Nov. 3, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's hockey team (3-5-2, 2-0-0 CHA) closes out its six-game road trip against College Hockey America (CHA) opponent Mercyhurst (1-6-1, 0-2-0 CHA) in Erie, Pa., Nov. 4-5. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, inside the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow along with live stats and video courtesy of Mercyhurst. Live stats are free, but fans must have an account to watch the stream.
SCOUTING MERCYHURST
The defending 2015-16 CHA regular season and CHA Tournament champion Mercyhurst Lakers were selected second in the 2016-17 CHA preseason coaches' poll back in September.
Mercyhurst enters the series against the Nittany Lions with an overall record of 1-6-1 and a record of 0-2-0 in CHA play. The Lakers are coming off a pair of 2-1 losses in Pittsburgh, Pa., against Robert Morris, Oct. 28-29.
The Lakers opened the year with two-straight series against ranked opponents. In the season opening series (9/30-10/1) against No. 6 North Dakota, Mercyhurst fell 3-1 and then played to a 1-1 tie. Mercyhurst then topped No. 2 Quinnipiac, 3-2, on Oct. 14 before falling 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 15.
Junior Brooke Hartwick leads the Laker offense in goals (three) and points (five), while Jillian Skinner and Megan Whiddon have each tallied four assists.
In net for Mercyhurst, junior Jessica Convery has played the majority of time during the 2016-17 season. On the year, Convery has played in six games, allowed eight goals, tallied 128 saves, owns a goals against average of 1.40 and has a save percentage of .941.
MERCYHURST SERIES
Mercyhurst leads the all-time series against the Nittany Lions, 12-2-2. Last season, the Nittany Lions went 0-2-2 against the Lakers.
All-time against Mercyhurst, Amy Petersen has tallied a program-best six points (3-3-6) and Laura Bowman ranks second with five points (4-1-5).
In the 2015-16 regular season finale, then-sophomore goaltender Hannah Ehresmann recorded a 32-save performance in a 2-2 tie against Mercyhurst in Erie, Pa. Offensively, Bowman scored her 14th goal of the season and Petersen tallied her seventh goal of the year.
FIRST WIN OVER A RANKED TEAM
The 2014-15 season featured the Nittany Lions not only getting their first win over a ranked opponent, but a series sweep over a ranked opponent.
Against Mercyhurst on Dec. 12-13, 2014, the Nittany Lions topped then-No. 6 Mercyhurst, 2-1 and 5-3, inside the Pegula Ice Arena.
LAST TIME OUT: RIT
Last weekend, the Nittany Lions recorded their first conference road sweep in program history as they topped RIT, 2-0 and 5-0, in Rochester, N.Y.
Offensively, Amy Petersen paced the Nittany Lions with four points on three goals and one assist. In the series, Petersen recorded a short-handed goal in each game. Also for the Nittany Lion offense, Laura Bowman, Kelsey Crow and Meike Meilleur each tallied three points on one goal and two assists. Meilleur's goal Friday was the first of her career.
In net for the Nittany Lions, freshman goaltender Daniela Paniccia recorded a pair of shutout victories. In Thursday's game, Paniccia tallied 29 saves and then recorded 24 saves in the series finale.
SHUTOUT SCORELESS STREAK
With Penn State's shutout sweep of RIT, the Nittany Lions have not allowed a goal in the past 120:40 minutes of play, which is the fourth-best streak in program history. Individually, Daniela Paniccia has not allowed a goal in the last 184:26 minutes of play.
TOP-FOUR NITTANY LION SHUTOUT SCORELESS STREAKS
177:49 - Dec. 8, 2012 - Jan. 11, 2013
147:14 - Oct. 10-24, 2016
129:25 - Jan. 23 - Feb. 5, 2016
120:40 - Oct. 22 - Current
CHA HONORS
On the year, Penn State has received four weekly honors and two monthly honors from the CHA.
Following the Union series (Oct. 7-8), Brooke Madsen was named the Rookie of the Week for the first time, while Amy Petersen was tabbed the Player of the Week for the second time in her career. Daniela Paniccia became the third Nittany Lion to garner CHA weekly honors in 2016-17 following her performance in net against UConn (Oct. 21).
Madsen tied a program-best three assists in Penn State's 8-1 win over the Union Dutchwomen on Oct. 7. She finished the game with a +5 rating, which is tied for a program-best mark. With her three assists on Oct. 7, Madsen opened up her Nittany Lion career with a three-game point streak (1-4-5).
Petersen tallied five points (3-2-5) in the Union series, which included a career-best four points (3-1-4) in the series opener.
In the series opener, Petersen recorded the fourth hat trick in program history over a span of 10:31 to open the game. Her natural hat trick started with the fastest goal in program history to start a game (29 seconds). Petersen also became the first Nittany Lion in program history to score two power play goals in a single game. She then closed out the series with one assist on Oct. 8.
After recording the first solo shutout by a Nittany Lion freshman goaltender in program history, Paniccia was named the Rookie of the Week on Oct. 24. In net against UConn on Oct. 21, Paniccia made 33 saves in a 0-0 tie. A week later, Paniccia received Goalie of the Week honors after posting a pair of shutout victories at RIT.
Senior Laura Bowman was named the Player of the Month for Sept./Oct. after tallying 15 points on nine goals and six assists to open the 2016-17 season. Along with Bowman, Paniccia was tabbed the Goalie of the Month. In her first month with Penn State, Paniccia tallied a record of 3-1-1, posted a save percentage of .949, recorded a goals against average of 1.56 and posted three solo shutouts.
HAT TRICK (X2)
The Penn State women's hockey team recorded a pair of hat tricks in its 8-1 win at Union on Oct. 7. In the game, Amy Petersen scored her first career hat trick, while Laura Bowman netted her second career hat trick. In program history, the Nittany Lions have recorded five hat tricks. This season, Penn State is one of five teams to record two hat tricks.
AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST
Heading into the Mercyhurst series, Laura Bowman is near the top of numerous national rankings. Bowman is tied for the lead in goals (nine), is tied for third in points (9-6-15), leads the nation in faceoff wins (146), ranks tied for eighth in +/- (+12) and is seventh in shots on goal (48).
Amy Petersen is tied for sixth in goals (seven), tied for fourth in power play goals (three), tied for first in short-handed goals (two) and tied for 10th in points (7-6-13).
Brooke Madsen is tied for seventh in assists (eight) and she is tied for second among freshmen in assists.
Freshman goaltender Daniela Paniccia ranks second in save percentage (.949), is tied for third in shutouts (three) and ranks 13th in goals against average (1.56).
PETERSEN TO BOWMAN
During the 2016-17 season, Amy Petersen has assisted on five Laura Bowman goals. Last season, Petersen recorded an assist on 12 Bowman goals.
PRESEASON POLL
The Penn State women's hockey team was selected fourth in the CHA Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the conference office Sept. 19.
2016-17 CAPTAINS
Laura Bowman was named the captain of the 2016-17 Nittany Lions, while Kelsey Crow and Amy Petersen were named alternate captains.
WELCOME BACK
The Nittany Lions return 13 members from the 2015-16 campaign. Last year, Penn State finished third in the CHA regular season standings, its best finish in program history.
The Nittany Lions return four of their top six scorers from last season in Amy Petersen (29 points), Laura Bowman (25 points), Victoria Samuelsson (13 points) and Bella Sutton (12 points).
In net, junior Hannah Ehresmann returns to PSU after playing in 15 games last season.
DYNAMIC DUO
Nittany Lion linemates Laura Bowman and Amy Petersen return to the Blue and White for their senior season in 2016-17. During their junior seasons, Bowman tallied 25 points (17g, 8a) and Petersen recorded a career-best 29 points (8g, 21a).
Last season, Petersen recorded an assist on 12 Bowman goals. Petersen closed out her junior year with 18 points over the final 16 games and Bowman ended the year with four-straight games with a goal.
2015-16 RECAP
The Nittany Lions finished the 2015-16 season with an overall record of 12-19-6 and a record of 6-8-6 in CHA play. Penn State finished third in CHA regular season standings, its best finish in program history.
Penn State tallied a record of 5-2-1 during the month of January last season.
In the first-ever meeting between the Nittany Lions and the Boston University Terriers, Penn State topped the No. 7/8 Terriers, 5-3, for its third win in program history over a ranked team.
In the all-time record books, Laura Bowman scored a single-season program-record 17 goals, she also tied a single-season program-best six power play goals scored and Amy Petersen recorded a single-season program-best 21 assists.
NEW FACES TO THE PROGRAM
The 2016-17 team features eight Nittany Lion freshmen. The Nittany Lion class of 2020 includes: Caileah Forrest, Brooke Madsen, Amanda McLeod, Katie McMillan, Daniela Paniccia, Kate Rydland, Olivia Villani and Abby Welch.
Along with the eight freshmen, two assistant coaches are slated to begin their first year on the bench for Penn State. Dean Jackson and Lisa Marshall joined the Nittany Lion coaching staff prior to the start of the 2016-17 season.
Jackson joined the Nittany Lions after serving as the head coach of the Elmira College women's hockey program for the past four seasons. Prior to Penn State, Marshall was an assistant coach for two seasons with the RIT Tigers.
THE 2016-17 SLATE
The Nittany Lions will play 34 games over the course of the 2016-17 regular season, which includes 16 home games inside the Pegula Ice Arena.
The 2016-17 schedule features the 2014 NCAA champion Clarkson Golden Knights (Sept. 30-Oct. 1), the second-ever series against Boston University (Oct. 14-15), a home series against Ohio State (Jan. 6-7) and the Nittany Lions close out the regular season at home against Syracuse (Feb. 24-25).
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions return home to the Pegula Ice Arena for a six-game homestand. Penn State opens its six-game homestand with CHA opponent Lindenwood, Nov. 11-12. Puck drop is set for 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 and 1 p.m. on Nov. 12.