June 8, 2016
2016-17 Penn State Men's Hockey Schedule
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State men's hockey team announced on Wednesday its 14-game non-conference schedule that includes 10 home games and a return to Philadelphia. Additionally, the Nittany Lions will host The International Game for a second straight season on Oct. 2.
"We are excited for our non-conference schedule," Head coach Guy Gadowsky said. "We look forward to welcoming schools from all around the country to Hockey Valley and play in front of the best fans in college hockey. We'll have a great opportunity early in the season to test ourselves in a tough environment against a terrific team like Notre Dame. And we can't wait to play in the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. It is one of the best playing experiences we give our student-athletes every year."
The Nittany Lions will have two first-time opponents (Mercyhurst, Arizona State) as well as new visitors to Pegula Ice Arena (Canisius, Niagara, Alaska Anchorage, Arizona State).
For a fifth straight season, Penn State returns to Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center for a non-conference game with a game against Princeton. Tickets for that game will go on sale Friday through ComcastTIX.com and the Wells Fargo Center. WFC TICKET PAGE) -->
Penn State hosts Queen's University of Kingston, Ontario on the first Sunday of October. The game will be sold separately and was not included in the season-ticket package. Last season, The Nittany Lions downed Windsor, 5-2.
The International Game will serve as a tune-up to the season-opener against St. Lawrence on Thursday, Oct. 6. The Nittany Lions and Saints will faceoff against each other for a second straight year at Pegula Ice Arena with the series finale taking place on Friday, Oct. 7.
The following week, Penn State heads to Northwest Pennsylvania to Erie Insurance Arena to face the Mercyhurst Lakers on Friday, Oct. 14. The Nittany Lions and Lakers have yet to meet in Division I men's hockey.
Penn State's three-game road trip continues when heads to South Bend for a series at Notre Dame. The two teams met for the first time at Pegula Ice Arena in 2015 with a split. It will be the final meeting for the two teams as non-conference foes as the Fighting Irish joins Big Ten Hockey in 2017-18.
The Nittany Lions return home for a 10-game homestand to finish out the fall semester. The first eight of those games are non-conference foes including a pair of repeat opponents from last season as Canisius (Friday-Saturday, Oct. 28-29) and Niagara (Thursday-Friday, Nov. 3-4) play in Hockey Valley for the first time.
Penn State welcomes Alaska Anchorage on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 11-12 for a two-game set in a return of last year's series in The Last Frontier. Last season, the Nittany Lions came away from Alaska unscathed, winning the opener and tying the finale.
The following week, the newest members of NCAA Division I men's hockey meet for the first time as varsity sides when Arizona State comes to Pegula Ice Arena. The series between the Nittany Lions and Sun Devils will be played Friday-Saturday, Nov. 18-19. PSU and ASU met in 2012, in the Lions' first season as a Division I team, with a split at old Greenberg Ice Pavilion.
That 10-game homestand is capped by the first Big Ten game of the season on Thursday, Dec. 1 against Michigan followed by the series finale the following night.
The Nittany Lions will have an extended break between that Dec. 2 game and the Jan. 6 contest at Ohio State. The 20-game Big Ten Conference schedule and tournament dates were announced on June 2. (READ HERE)
Penn State's final non-conference game will be at the fifth annual Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff on Jan. 28 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Nittany Lions will square off against the Princeton Tigers, who are the closest Division I team to Philadelphia. Penn State is 3-1-0 all-time at Wells Fargo Center having played each of the previous four games against Vermont.
All game times and television dates will be announced at a later time.
The Nittany Lions went 21-13-4 in 2015-16 setting numerous records for victories and scoring, while finishing in a program-best third place in the Big Ten with a 10-9-1-1 mark.
PENN STATE'S 2016-17 NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Oct. 2 vs. QUEEN'S (The International Game)
Oct. 6-7 vs. ST. LAWRENCE
Oct. 14 at Mercyhurst (Erie Insurance Arena)
Oct. 21-22 at Notre Dame
Oct. 28-29 vs. CANISIUS
Nov. 3-4 vs. NIAGARA
Nov. 11-12 vs. ALASKA ANCHORAGE
Nov. 18-19 vs. ARIZONA STATE
Jan. 28 vs. Princeton (Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff)