No. 4 Nittany Lions Traveling to Face No. 7 Northeastern for Ranked Nonconference Series

PENN STATE IN THE POLLS

• The Penn State Nittany Lions currently sit fourth in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey polls.
• It is the highest ranking the program has achieved in either poll in its history as PSU is the lone undefeated team in the country.

DEFENSE TO OFFENSE

• Penn State is currently number one in the country in scoring defense and second overall in scoring offense behind No. 1 ranked Wisconsin.
• The Nittany Lions are scoring 5.2 goals per game while only allowing 1.00 goal per game, making for the highest scoring margin in the nation.
• PSU also has only allowed 14.8 shots on goal per game, which is the lowest in the nation by over four shots.
• The Nittany Lions also lead the nation in shorthanded goals with seven, four more than the next team.
• PSU makes up the entire top 10 in plus/minus rating in the AHA with Danica Maynard leading the way at +23.

DOMINANCE IN THE DOT

• The Nittany Lions are ranked first nationally in faceoff win percentage at 61.9 percent.
• Tessa Janecke has won 188 faceoffs, pacing the Nittany Lions while leading the AHA with a 70.7 faceoff win percentage.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Several veteran members of the sixth-ranked Nittany Lions are inching closer to break career program records.
• Tessa Janecke is just one goal from becoming the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, currently sitting at 74.
• This past weekend she tied Natalie Heising at the mark.
• Goaltender Katie DeSa is two shutouts from breaking the program’s career shutout record, currently sitting at 19.
• Kendall Butze is one assist from passing Izzy Heminger for the most career assists by a defenseman, sitting at 65 currently.
• She is also within nine points of breaking the program’s career points by a defenseman record which was set at 84 last season by Lyndie Lobdell.

JANECKE AND MAYNARD EACH NAMED FOR WEEKLY AWARD

• Tessa Janecke earned her second Forward of the Week nod this season and 10^th of her career.
• Danica Maynard notched her third career Defenseman of the Week honor.
• Janecke posted five points over the two games, scoring two goals and dishing three assists with seven shots on goal.
• Her goal on Saturday tied the program’s all-time career goal record as her 74^th.
• Maynard led all Nittany Lions defenders with three points this weekend, all coming in game two to lift PSU over RIT 4-3.
• Her second goal of the game stood as the game winner.

SHORTHANDED SUCCESS  

• PSU has had immense success in scoring on its penalty kill this season, currently leading the nation in the category with seven, after leading the nation last season with nine total.
• Grace Outwater and Maddy Christian are each tied for the individual national lead with two shorthanded goals each.
• Christian and Mya Vaslet each scored a shorthanded goal in Friday’s 5-3 win over RIT, scoring them just 51 seconds apart.

16 GAMES IN

• Through 16 games, the Nittany Lions have outdone themselves in several categories in comparison to a record-breaking 2024-25 season.
• PSU is out to their best start to a season ever at 16-0-0 and a perfect 12-0-0 in conference play while winning by an average margin of 4.19, which is 2.32 goals better than last year.
• The Nittany Lions have scored 83 goals so far, 21 more than they did a season ago at this point while only allow 16 goals, nine less than last season.
• PSU skaters have combined for 209 points in 16 games, 45 more than last year.
• They have also scored five more power play goals than a season ago at this point while also scoring at a 12 percent higher clip.