Nittany Lions Blank Engineers For Second-Straight Shutout WinNittany Lions Blank Engineers For Second-Straight Shutout Win
Mark Selders

Nittany Lions Blank Engineers For Second-Straight Shutout Win

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's hockey team posted its second-straight shutout powered by two goals from Izzy Heminger in a 3-0 win over RPI Saturday afternoon at Pegula Ice Arena.
 
Penn State (1-2-2) scored once at even strength and two more times on the power play while stalling the Engineers (0-6-0) to just 15 shots on goal for the game.
 
"I feel like we were playing to our speed," said head coach Jeff Kampersal. "Yesterday, we started slow and we didn't want that to happen again. I think our players were ready from the time they showed up at the rink two hours before the game to puck drop and throughout the whole game. I think they played well. They moved the puck really well and it was a really fun game to watch."
 
Heminger and Katie McMillan were the goal scorers for Penn State. Chantal Burke made all 15 saves to pick up her second-career shutout in her second-career win. Burke became the first Nittany Lion goaltender since Daniela Paniccia on Oct. 27-28, 2016 to record two shutouts in consecutive starts.
 
"We had good Roar Zone support and I really appreciate them coming out," said Kampersal. "To win two games at home is great and to have two shutouts at home is great. So, we'll take it and move on to Providence next weekend."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For their first goal, the Nittany Lions gained possession in the offensive zone and worked the puck to Heminger in the slot. She fired a laser into the top right corner for her first goal of the season. McMillan and Natalie Heising had assists on the goal at 12:46 in the first. 
 


 
After the goal, Penn State was penalized twice and had to fend off a 5-on-3 power play for 40 seconds. RPI had five shots on the advantage which carried over into the second period, but Penn State held off the Engineers' attack.
 
The next four penalties all in the second period were charged to the Engineers, and Penn State cashed in with two power-play scores.
 
After a tripping call to RPI's goaltender, Ena Nystrom, it took Penn State just 25 seconds on the ensuing power play to score. McMillan chipped in the puck for her second goal of the year, assisted by Rachel Weiss and Rene Gangarosa at 4:24.
 


 
A five-minute major and a game misconduct on RPI put the Nittany Lions on an extended power play and Heminger found the back of the net a second time. It came on another wrist shot in the slot with an assist from Mallory Uihlein. The assist was Uihlein's first collegiate point.
 


Penn State did not let up on the defensive end in the third period, holding RPI to just three shots on goal in the period.
 
 
GAME NOTES

  • Heminger's two-goal performance was the first by a Nittany Lion since Natalie Heising scored twice Jan. 21, 2019 in a 2-1 win over Lindenwood. It was also the first two-goal game of her career.
  • In four career games against RPI, Heminger has tallied six points on four goals and a pair of assists.
  • Penn State recorded its first back-to-back shutouts since Dec. 1-2, 2018 when the Nittany Lions blanked RIT 5-0 and 2-0.
  • Penn State fired 53 shots on goal, the first time they've registered at least 50 shots on target since Feb. 22, 2019 at RIT.
  • Penn State went 2-for-7 on the power play with a whopping 17 shots on goal on the advantage.
  • McMillan's one-goal, one-assist game was the third of her career. She now ranks ninth on the program all-time scoring list with 39 points. 
  • The officiating crew for both games during the weekend was the first all-female officiating crew in a CHA Women's Hockey game. The referees were Jodi Price and Laura White and the lines officials were Jacqueline Howard and Chelsea Ward-McIntosh. 
  • Penn State returns to competition next weekend on the road in a nonconference series at Providence Oct. 18-19.