UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's hockey team faces in-state rival Mercyhurst for its final series of the regular season on home ice Feb. 28-29 at Pegula Ice Arena. Saturday's game is Senior Day and Penn State women's hockey will recognize its graduating senior class.
Saturday's game will feature several attractions in the Cubs Corner section in Pegula Ice Arena as well as the final postgame skate of the season with the team free to all with game admission.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Mercyhurst Lakers (18-9-5, 12-3-3 CHA) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-13-8, 6-7-5 CHA)
Dates: Friday, Feb. 28 | Saturday, Feb. 29
Times: 6:00 | 3:00
Place: Pegula Ice Arena
Live Video on BTN-Plus: Game 1 | Game 2
Live Stats: Games 1 & 2
Game Notes: Penn State Game Notes
SENIOR DAY POSTER GIVEAWAY
In addition to in-game Cubs Corner activities and the postgame skate on Saturday, the first 500 fans at Saturday's game will receive a commemorative class of 2020 poster courtesy of the Penn State Alumni Association. The poster features this season's six seniors, Brooke Madsen, Amanda McLeod, Katie McMillan, Kate Rydland, Olivia Villani, and Abby Welch.
You've rooted for them, enjoyed postgame skates with them, and watched them grow throughout their PSU careers.
— Penn State Women's Hockey (@PennStateWHKY) February 27, 2020
At this Saturday's senior day, the first 500 fans at Pegula will receive one of these commemorative @PennStateAlums class of 2020 posters! #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/xNknDVgXat
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LAKERS
This weekend's series will mark the 31st and 32nd meetings all-time between Penn State and Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst leads the series at 18-3-9.
The last four games between these teams have ended in ties and eight of the last nine meetings have gone to overtime. Penn State is still searching for its first win over Mercyhurst since No. 5, 2016, a 3-2 OT win on the road.
These two teams locked into a pair of defensive battles in Erie Jan. 17-18 that both ended in 1-1 ties.
Mercyhurst took a quick 1-0 lead just 87 seconds into game one on a power-play goal, but the Nittany Lions continued to battle and found the tying marker with 1:43 remaining off the stick of Rene Gangarosa.
A similar script followed in game two as Mercyhurst took the lead in the first period, but Penn State responded eight minutes into the second period with Katie Rankin's game-tying score.
POSTSEASON PICTURE CLEAR FOR PENN STATE
The College Hockey America playoff scenario for the Nittany Lions is almost set in stone with the last weekend of the regular season here for the CHA field. Penn State is cemented as the number four seed in this year's field and will play in the first round in the 4-5 matchup.
Their opponent is yet to be determined as RIT and Lindenwood will face each other this weekend to determine seeding. If the standings hold as they stand entering the weekend, Penn State would face RIT for the third-straight postseason.
The winner of the CHA Tournament receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament every year since the 2014-15 season.
The CHA Awards Banquet will be held Wednesday, March 4. All-conference performers will be revealed at the ceremony that evening.
For the full schedule, tickets, and live stream information regarding next week's CHA Tournament, visit the CHA's 2020 Tournament page.
For the latest updates on Penn State women's ice hockey, follow @PennStateWHKY on Twitter, "like" the Penn State Women's Ice Hockey page on Facebook, and follow @pennstatewhky on Instagram.