Dec. 12, 2014
1 #6 Mercyhurst (17-3-2, 7-2-0 CHA) |
Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) University Park, Pa. • Pegula Ice Arena • Attendance: 452 | 2 Penn State (9-7-3, 4-4-1 CHA) |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Dec. 12, 2014 - After setting multiple program records early in the season, the Penn State women's hockey team made an undeniable statement Friday night with a 2-1 College Hockey America (CHA) win over sixth-ranked Mercyhurst.
The Nittany Lions (9-7-3, 4-4-1 CHA) scored two goals just over two minutes apart in the second period and Celine Whitlinger (Garden Grove, Calif.) stopped 36 shots for the program's first win over a ranked opponent.
"Incredibly proud of this hockey team," head coach Josh Brandwene said. "We had a solid first period and we built on it and got better in the second period. We had excellent special teams play, and we never wavered in the third, no matter what they threw at us."
Special teams played a huge role in the game for Penn State, with its first goal scored during a 4-on-4 and its second goal coming on a power play.
6:26 into second period, Shelby Bram was called for hooking but 22 seconds later, Penn State lost its player advantage when Jordin Pardoski (Rochester Hills, Mich.) was issued a checking penalty. With 30 seconds of the 4-on-4 gone, Laura Bowman (Minnetonka, Minn.) picked up a Mercyhurst (17-3-2, 7-2-0 CHA) turnover in front of the Penn State bench and skated in on the goaltender with Amy Petersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) racing down the right wing. When she got to the net, Bowman passed the puck behind her to Petersen, who flipped it top shelf for the 1-0 lead. "Laura really did all of the work," Petersen said. "She made a nice play and beat two defenders, and all I had to do was hit it home."
Twenty one seconds later, Mercyhurst was sent to the box again, and at 8:20, Bella Sutton (Shoreview, Minn.) doubled the Nittany Lions' lead on the power play. The freshman poked the puck away from Emily Janiga skating through center ice, and passed it to Petersen on the farside boards. Petersen stopped just inside the Lakers' zone and returned it to Sutton at the other side of the ice, who fired a shot from the high slot that bounced past Amanda Makela for the 2-0 score.
With two-and-a-half minutes left in regulation, Mercyhurst spoiled Whitlinger's bid for a shutout. Caroline Luczak sent a slapshot from the blueline and Janiga pushed it past Whitlinger during a scrum in the crease for the 2-1 final count.
Whitlinger's 36 saves came in her third-straight win as her record improved to 6-4-0. Her goal against was the first in her last 179:27 minutes in net. "She definitely kept us in the game," Sutton said. "There were a lot of amazing saves she made that I have no idea how she did."
After surpassing the program's single season win total in November, Penn State will go for its first CHA series sweep in the teams' rematch Sat., Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. "We've come such a long way and we've done it all as a team," Petersen said. "Everyone's worked so hard to get this win tonight."