SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Penn State Nittany Lions continue Big Ten Conference play with a trip to South Bend to battle Notre Dame this weekend.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Dates: Friday, January 19 | Saturday, January 20
Place: South Bend, Ind.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | 6 p.m.
Streaming Video: Friday | Saturday
Listen: Friday | Saturday
Live Statistics: Friday | Saturday
Game Notes: Penn State | Notre Dame
THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
- This weekend marks the 34th and 35th meetings all time with Notre Dame leading the series 19-9-5 including a 10-4-3 mark over the last three-plus seasons.
- Notre Dame holds the 11-5-1 all-time advantage at Compton Family Ice Arena. Seven of the last eight games in South Bend have been decided by three or more goals for the winning team with the Irish holding the 6-2-0 record in those contests. The teams split the series last season in South Bend with Penn State winning the opening game 5-2 before falling 5-3 the following night.
- Senior Christian Sarlo leads all Nittany Lions with four career goals in 13 career games against Notre Dame.
SCOUTING THE IRISH
- Notre Dame is 11-11-2 and coming off a weekend split at Ohio State losing 3-2 on Friday before taking the series finale 5-2 last Saturday. The win was just the second for the Irish in their last eight Big Ten games dating back to the beginning of December.
- Ryan Bischel, the reigning Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, has started all 24 games between the pipes for Notre Dame posting an 11-11-2 record with a .926 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average. His save percentage ranks second in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation while his goals-against average is also good for second in the conference and ranks 20th in the nation.
- The Irish are paced offensively by Landon Slaggert who has 15 goals, tied for second in the Big Ten and fifth in the nation. No other Notre Dame skater has more than six goals as both Patrick Moynihan and Trevor Janicke share that distinction. Slaggert has added six assists for a team-high 21 points, and he enters the weekend riding a three-game point streak with goals in two of those three games including a pair of tallies in last Saturday's victory in Columbus.
- Notre Dame is averaging 2.79 goals per game this season which is just 0.06 ahead of Ohio State for the Big Ten basement, however, the Irish are allowing just 2.63 goals per game on the other side of the ice to rank second in the conference and 17th nationally.
- The Irish have been strong on the penalty kill this season killing off 67-of-82 (81.7 percent) penalties against to rank third in the Big Ten and 25th nationally. The Irish were 7-for-8 on the PK last time these two teams met in Hockey Valley back in November.
- Notre Dame has been strong on draws so far this season ranking third in the Big Ten and 7th in the nation winning 54.2 percent of its faceoffs. Penn State is fourth in the conference and tied for 31st nationally at 50.5 percent.
FRESHMAN PHENOM
- Freshman Aiden Fink picked up the second half of the season right where he ended the first netting a pair of goals, including the game-winner, to go along with one assist for three points two weeks ago against Army.
- Fink added a goal last Saturday against Michigan State and now has 27 points to rank second in the Big Ten, first for freshman, and rank tied for 12th in the nation, fourth among rookies.
- Fink's 12 goals are tied for fifth in the Big Ten and lead all freshmen in the conference while ranking tied for 20th nationally, fifth among rookies.
- Fink's 27 points are already tied for the third-most by a freshman in a single-season in program history with Casey Bailey and current assistant coach Andrew Sturtz. His 12 goals are the eighth-most by a Penn State rookie while his 15 assists place him sixth.
- Against Michigan in November, Fink registered the 11th hat-trick in program history, however, it was just the second all-time on the road and just the fourth against a Big Ten opponent.
JACQUES JAMS
- Graduate transfer Jacques Bouquot has registered at least one point in 11 of his last 14 games.
- Bouquot's nine goals and 20 points this season are both already career-highs.
NEXT UP
- Penn State returns home to battle Ohio State in a Big Ten series with Saturday night's contest serving as the annual 'Wear White' game.
For more information on the 2023-24 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.