No. 12 Penn State Women’s Hockey Sweeps Series Against Union
No. 12 Penn State women’s hockey beat Union on both Friday and Saturday to get their first sweep of the season.
Katie DeSa and Lauren Barbo split the series in goaltending.
Game One
Penn State came out strong after splitting the series against UConn last weekend. The Nittany Lions got a shot on goal when Maddy Christian fired from in front of the net, with the shot going wide.
Within four minutes, Taya MacDonald fed the puck back to Katelyn Roberts in the offensive zone to take her shot that put the Nittany Lions up 1-0.
Union took control of the puck after the Penn State goal, desperate to not get behind early into the game. Katie DeSa saved a shot from Maddie Suitor that came from the back of the net. Right after, Union tried again but was met by DeSa.
Giavanna Mancy for Union took a penalty for interference to put Penn State on the power play. The Nittany Lions dominated the advantage. Captain Tessa Janecke took her chance in front of the net but was denied by Sophie Matsoukas.
As the power play wound down, Maren Friday took a boarding penalty, putting Penn State a player up once again.
Brianna Brooks skated into the zone but went wide, allowing the Garnet Chargers to clear the puck. Janecke took another try but was blocked by Marsoukas.
To finish a somewhat quiet period, Roberts took a roughing penalty. The Garnet Chargers tried to finish with an even score, but the advantage ended with the period as Penn State led Union 1-0.
The Garnet Chargers kept up with the energy from the previous period, going back on the power play to start the new frame. Leah Stecker for Penn State took the penalty for bodychecking.
Within seconds of the start of the advantage, Union’s Stephanie Bourque fired past DeSa to even the score with the Nittany Lions.
However, Penn State did not give up, and the team continued pushing to regain the lead. Tiffany Hill led the campaign by continuing to shoot at the goaltender until her rebound to Alyssa Machado went into the back of the net.
The Nittany Lions did not let up after Machado’s goal, which put them in the lead. Janecke and Hill took the puck in to extend the lead but the shot was blocked by Matsoukas.
Penn State went back on the power play when Karianne Engelbert for Union took a bodychecking penalty.
Nicole Hall for Penn State continued to shoot toward Matsoukas but was unsuccessful as she saved each shot.
The power play was killed by Union, which led to their goal by Karianne Engelbert. She came from the middle of the ice to shoot past DeSa.
Exactly a minute after the Garnet Chargers goal, Janecke came across the middle of the ice to shoot past defenders to put Penn State up 3-2 with six minutes left in the second period.
Penn State dominated the rest of the period. Shots came from Roberts, Janecke, Kendall Butze, and Grace Tullock.
Going into the final frame, Penn State led the game 3-2.
The third period started intense, with Union fighting to regain a tie with the Nittany Lions. Penn State did not allow a comeback from Union.
Lyndie Lobdell shot her first puck toward Matsoukas but was not allowed into the net. Kendal Davidson took a penalty for bodychecking, putting Penn State back on the power play.
Stecker took her chance but was denied by Matsoukas. The penalty ended with nothing to show for the Nittany Lions except for one shot.
Penn State was trying to pull away and finish the game with shots coming from Brooks and Abby Stonehouse.
Union did not give up and started rapidly shooting in the offensive zone. Suitor came close to putting the puck in the back door but DeSa was there to stop her.
Union had luck swing their way when Janecke took a penalty for bodychecking, giving them the advantage late in the third. Within a minute in the power play and nothing generated on offense, the Garnet Chargers took out Matsoukas.
The luck was short-lived when Janecke returned from the penalty box and scored an empty-net goal to seal the deal for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State won 4-2 and looked for the sweep when they returned to play Union the next day.
Game Two
Barbo started in the net for the Nittany Lions.
Union came out strong, an important game as today was their breast cancer awareness game.
Penn State’s Karolina Hengelmüller went wide of the net on the first shot of the game. Lobdell fired the puck that just trickled through the goalie to put the Nittany Lions up 1-0 just five minutes into the game.
Union sent the puck down the ice in an attempt to even the score. Stephanie Bourque’s attempt was blocked by Tiffany Hill.
Janecke took a penalty for tripping, allowing Union to get out of the deficit early into the game. The Garnet Chargers kept attacking Barbo but were denied. Union set up for the power play but couldn’t get any high-percentage shots generating. The power play was killed by Penn State.
Union kept the pressure on Penn State but had nothing to show for it. The Nittany Lions took the puck down the ice and had the puck in the offensive zone. Freshman Nicole Hall was being swarmed by Union skaters but on a last-minute attempt, she shot at the net and scored.
Midway through the first period, Penn State led 2-0.
The energy got carried away for the Nittany Lions when Grace Outwater took a penalty for cross-checking.
Union took advantage of the opportunity, peppering Barbo with shots. Luck swung their way when Janecke took a hooking penalty, starting five-on-three hockey for the Garnet Chargers. Union did not stop going at the net but was denied by Barbo each time.
As the penalty ended, Mancy took a penalty for bodychecking. Penn State’s special teams had improved over the past few weeks, carrying the puck into the net easily on the advantage. Maddy Christian, in a pile, got the shot off and into the back of the net.
The first period ended with the shots tied at 11-11 with Penn State leading 3-0.
Union brought in Monja Wagner as their goaltender for the second period.
Right off the bat, the Charging Garnets skated down the ice to score. Maddie Leaney was credited for the score, and she was unassisted.
To add to their drive, Stecker took a penalty for tripping to give Union another chance.
DeSa was prepared for the Charging Garnets, blocking every shot going at her. Penn State special teams killed off the penalty once again.
Feeling threatened, the Nittany Lions brought the puck back into the offensive zone, dominating the next two minutes on the ice. Hill was the most dominant, generating three shots on goal. Penn State was able to get a chance on the power play when an interference penalty was called on Union.
Penn State could not generate a goal, with shots coming from Janecke, Hall, and Stecker on the power play.
The Nittany Lions tried after the penalty was over with a shot from MacDonald going wide of the net.
With four minutes left in the second period, Union took a penalty for hooking. Stecker had the best chance of scoring but was gloved by Wagner.
The penalty was killed with two minutes left in the second period.
The period ended with Penn State leading in shots 25-17 and 3-1 going into the third.
The final frame of the series started off strong for the Charging Garnets, with a goal coming from Maddie Leaney within the first minute of play.
Penn State was desperate to continue their lead, with Hall shooting towards Wagner but missed.
Lobdell also tried for the net but was blocked by Leaney.
Union took over offensively, with four shots consecutively coming toward Barbo. However, momentum swung back to Penn State after Barbo was pulled during a delayed penalty on Union. For her second goal of the series, Machado scored.
To top off the weekend, Machado scored for her third time this series.
Union did not let up with shots coming from Amanda Quan and Lauren Johnson, which were both saved by Barbo.
Outwater took a penalty for slashing, giving Union one last breath of life before the game was over. A minute into the power play, Engelbert scored to make the score 5-3.
With less than a second left, Union pulled Wagner to get an extra attacker on the ice. Their attempt was unsuccessful as the clock winded down.
Takeaways:
- Penn State’s power plays and penalty kills are improving each week. With a power-play goal in the second game, special teams are improving significantly compared to their first series against Northeastern.
- Goaltending continues to be an anchor for the Nittany Lions. Between DeSa and Barbo, they prove to be the stronger part of the team.
- Playing all three periods seems to be a problem for Penn State.
What’s Next?
Penn State women’s hockey will return home against Dartmouth at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 18, at Pegula Ice Arena.
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