Allentown Regional foes, Maine and UConn, hail from the same league. But Boston University is a different animal. Loaded with a bevy of talent, the Terriers have 14 NHL draft picks on their roster. The Nittany Lions faced four NHL draft selections combined through its first two tournament games.

But even with all that talent, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Terriers all season. They’ve struggled defensively at times and suffered from inconsistent play that cost them a shot at the Hockey East title. Things on the back end have gotten easier with Mikhail Yegorov joining the program in January. One of the NHL’s top goaltending prospects, Yegorov has gone 10-5-1 with a 2.04 GAA and a .931 SV% since arriving in Boston. Penn State has been putting the puck to elite goaltenders all season, but this might be its toughest task yet. 

Offensively, there are no concerns for the Terriers. The program averages 3.8 goals per game, the fourth-best in the country. Boston is led by the Hutson brothers – Quinn and Cole – who have both put up nearly 50 points this season, both top-15 in the nation. With a deadly and deep forward core and a lethal powerplay, there isn’t much that can stop the Terriers offensively. 

Where does Penn State hockey have an edge?

Penn State hockey forward Reese Laubach. © Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2025.

One area where Penn State hockey will need to take advantage is on its own powerplays. Boston University takes more penalties than any other team in the nation. The Nittany Lions must take advantage of their opportunities with a man-up. 

This figures to be a high-scoring, back-and-forth game. Both teams have an offense-first mindset, and while they have strong goaltenders, their defenses have struggled at times throughout the year. On paper, it looks like Penn State hockey could be in for another instant classic in a closely contested battle.

Puck drop at St. Louis’s Enterprise Center is set for 8:30 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN 2.

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