No. 4 Penn State women’s hockey (18-3, 12-0 AHA) concluded its series with No. 2 Ohio State (17-3, 11-3 WCHA) with a 4-1 loss on Saturday evening.

Undisciplined play spoiled a game in which Tessa Janecke became the program’s all-time leader in career goals. It’s the first time the Nittany Lions have been swept this season after they fell 5-1 to the Buckeyes on Friday.

How It Happened

Ohio State won the opening faceoff to start the game. After some back and forth with no goals scored, Leah Stecker was called for the first penalty of the game, a cross-checking minor, almost 12 minutes into the first period.

On the first shot on goal of the power play, Ohio State’s Kaia Malachino scored on goalie Maddy Campbell to open up scoring and give the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after, Matilde Fantin received a game misconduct for a hit to the head, which led to her ejection and the Nittany Lions being shorthanded for five minutes. The Buckeyes capitalized on the penalty quickly and scored their second power-play goal of the game.

Penn State would be able to respond with a goal of its own after an Ohio State slashing penalty led to a Tessa Janecke goal in four-on-four play. The goal made Janecke the all-time leading goal scorer with 75 career goals.

Tessa intercepts the breakout pass and scores to make it 2-1 for her 75th career goal! #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/0fIk29UOjt

— Penn State Women’s Hockey (@PennStateWHKY) January 3, 2026

Penn State would allow yet another power-play goal before the five-minute major was served and would head into the second period down 3-1.

After a slow start to the second period, both Nicole Hall and Ohio State’s Macy Rasmussen were called for roughing penalties. No goals were scored during four-on-four play.

Jocelyn Amos netted the fourth Buckeye goal, the first goal of the game in 5-on-5 play, to expand the Ohio State lead to three.

The Nittany Lions would get their first chance on the man-advantage just six seconds later. The opportunity would be interrupted by penalties by Mya Vaslet and Joy Dunne, giving Penn State a four-on-three advantage. All penalties would be killed.

Under a minute later, Penn State would go on the power play again. Again, the chance was cut short, this time, by a Mikah Keller tripping minor. The Nittany Lions would get the kill and go into the locker room down 4-1.

Janecke was called for a roughing penalty just under three minutes into the final frame. Penn State would kill the penalty to keep the deficit at three.

Abby Stonehouse was the next Nittany Lion to be put in the penalty box after she was called for roughing. Ohio State’s Joy Dunne was also given a major for contact to the head on the play. No goals would result from the penalties.

The game wouldn’t be complete without more penalties, as Stecker and Mira Jungåker were both sent to the box with under two minutes left. The clock would expire before much could amount from the penalties and the Nittany Lions lost this one 4-1.

Takeaways

• A wildly undisciplined game benefited the Buckeyes, who went 3-7 on the power play. 58 penalty minutes were served across both teams.
• The Nittany Lions couldn’t manage much offensively, getting outshot 40-21.
• Tessa Janecke becomes Penn State’s all-time leader in goals scored.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will look to bounce back in their second series against Mercyhurst. The first game is set to take place on Friday, January 9, at 3 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, PA. No broadcast location has been determined at this time.