No. 8 Penn State women’s hockey (1-0, 0-0 AHA) shutout No. 10 St. Lawrence (0-1, 0-0 ECAC) 3-0 in the teams’ 2025-26 season-opener.

A 15-shot first-period onslaught pushed the Nittany Lions out in front early, and the Penn State defense and Katie DeSa slammed the doors the rest of the way.

How It Happened

Tessa Janecke won the opening draw for Penn State, getting things going. After entering the zone, Janecke dropped the puck back to Kendall Butze, letting go of the wrister for the game’s first shot.

Two minutes later, a turnover forced by Grace Outwater kept the puck in the Nittany Lions’ offensive zone. Nicole Hall let go of a snapshot from the left face-off circle, but Kassidy Lawrence saved the shot.

The Saints would earn the game’s first penalty after a body-checking minor by Leah Stecker. It lasted only 1:06, as St. Lawrence’s Rylan Haslam interfered with a Nittany Lion, sending things to a 4-on-4 for 54 seconds.

With Penn State on the man advantage, Kaetlyn Roberts wasted no time making it 1-0, after being set up beautifully by Janecke and Butze.

Tic-tac-toe to start us off#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/rbBYlCo6Ad

— Penn State Women’s Hockey (@PennStateWHKY) September 25, 2025

19 seconds later, Hall decided to join in on the scoring party, beating Lawrence to make it 2-0 before the halfway mark of the first period. With 8:39 left in the opening period — from deep in the left corner — Outwater picked up the loose puck and beat Lawrence’s far side, extending the Penn State first-period lead to three.

Things would resume in the second, as the Nittany Lions took the opening draw. Janecke and Matilde Fantin found themselves on a 2-on-1 shortly after, but the shot attempt was turned away by Lawrence.

Grace Tullock took a two-minute minor for interference, setting up St. Lawrence for its second power-play of the evening.

The Saints set up on the man advantage, and with DeSa glove-less and stick-less, Ella Nancarrow ripped a shot from the point, deflecting off the crossbar and out of play.

The Nittany Lions would go back on the man-advantage after Kennedy Emerson took a roughing penalty after the whistle. Janecke set up Roberts in the slot on the power play, but Lawrence was there to make the glove save.

With under eight minutes to go in the middle period, Mikah Keller found the puck on her stick with Fantin trailing and no defenders to beat. Keller dropped the pass back and set up Fantin, but Lawrence came up with the stop.

St. Lawrence would go back on the power-play after Roberts got caught for checking from behind. Outwater scooped up the puck from the face-off and took it 180 feet the other way. With no one between her and the goalie, Outwater fired the puck but was denied by Lawrence.

Outwater found herself right in front of the crease with a bouncing puck on her stick to open the final period of regulation, but was met at the doorstep by Lawrence’s pads.

5:30 into the third period, Abby Stonehouse was penalized for body-checking. St. Lawrence set up the offense, Emerson fired a shot from just outside the right face-off circle, but the attempt was blocked by Sophie Morrow. DeSa was then forced to make two saves before the penalty expired.

Katie flashing the glove#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/UU4iet8Qx9

— Penn State Women’s Hockey (@PennStateWHKY) September 25, 2025

The Nittany Lions went back on the man-advantage after a hooking penalty was called on St. Lawrence, but were only able to generate one shot on goal.

Stecker was called for her second minor of the night, a hook with 4:05 remaining in regulation. The Saints pulled the goalie on the man-advantage, but were unable to beat DeSa.

St. Lawrence had one final setup in the offensive zone, but time ran out as Penn State closed out a 3-0 victory.

Takeaways

• Penn State wasted no time getting in a rhythm, scoring three times in the opening frame.
• Outwater proved to be the difference-maker, burying the Nittany Lions’ third goal while also generating seven pucks on net.
• Penn State held St. Lawrence to just 14 shots. DeSa wasn’t tested much, but made all necessary stops to seal the deal on the Nittany Lions’ first win of the season.

What’s Next?

Penn State women’s hockey will finish its opening series against St. Lawrence at 3 p.m. on Friday, September 24, at Pegula Ice Arena. The game can be streamed on BTN+.