UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lions conclude their 2021-22 home schedule this weekend as the No. 5 Minnesota Golden Gophers return to Hockey Valley for the first time in 727 for a Big Ten Conference matchup on Friday and Saturday evening.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Friday, February 18 | Saturday, February 19
Place: Pegula Ice Arena | University Park, Pa.
Time: Fri: 6:30 p.m. | Sat: 6:00 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network
Tickets: Friday | Saturday
Streaming Video: Friday | Saturday
Listen: Friday | Saturday
Live Statistics: Live Stats
Game Notes: Penn State | Minnesota
THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
- This weekend marks the 36th and 37th meetings all-time with Minnesota holding the slim 18-16-1 edge, however, dating back to Penn State's 4-3 victory in double overtime of the 2017 Big Ten Tournament semifinals, the Nittany Lions are 13-5-1 in the last 19 meetings.
- Penn State holds the 9-6-1 all-time record against the Gophers at Pegula Ice Arena including an impressive streak of eight-straight victories as Minnesota has not won a game at Pegula Ice Arena in five full years. Last season's Penn State vs. Minnesota games in Hockey Valley were canceled due to Penn State's Covid-19 pause. The last win for Minnesota at Penn State was five years ago to the day, a 4-3 victory in overtime on February 18, 2017, a game known by fans here in Hockey Valley as the Denis Smirnov Penalty Shot Game. That game was also the last game before Penn State's impressive 13-5-1 stretch began.
- This weekend's series is nearly two years to the day that Penn State took 5-of-6 points from the Gophers en route to its first Big Ten Regular-Season Championship on February 21-22, 2020.
- Junior Kevin Wall leads all current Nittany Lions with five goals and three assists for eight points in eight career games against the Gophers including an active five-game point-streak against Minnesota that all started with that memorable goal that secured the 3-2 win and eventual 2020 Big Ten Championship. Wall has registered at least one point in all but one game against the Gophers in his career including goals in five of eight career games.
- In eight career games against his former team, senior Clayton Phillips has three points, all of which came in his first two games back in Mariucci as an opposing player during the 2019-20 season. Phillips even potted the game-winning tally to complete Penn State's first-ever sweep of the Gophers at 3M Arena on November 15-16, 2019.
- Sophomore Christian Sarlo tallied his first collegiate goal last season against Minnesota and added another earlier this year during a 5-3 victory at Mariucci. Sarlo has points in three of his four career games against Minnesota with two goals and one assist.
- Sophomore Jimmy Dowd Jr. played his first two games against Minnesota back in November registering one goal and two assists in the two games after missing last season's opening series. Freshman Ryan Kirwan also added points in each game against the Gophers in the fall scoring a goal in the victory and adding an assist the following night.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- Despite losing two of their top-three scorers and their top defensemen to the Olympics three weeks ago, the Gophers have won four-straight with back-to-back sweeps over Michigan State and then last weekend on the road at then-No. 8 and conference leading Ohio State, outscoring the Buckeyes 8-3 over the two games.
- The Gophers have only lost three times in 12 games since the calendar turned to 2022 and currently sit just two points behind Michigan for tops in the Big Ten while ranking fifth in the nation.
- Minnesota lost reigning Mike Richter Award winning goaltender Jack LaFontaine unexpectedly back in January when he signed an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes following a series at Michigan State. This has opened the door for junior Justen Close to take over between the pipes and he has gone 7-3-0 in that time compiling a .924 save percentage and a 1.91 goals-against average in over 600 minutes of action. Close's goals-against average now leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh in the nation while his save percentage is tied for third in the Big Ten and 11th in the nation. Prior to this season, Close had only appeared in five games totaling 49:32 minutes played over his first two years at Minnesota.
- While Team USA was defeated by Slovakia in the Quarterfinal round of the Olympics late Tuesday night it is still unexpected that Gopher hockey players Brock Faber, Matthew Knies and Ben Meyers will make it to University Park this weekend. Minnesota is still paced offensively by Blake McLaughlin's 27 points and Sammy Walker's 12 goals. Bryce Brodzinski has added 11 goals so far this season for the Gophers while Jackson LaCombe leads the team with 18 assists from the blueline.
- The Minnesota powerplay has struggled this semester as the Gophers are just 4-for-47 (8.5 percent) since the calendar flipped to 2022 including an 0-for-7 performance in a loss to Alaska back in January. Extending even further, the Gophers have just four PPG's in their last 14 games following a stretch of five-straight games with at least one. Overall, the Gopher man-advantage ranks last in the Big Ten converting just 17.3 percent (17-for-98). Prior to semester break, Minnesota was converting at a 25 percent clip on the man-advantage.
- The Gopher penalty kill has been much better than the powerplay ranking second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally at 85.9 percent (73-for-85) including a 23-for-24 (95.8 percent) string over their last nine games.
SHOOTOUT MADNESS
- Last month against Ohio State, Connor MacEachern kept the shootout rolling with his first career shootout goal and after a Liam Souliere save at one end, freshman Ben Schoen skated down the other end for the magical moment.
- The shootout victory for Penn State was the first in over three calendar years dating back to a victory over Wisconsin on November 30, 2018. Alex Limoges '21 scored the winner that night.
- The shootout was also the first at Pegula Ice Arena in nearly two years dating back to February 7, 2020 also against Ohio State with the Buckeyes earning the extra point that evening.
SEVENTH HEAVEN
- Last month Penn State racked up seven goals in a game for the first time since beating Michigan 9-5 on December 3, 2020.
- All-time Penn State has now scored seven or more goals on 25 occasions including seven times in Big Ten contests. Twice each now against Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan and once against Notre Dame.
NEXT UP
- Penn State concludes the 2021-22 regular-season with a trip to east Lansing to battle the last place Michigan State Spartans next weekend.
For more information on the 2021-22 season presented by the Penn State Bookstore: 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.