June 27, 2013
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Highlighted by at least 19 games against teams that have reached the NCAA Frozen Four since 2009, the Penn State men's hockey team's complete 2013-14 schedule was unveiled Thursday. The Nittany Lions will play a 34-game regular season, including 18 home contests at Pegula Ice Arena, during the team's historic first year in the Big Ten.
Under the direction of second-year head coach Guy Gadowsky, Penn State will face a challenging non-conference slate that includes marquee home matchups against 2013 Frozen Four participant UMass Lowell (Nov. 14-15) and five-time national champion Boston College (Jan. 25). The Nittany Lions will also welcome RIT, which made the 2010 Frozen Four, Oct. 25 before hosting 2012 national semifinalist Union for a two-game series (Nov. 30, Dec. 1).
In conference play, the Nittany Lions will face three Big Ten foes - Michigan (2011), Minnesota (2012), Wisconsin (2010) - with Frozen Four experience during the past five seasons. Penn State, which also faces league opponents Michigan State and Ohio State, will play 20 league games, including 10 home contests, against its five Big Ten counterparts. The Nittany Lions, who will begin conference play Dec. 6 against Wisconsin, revealed their inaugural league schedule May 8.
"We've put together a challenging non-conference schedule with several marquee games. Together with a competitive Big Ten slate and trips to both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, our fans will have the opportunity to watch some outstanding hockey whether at Pegula Ice Arena or on the road," said Gadowsky. "It will be an exciting season as we enter our first year in the Big Ten Conference in a brand-new facility."
The 2013-14 season will commence Oct. 11 when Army visits Pegula Ice Arena for the first game in the new, $90 million state-of-the-art facility. The Nittany Lions will also host Sacred Heart (Nov. 8), while traveling to Air Force (Oct. 18-19) and Robert Morris (Nov. 1) in non-conference action.
Penn State will also compete in a pair of showcases, including a return to the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff against Vermont Oct. 26. In last year's matchup, the Nittany Lions topped Vermont, 4-2, in front of 19,529 fans at the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets for the matchup are currently on sale and can be purchased here.
The Nittany Lions will also return to Pittsburgh's CONSOL Energy Center for the second edition of the Three Rivers Classic Dec. 27-28. Boston College, Bowling Green and Robert Morris will join Penn State in the tournament, while first-round matchups and ticket information have not been released.
In all, Penn State will battle five teams that qualified for the 2013 NCAA tournament, as well as out-of-conference opponents from Atlantic Hockey, ECAC Hockey and Hockey East. The Nittany Lions may also face the WCHA's Bowling Green Falcons at the Three Rivers Classic.
Following the regular season, the Nittany Lions will compete in the Big Ten tournament, to be held at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn. The single-elimination tournament will begin March 20 and will culminate with the Big Ten title game March 22. The Big Ten champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Season ticket deposits for the 2013-14 season at Pegula Ice Arena are still being accepted and can be placed by calling 1-800-NITTANY.
Conference game times and the television schedule will be released at a later date.