Oct. 21, 2013
By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Adjustments, emotionally charged play and resilience are what scripted a truly unforgettable and monumental weekend for the Penn State women's hockey team as they took to the ice inside Pegula Ice Arena for the first time.
The Nittany Lions split their two game series with Union, falling to the Dutchwomen, 2-1, on Friday night before flipping the result in their favor and earning the victory, 2-1, on Saturday--their first ever win at Pegula Ice Arena.
"I've got to tell you, I am as proud of this team this weekend as I've been of any hockey team I've ever coached," said head coach Josh Brandwene.
"To play as well as we played [on Friday] and just not have it show up on the score sheet, and then to turn around at two o'clock and get off to the start that we got off to [on Saturday]--that's a hockey team that's grown up big time over a five or six-day period and I'm proud of all of them."
Friday and Saturday's games appear strikingly similar on paper, but a key statistical difference and the adjustments behind improving that area of play are what helped propel the Blue and White to their first win in their new den.
The difference: special teams.
In Friday's loss to the Dutchwomen, the Nittany Lions sent just two skaters to the penalty box in the game--their lowest single-game penalty total all season. Despite committing just two penalties, Union was able to find the back of the net against senior goalie Nicole Paniccia on both power plays. Offensively, Penn State was unable to score on any of their three power play opportunities.
On Saturday, more Nittany Lions served time in the penalty box - five penalties for a total of 10 minutes - but the penalty-killing line and sophomore net minder Celine Whitlinger surrendered just one power play goal.
Penn State had three opportunities with the player advantage again on Saturday and freshman forward Laura Bowman found the back of the net for Penn State's lone power play tally. The clutch goal came with just over five minutes left in the third period, and ended up being the game-winning goal.
"Overall, I was really pleased with the adjustments that we made on both sides of special teams," Brandwene said.
While the special teams play changed from Friday to Saturday, several other important factors remained consistent throughout both games. Toughness, hustle and team chemistry were evident throughout the course of the weekend.
Sophomore forward Hannah Hoenshell may not have registered a point over the weekend, but she was consistently fighting for every puck along the boards and creating offensive rushes up the ice. She registered a combined eight shots on goal and one blocked shot against Union.
Among other Nittany Lions that stood out were line mates Taylor Gross and Shannon Yoxheimer. The chemistry between the two veterans was evident, as they constantly looked for each other on the ice and connected on several passes that led to shot attempts. Gross proved to be an important cog in the defense, as well, lying down in front of numerous Union attempts.
Yoxheimer registered the first Penn State goal in Pegula Ice Arena on Friday night. This was yet another monumental goal for the sophomore--who also scored the first ever goal for the program in Division I competition a season ago.
"That's one of the reasons why I came to Penn State," said Yoxheimer, "to be a part of a lot of history."
Offensive chemistry could also be seen between freshmen forwards Laura Bowman and Amy Petersen, who played together at Minnetonka (Minn.) High School. The tandem displayed terrific offensive fundamentals and connected on multiple passes around the net. Bowman couldn't connect with a one-timer on Friday in front of a wide-open goal, but was happy to redeem herself with the game winner on Saturday.
"They were fantastic," Brandwene said in regards to the line consisting of Bowman, Petersen and Jenna Welch. "We asked this group to make some adjustments and they responded."
Contributing to the successes of the Lions over the weekend was the amazing fan support and turnout. On Friday, 1,424 fans and a rambunctious student section occupied the brand new arena. It was the largest crowd that Penn State women's hockey has ever seen.
"It was amazing...just feeding off their energy was unbelievable" said Paniccia. "I like the environment our rink provides and all the fans that bring their enthusiasm."
The crowd stood behind Penn State throughout the entirety of both games, sending "We Are Penn State" cheers echoing throughout the building.
"As an alum myself, I've never prouder to be a Penn Stater than I am tonight," said Brandwene. "It's a great atmosphere out there.
"There's nothing but upside for us moving forward."
The Nittany Lions can get accustomed to playing in front of their terrific fans this month, as they will remain at home for the next six games. They begin their six-game homestand with a two game series against New Hampshire on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.