UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Nittany Lions remain on home ice this weekend as they welcome the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to Pegula Ice Arena for a Big Ten Conference series on Thursday and Friday evening. The Irish are just one point clear of Penn State, sitting in fourth-place, in the conference standings entering the series.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Thursday, January 28 | Friday, January 29
Place: Pegula Ice Arena | University Park, Pa.
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: BTN+
Streaming Video: Thursday | Friday
Listen: Thursday | Friday
Live Statistics: Live Stats
Game Notes: Penn State | Notre Dame
VIRTUAL TEDDY BEAR "TOSS" FOR THON
- While the 2020-21 continues to be a unique year for all of Nittany Nation and our men's hockey program, we can't let this year pass without continuing our traditional Teddy Bear Toss event!
- Since we can't cover the ice in Hockey Valley with thousands of teddy bears this season, we're asking you to participate and virtually "toss" your teddy bear with an equal donation to support THON. Our partnership with THON for this fantastic initiative has always been among our favorite moments together in Pegula Ice Arena, and our passion for supporting a great cause continues especially now for families and children in need.
- As always, thank you for your support and passion for Penn State Men's Hockey and our student-athletes. We Are! LINK TO DONATE!
PEGULA ICE ARENA FAN CUTOUTS
- The Penn State Hockey season is going to be like no other. It's not going to be the same without the strength of all our fans cheering from the stands. As we prepare for the 2020 season, Penn State fans still have the opportunity to make their mark in Pegula Ice Arena by purchasing a fan cutout!
- The cutouts are $45 and will be added to Pegula Ice Arena as purchased throughout the season. LINK TO BUY.
THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
- This week marks the 19th and 20th meetings all-time between the two programs with Notre Dame holding the 10-5-3 advantage including a 4-2-2 mark at Pegula Ice Arena.
- The teams have been more even over the past two seasons splitting three of the four series they played. Ten of the 18 games in the series have been decided by a goal or less with 15 of the 18 decided by two or less goals.
- Only five current Nittany Lions have scored against the Irish with only three players having multiple goals led by Alex Limoges with four goals and one assist for five points in 12 games while Aarne Talvitie and Sam Sternschein have each added a pair of goals in six and 13 games, respectively.
- Junior Oskar Autio has just one appearance and no games started against the Irish for his career having allowed two goals on 18 shots in just over 30 minutes of action.
HOME IS WHERE YOU MAKE IT
- Penn State is 86-44-14 all-time at Pegula Ice Arena including an 11-5-3 record last season and a program-best 15 home victories during the 2018-19 season.
- The Nittany Lions are 6-2-0 on home ice so far this season and with the postponement of a series against Michigan in Ann Arbor schedules for next week are now in the middle of a 12-game homestand.
- With a 6-2-0 record at home this season, Penn State's .750 win-percentage is tied for sixth in the nation out of teams who have played more than two home games and is second in the Big Ten behind Minnesota's .800 win-percentage at Mariucci.
COMING ON STRONG
- Penn State has lost just three times in its last 11 games after beginning the year 0-5. That .727 winning percentage is the 11th best mark in the NCAA over that time and the second-best mark in the Big Ten since December 3 only behind Minnesota (.750). The Nittany Lions' eight wins are also the 7th most in the nation and one behind Minnesota for the most in the Big Ten since December 3.
- At 5-3-0 since the beginning of the second semester, the Nittany Lions are off to their best post-winter break start in the last six seasons.
- Penn State is also 5-0-0 this semester when senior Adam Pilewicz is in the lineup while the five conference wins this are the most Big Ten wins Penn State has ever registered in the month of January.
YOU'RE A B1G STAR
- Last Friday against Wisconsin, sophomore Connor McMenamin tied three separate Penn State single-game records for points (5), assists (4) and assists in a period (3).
- His five points and four assists were both career-highs and have only been done a handful of times in the past. McMenamin tied Andrew Sturtz who secured five points on November 4, 2017 against Mercyhurst while joining Sturtz and teammate Alex Limoges for the single-game assist record.
- McMenamin was named the Big Ten's Third Star of the Week following his career game where he nearly doubled his 2020-21 point output in just a single game. The sophomore's 11 points are now one shy of his career-high and are good for fifth on the team.
BREAK THE WALL DOWN
- Sophomore Kevin Wall has been one of the most improved players in the entire nation so far this season and leads the team with 16 points on eight goals and eight assists and is currently riding a three-game goal streak, just one shy of his career-long.
- Wall's 16 points are tied for 23rd in the nation and seventh in the Big Ten, but 15 of his points have come in 14 Big Ten games as he is tied for second in the race for the scoring title just three points shy of Wisconsin's Cole Caufield. All eight of his goals have come in conference games where he ranks second, only one goal off Caufield's pace.
- The sophomore has four multi-point efforts in his last six games and now has six for his career. Wall has registered at least one point in five of his last six games with five goals and four assists for nine points during that span.
FINNISH FLARE
- Junior Aarne Talvitie tied his career-high with three points in last Friday's victory along with securing his second multi-goal game this season.
- Talvitie ranks third on the team with 13 points on seven goals and six assists and has four goals and four assists for eight points in his last six games.
- The junior's seven goals this season are a new career-high and are tied for the fifth most in the Big Ten.
CHASING GREATNESS
- Senior Alex Limoges leads all active Big Ten players in points with 118 for his career to rank third nationally. His 49 career goals are also the most among active players in the Big Ten and rank second nationally.
- With a single-point last week against Wisconsin, Limoges moved into a tie with Chase Berger '19 for third on the Penn State all-time points list with 118. He also stands in solo fifth on the Penn State all-time goals list just one goal shy of Smirnov and two shy of Berger. Limoges' next goal will be the 50th of his career.
- The senior's 15 points this season are tied for ninth in the Big Ten while his eight goals are tied for third in the conference and 14th nationally with Wall.
THE ELDER STATESMEN
- Limoges is part of an eight-member senior class that leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the nation in scoring with 51 points on 20 goals and 31 assists. The 20 goals are also the best mark for a senior class in the Big Ten and the fourth most in the nation.
NEXT UP
- With the entire Michigan athletic department going on a two-week pause due to the B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19, Penn State's series in Ann Arbor set for next week has been postponed and the Nittany Lions will next hit the ice at Pegula Ice Arena in two weeks against Ohio State on February 12-13.
For more information on the 2020-21 season presented by the Penn State Bookstore: the Official Bookstore of Penn State Athletics, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.