Penn State Women’s Hockey Sweeps Robert Morris
Penn State women’s hockey (10-7-1, 7-1-0 CHA) dominated Robert Morris (7-11-0, 4-4-0 CHA) in its first series at Pegula Ice Arena in nearly two months, sweeping the Colonials in a two-game series. The Nittany Lions won the first game 2-0 Friday before taking the second matchup 4-1 Saturday.
Tessa Janecke, who scored twice on Saturday, and Josie Bothun, who notched 37 saves in the two matches, starred for the Nittany Lions in the two games.
How It Happened
Game One
Taking the time to get a feel for the opposing team’s game, neither team managed to dominate possession in the opening 10 minutes. The Nittany Lions often found themselves in the offensive end but only fired one shot before Robert Morris cleared the puck away.
The game’s first scoring chance came courtesy of Katelyn Roberts at 12:21 of the period. She used her speed to fly past a Robert Morris defender and engineered a partial breakaway. Maggie Hatch thwarted the attempt and covered the puck for a stoppage.
Gillian Thompson took the game’s first penalty at 18:34 as she was awarded a two-minute penalty for interference. Penn State couldn’t get much going before the end of the period and had 34 seconds of carry-over time on the power play to begin the next period.
Opening the second period, Penn State controlled possession on its abbreviated power play but was unable to record a shot on goal for the entirety of the penalty. Robert Morris had an answer for everything the Nittany Lions threw at it.
Robert Morris had its first scoring chance of the game shortly after killing off the penalty to Thompson. Laura Eustace fired a shot at Bothun that was stopped, but Bothun couldn’t control the rebound. Eustace fired a second shot, but it was blocked away.
Penn State received its second power play of the game at 3:10 of the period as Lindsey Smolen was sent off for a two-minute hooking penalty.
It was on this power play that the Nittany Lions broke through for the first goal of the contest at 4:43. Brianna Brooks received a pass from Janecke and skated into the slot, firing a shot at Hatch that connected with the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game.
Penn State continued to apply pressure and was once again sent to the power play at 5:05. Robert Morris received a two-minute bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was an abbreviated power play, though, as Julie Gough was whistled for a two-minute hooking penalty at 6:07.
After nearly 50 seconds of four-on-four hockey, Robert Morris was sent on an abbreviated power play in which it struggled to regain any momentum. Penn State’s penalty kill suffocated any opposing attack.
At 11:26 of the period, Thompson took her second penalty of the game, once again sending Penn State to the power play. She was whistled for a two-minute cross-checking penalty. While it couldn’t solve Hatch, Penn State’s dominance of possession continued on this power play, holding the zone nearly the entire time and firing two shots on goal.
Penn State head coach Jeff Kampersal challenged an apparent high hit on a Penn State player, issuing an official review to asses if a major penalty should be handed to Kaitlyn Schooley for head contact. The officials sided with Kampersal, and Penn State was sent on a five-minute power play at 15:23 of the period.
Lyndie Lobdell was sent to the penalty box at 16:21 for interference, cutting the Nittany Lions’ power play short. This was a much-needed break for Robert Morris as it continued to be pinned in its defensive zone.
After two minutes of four-on-four hockey, the Nittany Lions were back on the power play for just over a minute. Thompson took her third penalty of the game at 19:37, sending the Nittany Lions to an abbreviated power play before the end of the second period. Shots were 28-7 Penn State as the team searched for the second goal of the contest.
Robert Morris opened the third period with a scoring chance: a breakaway off of a loose puck in the neutral zone. Alaina Giampietro got in close on Bothun but kept the Colonials off the scoreboard. Robert Morris killed the Penn State power play while only surrendering one shot.
Lexi Bedier sent Robert Morris to the power play at 4:33 of the third period as she was whistled for interference. On the power play, the Colonials were unable to gain any traction as Penn State’s penalty kill filled every available lane.
Shortly after the penalty kill, Penn State finally got the insurance goal it had been searching for as Janecke put away her sixth goal of the season with an assist from Bedier at 7:12. The second goal had seemed inevitable as the Nittany Lions kept piling on the shots.
Robert Morris coach Logan Bittle challenged an apparent hit to the head on one of his players from a Penn State player, issuing yet another official review at 13:13. However, the challenge was unsuccessful, and the Colonials lost their timeout.
The Nittany Lions once again found themselves on the power play as Courtney Hall was whistled for a two-minute tripping penalty. Penn State’s power play woes for the game continued as Robert Morris killed the penalty, making the Nittany Lions 1-for-7 with the advantage.
At 16:36, the officials issued two-minute roughing penalties against Karley Garcia. About one minute into four-on-four play, Robert Morris pulled Hatch to get an extra skater as it searched for two goals. Despite the extra skater, Penn State closed out game one, which gave the Nittany Lions their ninth win overall and sixth CHA win. Outshooting the Colonials 37-16, it was a dominant win for the Nittany Lions regardless of the 2-0 score.
Bothun, who recorded her nineteenth career shutout, tied the CHA record for career shutouts.
Game Two
Penn State started fast in game two, as Brooks was sprung on a breakaway for the game’s first scoring chance just under two minutes in. Hatch made the save, but the Nittany Lions continued their dominance early on.
Despite the fast start, Penn State took the first penalty of the matchup with Mya Vaslet receiving a two-minute minor for body checking at 10:31, sending Robert Morris to the power play. The Colonials controlled possession but spent much of their power play cycling the puck as the Nittany Lions clogged passing lanes and blocked any shot attempts.
Tempers flared directly in front of the Robert Morris bench toward the end of the period, resulting in two-minute roughing penalties for both Garcia and Wasyn Rice, leading to four-on-four hockey. Robert Morris controlled play for much of the two minutes, and Shailynn Snow nearly snuck a shot past Bothun to open the scoring.
Much like game one, Robert Morris took a penalty with under two minutes remaining in the period as Hall was sent to the box at 18:28 for tripping. The ensuing 1:31 of Penn State’s power play was unspectacular with the Nittany Lions unable to control possession until 20 seconds remained in the period. Maggie MacEachern dished a pass to Lobdell who fired a one-timer from the left circle but was stopped by Hatch.
The Nittany Lions power play struggles continued as the second period went underway. The penalty kill of Robert Morris was stout, although Penn State didn’t do itself any favors with the advantage.
Continuing her stellar season and building on game one, Janecke opened the scoring with her seventh goal of the year at 3:19. She received a pass from Stella Retrum and fired a wrist shot from the left circle past Hatch, giving the Nittany Lions the much-needed goal.
The momentum was short-lived for Penn State as a Kendall Butze two-minute holding penalty at 5:50 send Robert Morris back to the power play. Thalia D’Elia entered the zone and chipped a pass to Mya Neugent who then snuck a shot past Bothun to make it a 1-1 game at 6:56. Bothun got a piece to the shot, but it wasn’t enough as the puck hit the back of the net.
Shortly after the goal, Penn State took yet another penalty, once again sending Robert Morris to the power play as Retrum was sent to the box for an interference call at 7:42. The power play was short-lived as Snow was called for interference leading to four-on-four play and an abbreviated Penn State power play. Nothing came of the power play and both teams were back at full strength.
Penalties were a problem for Penn State in this contest with Alyssa Machado being sent to the box at 12:14 for slashing, giving Robert Morris another power play. Just 21 seconds into the penalty, Janecke managed a breakaway and pulled a slick backhanded move on Hatch to put the Nittany Lions up 2-1 at 12:35. The goal was her second of the game and eighth of the season. Robert Morris was unable to recover for the rest of its power play, and both teams went back to full strength.
Finally having momentum, Penn State headed to the power play at 15:20 as Calli Arnold was called for holding. Once again, Penn State was unable to take advantage, and Robert Morris killed the penalty. Penn State had three shots but also surrendered a short-handed opportunity that Bothun fought off. The period came to an unceremonious close with the Nittany Lions leading 2-1 and having a 28-19 advantage in shots on goal.
Early in the third period, Penn State continued to suffocate Robert Morris with extended time in the offensive zone, culminating in the Nittany Lions being sent to the power play at 2:30 on a Thompson tripping call. Penn State was finally able to convert, as Vaslet flew past two Robert Morris defenders and backhanded a shot at the goalie. Hatch made the initial save but a failed clearing attempt from Robert Morris deflected off Hatch and into the net to make it a 3-1 game at 3:50.
Robert Morris took yet another penalty at 4:49, once again sending the Nittany Lions to the power play as Hall was sent to the box for body-checking. This was short-lived as Lobdell was called for body checking at 5:57 to cancel out the Penn State power play.
On the penalty kill, Vaslet rushed up the ice and attempted to backhand a pass to Machado, who deflected the pass into the chest of Hatch. A Robert Morris defender then crashed into Hatch and both went into the back of the net. As a result, Kampersal issued a coach’s challenge that the puck had crossed the goal line and Penn State should be awarded its fourth goal. The challenge was unsuccessful and as a result, Penn State lost its timeout.
Despite not surrendering a goal on the previous penalty kill, Penn State attempted to kill off a penalty at 11:03 as Janecke nearly threw down a Robert Morris player and was whistled for holding. Robert Morris sustained pressure, but the Nittany Lions once again did a stellar job of clogging the lanes leading to multiple blocked shot attempts.
Needing two goals late, Robert Morris pulled Hatch at 16:38, opting for the extra skater. Penn State’s defense remained stout with Robert Morris struggling to even enter the offensive zone. Penn State seemingly put the game away at 17:56 as Brooks was all alone to put the puck in the empty net to make it a 4-1 game.
The score remained 4-1 as the final whistle blew, allowing the Nittany Lions to complete the sweep and record win No. 10 overall and their seventh win in CHA play. They outshot Robert Morris 40-22.
Takeaways
- Bothun was stellar in this series, saving 37 of the 38 shots she faced and recording her 19th career shutout. She now has eight wins on the season.
- Janecke is her. The forward continued her outstanding season with three goals and one assist in the series, giving her 26 points in just 18 games. She remains second in the CHA in points, just behind Morgan Neitzke of Lindenwood who has 28.
- Penn State dominated in the shots on goal category, outshooting Robert Morris 77-36. Credit goes to Hatch for making this appear far better for Robert Morris than it could have been.
- Robert Morris couldn’t stop taking penalties throughout the series, yet Penn State was unable to take advantage. The Nittany Lions were a mere 2-for-13 with the advantage and three two power plays wiped out in the series by taking a penalty of their own.
- Despite the penalty kill stopping six of the seven Robert Morris power plays and even netting a short-handed goal courtesy of Janecke, penalties remained a problem for Penn State. The Nittany Lions took four penalties in game one, two of which wiped out power plays, and an additional seven in game two, one of which wiped out a power play.
What’s Next?
Penn State women’s hockey will return to Pegula Ice Arena for a series showdown with Yale. The games are set for 6 p.m. on Friday, December 8, and 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 9. The games can also be streamed on BTN+.
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