Oct. 27, 2016
By Tom Shively, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - Eight games are in the books, but the season is really just starting for the Penn State women's hockey team, as they begin CHA conference play this weekend. The Nittany Lions finished 3rd in the conference regular season standings last year, and made it to the CHA final four before bowing out in the semifinals. They are looking to improve on that in 2016-17.
"[Conference play] really brings everything down to earth and makes things more serious," defenseman Kelsey Crow said. "This is the bulk of our season and what rides and what we need to do to get to the playoffs. It's go time."
"We're ready to get conference play started and show everyone what we've got," forward Laura Bowman said.
There's also a sense of familiarity this time of year as every team has experience against each other and knows the tendencies of one another.
"There's definitely kind of a rivalry that's built up between almost every team in the CHA," Bowman said. "There's a little bit more excitement, a little more on the line for each game."
"It's an exciting time of year," head coach Josh Brandwene said. "It really comes down to effort and execution. We all know each other so well as conference foes. There's always that little bit of cat-and-mouse that goes on and when you play the same teams four times a year or more when you get into playoffs, it's all part of the fun."
The start of the CHA season presents a first glance at some of the new faces on other teams as well.
"Usually teams like to run similar systems that they did the year before," Crow said. "But other times they get whole new players and you kind of have to prepare for maybe that really good freshman that all of a sudden can do something really well."
Despite not winning as many games as they would have liked in the non-conference portion, the team has plenty of optimism moving forward and now knows where adjustments need to be made.
"We're trying to work on getting more traffic to the front," Crow said. "We're working on good puck movement at the point and then just getting it to the net and crowding on those rebounds."
"We're focusing on their power play and making sure we have our penalty kill down," Bowman said. "We're making sure we have our special teams down because it's been a big factor in our season so far."
Several Nittany Lions have already found their groove in the first few weeks of the season. Bowman leads the team with eight goals, and Amy Petersen is second with four.
Petersen took home CHA Player of the Week against Union while Brooke Madsen wrapped up Rookie of the Week in the same series.
Goalie Daniela Paniccia matched Madsen's award last weekend against UConn, tallying her first career shutout in a 0-0 tie.
"Her work ethic is fabulous," Brandwene said. "She is so coachable. As great a player and as great a student as she is, she's an even better person. She's a pleasure to work with."
The relationship between goaltenders is always a critical aspect of team chemistry, Paniccia and Hannah Ehresmann being no exception.
"They have a tremendous relationship in terms of pushing each other and supporting each other," Brandwene said. "That's what a team atmosphere is all about."
That team atmosphere will be on full in the coming weeks as a pair of games at RIT open up a four game stretch to start the CHA season. Start times are Thursday and Friday at 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.