UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's hockey team gets back to action this Sunday and Monday after 28 days off in a two-game set against non-conference opponent Boston University at Walter Brown Arena.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Penn State (7-9-2, 2-6 CHA) at Boston University (8-4-4, 5-4-4 WHEA)
Dates: Sunday, Dec. 30 | Monday Dec. 31
Place: Walter Brown Arena
Times: 2:30 Sunday | 1:05 Monday
Live Stats: BU Statistics (both games)
Watch: Game 1 (BU Stadium)* | Game 2 (BU Stadium)
Twitter: @PennStateWHKY
Game Notes: Penn State Game Notes
*Game 1 on Sunday will also be broadcasted on NESN for New England residents. Check the NESN Channel Listings for more details.
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions ended the first half of their season with a pair of losses at Robert Morris Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Penn State dropped the first contest 3-2 before and lost 4-1 in the second game.
In game one, the Nittany Lions fell behind 2-0 before Natalie Heising cut into the deficit with a power play goal in the second period. RMU responded with a PP goal of its own to take a 3-1 lead.
The Nittany Lions dominated the third period with a 14-6 shots on goal advantage, but the only scoring chance that found the net was Abby Welch's unassisted score with a second left.
In game two, RMU bookended its scores with Penn State's lone marker. The Colonials took a two-goal lead into the third period before Jessica Adolfsson netted her first collegiate goal on the power play halfway through the third.
RMU responded with a pair of goals, including an empty-net goal, to take the 4-1 win.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Boston currently leads the all-time series through four games 2-1-1. BU took the latest matchup at Pegula Ice Arena 7-2 on Oct. 5, 2016. Penn State split its only series at Walter Brown Arena Oct. 9-10, including a 5-3 win over the Terriers, one of six wins the Nittany Lions have over ranked opponents.
LOOKING AT THE TERRIERS
Boston enters the series with an 8-4-4 overall record and a 5-4-4 mark in Hockey East conference action. BU has won five-straight games, including wins over RIT out of the CHA and a pair of wins over crosstown rival Boston College.
BU is the only team in both the USCHO.com poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls that sits outside the top ten that is receiving votes.
The Terriers are led in scoring by sophomore Jesse Compher who has a team-high 11 goals and 20 assists, good for the third highest total in the nation. Compher was named Hockey East Player of the Week Dec. 10 and was recently invited to the 2018 USA Hockey Women's Winter Training Camp in Plymouth, Mich.
Redshirt junior Sammy Davis is the other Terrier with double digit marks in both goals (10) and assists (13) and ranks 10th in the nation with 23 points.
Sophomore goaltender Corinne Schroeder has been the Terriers' primary goaltender this season. Through 14 games (all starts), she boasts a 1.99 goal against average and a .932 save percentage to go with a 6-4-4 record.
NUMBERS TO NOTE
7 – The Nittany Lions have had several losses this season that could have gone the other way. Seven of Penn State's losses have come by two or less goals, including two losses in overtime to now #7 Providence and Mercyhurst.
2.17 – Penn State's 2.17 goals against average ranks first in College Hockey America. The Nittany Lions have allowed the fewest goals in the conference at 39, nine less than the next closest (Lindenwood, 48) despite having played two more games this season.
84.7 – The Nittany Lions also sport the CHA's best penalty killing unit at 84.7% (50-59). A staple of recent Penn State teams, the Nittany Lions have also been the least penalized team in the CHA. Lindenwood is the next closest with 65 penalties against.
THAT IZ A GOOD MONTH
Freshmen defenseman Izzy Heminger was awarded the CHA Rookie of the Month for November, becoming the third Nittany Lion to win the award (Natalie Heising 2x, Shannon Yoxheimer). Heminger's month included the following milestones:
- First career goal Nov. 4 vs. Syracuse
- Three-point game at RPI Nov. 16 (1G, 2A)
- CHA Rookie of the Week Nov. 19
WHERE THEY STAND
The Nittany Lions currently sit in fifth place in the College Hockey America Standings entering the weekend. See the full list of standings here: 2018-19 CHA Standings.
Penn State has 12 CHA games remaining against the other five teams in the conference, including a pair of two-game sets against Lindenwood. The next scheduled CHA matchup is against Lions Jan. 20-21 at Pegula Ice Arena.