| RIT VS. PENN STATE | |
10-7-3, 5-4-1 CHA | 8-12-3, 2-6-1 CHA |
| Sat., Jan. 17 (12 p.m.) // Sun., Jan. 18 (2 p.m.) | |
| Pegula Ice Arena (5,782) | University Park, Pa. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
| INFORMATION: Seating | Parking | Tickets | Bag Policy |
PROMOTIONS Sunday |
| SATURDAY: Live Video ($) | |
| SUNDAY: Live Video ($) | Live Audio | |
| Women's Hockey Blog |
| Follow Us: @PennStateWHKY | Facebook | Instagram |
| Season Statistics: Penn State | RIT |
| Game Notes: Penn State | RIT |
| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||
| PSU | RIT | |
| 47 | Goals | 41 |
| 2.1 | Goals per Game | 1.8 |
| 476 | Shots | 628 |
| 21.6 | Shots per Game | 27.3 |
| .221 (15-68) | Power Play | .083 (9-108) |
| .788 (14-66) | Penalty Kill | .815 (20-108) |
| 2.55 | Goals Against Average | 2.10 |
| .922 | Save Percentage | .922 |
| 2 | Shutouts | 5 |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Jan. 15, 2015 - Following a bye week, Penn State returns to action on Jan. 17 and 18 with a home series against RIT at noon and 2 p.m., respectively.
ADMISSION & BAG POLICY
Fans attending Penn State women's hockey games at Pegula Ice Arena will have to comply with Penn State University's Bag Policy. Fans are advised that no bags larger than backpacks may be brought into the stadium grounds. All bags will be searched upon entrance into the arena. For more information visit the Safety Policy SY44 Page or Penn State's Bag Policy Page.
PARKING INFORMATION
Parking for both women's hockey games is free. Fans are advised to park in Jordan East or Beaver West, with additional parking availability in Orange F. If you're attending women's hockey, tell the parking attendant which event you'll be going to and you will not be charged. Fans are reminded that there will be heavy traffic with three events in the East campus vicinity occuring in the afternoon. Please be prepared for extra traffic and possibly longer wait times or parking availability further from your respective venue.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
RIT, which sits last in the CHA standings, comes to Happy Valley after a series split with Robert Morris. Goaltender Ali Binnington, who tops the nation in save percentage (.956) and has the third-best goals against average (1.16), turned away 58 of 61 shots faced. Celeste Brown leads the team with seven goals and 12 points, maintaining a +5 rating.
HOME ICE ADVANTAGE
The Nittany Lions sit ninth for attendance among Division I teams. Penn State's average attendance of 507 for its 10 home games is the second-most in the CHA, behind RIT. This season, the Nittany Lions hosted the third-largest crowd in program history in the weekend finale against No. 6 Mercyhurst (1,257).
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
In their third varsity season, the Nittany Lions are producing the best campaign in the program's young history. The 2014-15 team, which is unbeaten in at least one game nearly every weekend this season, has set Penn State's win (10) and shorthanded goal (2) records. The Nittany Lions have also captured a program-best 11 CHA weekly and monthly honors. Individually, Shannon Yoxheimer now holds the season records for game-winning goals (4) and goals by a junior (8) and Amy Petersen and Laura Bowman are the school's record holders for goals (11) by a sophomore. Bowman also holds the class points record (23).
POWER PLAY POWERHOUSE
The Nittany Lions have produced one of the top power plays in the country, scoring at least one power play goal every weekend but one this season. Hannah Bramm leads the team with four goals, tied for 12th nationally, and helping Penn State to the eighth-best power play in the NCAA (21.4%).
WHAT AN HONOR
For their historic start to the season, the Nittany Lions have been rewarded generously with CHA awards. Celine Whitlinger is the CHA's December Goaltender of the Month and a four-time Goaltender of the Week honoree, a conference-best. Hannah Ehresmann and Caitlin Reilly have both captured Rookie of the Week accolades, with Reilly earning a pair of Rookie of the Week honors, while Laura Bowman, the December CHA Player of the Month, is a two-time Player of the Week pick. The 11 CHA weekly honors are the most in a season in program history.
THE PUCK STOPS HERE
A major reason for the Nittany Lions' success this season has been the play of its goaltenders, Celine Whitlinger and Hannah Ehresmann. The Blue and White is the only team in the nation with two goaltenders among top-15 in save percentage; Whitlinger is 11th and Ehresmann is 15th. Penn State is also one of only three schools with two netminders among the top-20 in goals against average (North Dakota, Ohio State). Whitlinger is 17th at 2.37 and Ehresmann has the 19th-best goals against average nationally with a 2.40.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Nittany Lions were well-represented in the CHA monthly awards, as Laura Bowman earned CHA Player of the Month honors and Celine Whitlinger captured the Goaltender of the Month award for December after Penn State posted a 3-1 record. These are the first two CHA monthly honors awarded to a Nittany Lion in program history. Bowman scored four goals and dished out three assists for seven points in December, finishing the month +6 and taking 18 shots. The CHA's only Goaltender of the Week for December games, Whitlinger concluded the month with a 0.50 goals against average, a .987 save percentage, 78 saves and two wins, including a shutout at Robert Morris.
MINNETONKA MAGIC
Amy Petersen, Laura Bowman and Hannah Ehresmann have helped lead the Nittany Lions to their best start in program history at 10-9-3. Bowman is second in the conference with 1.05 points per game, the 34th-best mark nationally, after scoring the second hat trick in program history and the second hat trick in the CHA this season in the 5-3 win over No. 6 Mercyhurst. Petersen's 1.00 points per game is tied for third in the CHA, ranked 36th in the NCAA. Ehresmann's 2.40 goals against average and .923 save percentage are the conference's fourth-best marks.
RIDING HIGH
The Nittany Lions returned from winter break riding high following the program's first CHA series sweep over No. 6 Mercyhurst on Dec. 12 and 13. The sweep marked the first two wins over a ranked opponent, as Penn State vaulted into a tie for second place in the CHA with a program-best 10 wins.
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State travels to New Hampshire next weekend for its final non-conference contests of the season. The teams faceoff at 7 p.m. on Fri., Jan. 23 and 2 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 24.