UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions welcome No. 2 Michigan State to a historic series this weekend in Hockey Valley, where not only Penn State will host their first outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, but Big Ten supremacy will be on the line.
Series Info
Dates: Friday, January 30 | Saturday, January 31
Place: Pegula Ice Arena/Beaver Stadium | University Park, Pa.
TV: FRI: Big Ten+ | SAT: B1G Network
Time: 6 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Saturday’s outdoor showcase is the second outdoor contest in program history. The Nittany Lions, who previously played in the Frozen Confines at Wrigley Field in January 2025, are no strangers to big events, having tied Notre Dame, 3-3, before falling in a nine-round shootout. Even further back, Penn State played outdoors at Citizens Bank Park on January 4, 2012, during its final club season before moving to Division I.
The all-time series between Penn State and Michigan State is deadlocked at 22-22-8, following the Spartans’ sweep at Munn Ice Arena in November. Last season, Penn State claimed seven of 12 points in the matchup, and at Pegula Ice Arena, the Nittany Lions own a 12-8-4 edge. That said, MSU has dominated recently in “Hockey Valley,” going 4-0-1 in the last five visits, setting the stage for a highly competitive showdown in Happy Valley.
No. 2 Michigan State Notes
The Spartans are riding a four-game winning streak, including sweeps over Wisconsin and Minnesota in the last two weekends. Sitting third in the Big Ten with 30 points—just one behind Penn State and Michigan—MSU has made a habit of racing out to early leads. Over the first 20 minutes this season, the Spartans have outscored opponents 32-6, holding a +26 goal differential in the opening period.
Michigan State’s top line of Daniel Russell, Charlie Stramel, and Porter Martone has been a powerhouse, combining for 82 points on 35 goals and 47 assists while posting a combined +65 rating. Stramel leads the trio with +24, followed closely by Russell (+22) and Martone (+19). Martone ranks ninth nationally in goals per game (0.64) and 12th in points per game (1.27), tallying 28 points on 14 goals and 14 assists.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In net, junior Trey Augustine is elite, ranking fourth nationally in shutouts (3), first in goals-against average (1.73), and second in save percentage (.938). Augustine also leads all active goaltenders in career wins with 59. On special teams, MSU’s power play converts 22.4 percent of opportunities, ranking last in the Big Ten, while their penalty kill sits at 82.8%, second in the conference behind Penn State’s 88% penalty kill.
No. 5 Penn State Notes
The Nittany Lions are riding a seven-game overall and Big Ten winning streak, the longest in program history. Last week’s sweep at Wisconsin was the fourth Big Ten series sweep of the season, tying their single-season record set during the 2016-17 campaign.
Freshman Gavin McKenna has been exceptional since returning from the 2026 World Junior Championships, recording a career-long five-game point streak and three-game goal streak, accumulating six goals and five assists (11 points) over that span. McKenna’s performance helped Penn State dominate No. 5 Wisconsin, including his first career hat trick and a career-high four points in Friday’s 7-2 win, followed by another goal on Saturday. He leads all Big Ten rookies with 29 points, ranking second nationally among freshmen, and sits second in conference scoring with 19 points (7-12-19) in 14 games.
Defenseman Jackson Smith has also shined, scoring in four of eight games this semester, tallying seven goals and 15 points. Smith leads all Big Ten rookies and ranks tied for second nationally among freshman defensemen, demonstrating his impact on both ends of the ice.
Penn State boasts one of the nation’s strongest goaltending tandems in Josh Fleming and Kevin Reidler. The duo combines for a .926 team save percentage, ranking second in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and third nationally. Fleming leads the country with a .944 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average, while Reidler has won five straight starts, posting a .916 save percentage and 2.77 goals-against average. Reidler has now reached 10 wins on the season, becoming just the sixth Nittany Lion netminder to hit double-digit victories in a campaign.
