UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's hockey team hosts its first College Hockey America matchup of the 2018-19 season this weekend against Syracuse Nov. 3-4 at Pegula Ice Arena. Both games are set to begin at 2 p.m.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Syracuse Orange (2-6-2, 2-2 CHA) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-5-1, 0-2 CHA)
Dates: Saturday, Nov. 3 | Sunday, Nov. 4
Times: 2 p.m. both days
Place: Pegula Ice Arena
Tickets: Saturday | Sunday
Watch: Game 1 | Game 2 (Both via LionVision)
Statistics: Live Stats (Both games)
THON GAME
Sunday's game marks the annual THON Game for the Nittany Lions to bring awareness to the fight against pediatric cancer. This event features multiple games and attractions at Pegula, including floor and bubble hockey, face painting, crafts, photo booths, and more.
The first 500 Penn State students at the game will receive a free Penn State Women's Hockey THON t-shirt. Cub Club members also get free admission to the game.
In addition, the first post-game skate of the season with the Nittany Lions will take place shortly after the conclusion of the game.
LAST TIME OUT: MERCYHURST
The Nittany Lions lost two close games at Mercyhurst last Friday and Saturday to begin conference play in College Hockey America.
In game one, Brooke Madsen scored Penn State's lone goal, her third of the season. Kelsey Crow and Loli Fidler were credited with assists as the Nittany Lions' comeback came up short in a 2-1 loss.
In game two, Loli Fidler notched her first career goal and added a second score while Katie Rankin and Natalie Heising also added a goal each to their season totals. Heising and Kelsey Crow both gathered two assists. Fidler and Katie McMillan each tallied one. Chanel Burke made 24 saves in her first career start. Despite a season-high in shots (36) and scoring twice on the power play for the first time this season, the Nittany Lions lost in overtime 5-4.
LOOKING AT SYRACUSE
Syracuse enters the weekend 2-6-0, which includes a 2-2 College Hockey America conference record. The Orange defeated Lindenwood in back-to-back games Oct. 19-20. For the season, Syracuse has been outscored by opponents 31-20. This weekend marks the fifth time the Orange will play on the road this season.
The Orange are led in scoring by freshman forward Lauren Bellefontaine who has seven points on four goals and three assists. She is tied with sophomore Emma Polaski for goals and is tied for third in assists. Allie Munroe is coming off a hot game versus #2 Clarkson after scoring two goals.
Goaltenders Ady Cohen and Maddi Welch have split time for the Orange with four starts between them. Both carry a 1-3 record and have combined for a 3.84 GAA and a .852 save percentage.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Syracuse leads the all-time series against the Nittany Lions 21-1-4, but the last three matchups have all been tightly contested and ended up going to overtime.
In the most recent series at Pegula Ice Arena Jan. 19-20, Syracuse won both games in the extra period. Meike Meilleur had her first career two-goal game in the first game. Both of her goals were scored in the third period to send the game to overtime.
In the second game, Natalie Heising scored the Nittany Lions' lone goal in the first period. Brooke Madsen picked up an assist on the play. The second overtime game marked the 12th overtime game of the season for Penn State.
FIDLER ON FIRE
Freshman Loli Fidler was named CHA Freshman of the Week after scoring two goals, including her first collegiate goal, and adding two assists in the two-game series at Mercyhurst. Her four points lead the Nittany Lions for the weekend.
Her three-point game on Saturday was the first three-point game by a Penn State freshman since Natalie Heising scored a hat trick last February against Lindenwood.
Fidler has now tallied at least one point in four of the last five games and is tied for third on the team with six points.
HIGH PRAISE FOR HEISING
Sophomore forward Natalie Heising is tied for the CHA lead and tied for sixth nationally in Division I with 13 points (6G, 7A) this season. She had a goal and two assists last Saturday for her second three-point game of the season (9/28 vs. Colgate).
Heising now has ten career multi-point games through 46 career games, which is ranks fifth in program history. Hannah Hoenshell (2012-16) ranks fourth with 11 career multi-point efforts. Amy Petersen (2013-17) has the most multi-point games in Penn State history with 26.
THE CROW SHOW
Senior Kelsey Crow currently leads the CHA with eight assists this season as a defenseman. She is on pace to shatter her career-high assist mark of 11 set in the 2017-18 season.
Crow had three assists in the last week's series at Mercyhurst and has a point in six of the Nittany Lions' ten games this season. She is also tied for third on the team 17 blocked shots.
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