SOUTH BEND, Ind. – No. 5 (NPI/USCHO) Penn State hits the road for the final time in the regular season this weekend for a crucial Big Ten series against Notre Dame at Compton Family Ice Arena. With postseason positioning on the line, the Nittany Lions look to continue their surge following a dominant sweep last weekend.
SERIES INFO
Dates: Friday, February 27 | Saturday, February 28
Location: Compton Family Ice Arena | South Bend, Indiana
Times: 7 p.m. | 6 p.m.
Streaming: Big Ten+
Penn State enters the weekend holding a 7-4-3 record against Notre Dame since the start of the 2022-23 season, though success in South Bend has been harder to come by. The Nittany Lions have won just twice in their last seven games at Compton Family Ice Arena and are 6-13-1 all-time on Notre Dame’s home ice.
This series presents a contrast in trajectories: Penn State surging toward postseason play and Notre Dame searching for stability in a rebuilding season. If the Nittany Lions maintain their offensive pace and stay disciplined against the Irish power play, they will be well positioned to secure valuable conference points.
For Penn State, the weekend represents more than just another series. It is the final road test before returning home for the regular-season finale and a chance to solidify momentum heading into March.
NOTRE DAME NOTES
Notre Dame enters the series reeling after being swept by No. 1 Michigan State and carries a 6-22-4 overall record and 2-17-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Irish are in their first season under head coach Brock Sheahan, who was promoted after longtime bench boss Jeff Jackson retired.
Despite the struggles, Notre Dame retains offensive talent. Cole Knuble, last season’s leading scorer, ranks third on the team with 25 points, while Michigan transfer Evan Werner leads the Irish with 28 points on 15 goals and 13 assists. Sutter Muzzatti and Danny Nelson have also reached double-digit goals.
Goaltending uncertainty could loom large. Sophomore Nicholas Kempf, who started 27 of the team’s first 30 games and represented Team USA at the World Junior Championships, suffered an injury last week. Backup Luke Pearson has struggled in limited action, posting a 5.23 goals-against average and .869 save percentage.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.As a team, Notre Dame is allowing 4.13 goals per game with an .880 save percentage, ranking near the bottom nationally. Offensively, the Irish average just 2.69 goals per game, last in the Big Ten. Their power play, however, remains dangerous at 28.6 percent, fourth best in the nation, meaning discipline will be critical for Penn State.
NO. 5 PENN STATE NOTES
In conference play, the Nittany Lions have already matched their single-season program record with 12 Big Ten wins and sit just three points shy of their highest league point total.
Head coach Guy Gadowsky continues to climb the record books. Last Friday he secured his 250th victory behind the Penn State bench and now sits tied for 27th all-time with 424 career wins, eighth among active Division I coaches. Penn State also reached the 20-win plateau for the seventh time in the last 11 seasons and is within striking distance of both last year’s total (22) and the program record of 25 set in 2016-17.
Penn State arrives in South Bend riding momentum from one of the most explosive weekends in program history.
Freshman phenom Gavin McKenna delivered a record-setting performance in a sweep of Ohio State, compiling 10 points including a program-record eight-point night. He earned Big Ten First Star of the Week honors and now sits tied for the conference scoring lead with 43 points on the season. His 30 assists match the program’s single-season record set by Aiden Fink last season, and his impact continues to fuel Penn State’s high-powered attack.
Junior Aiden Fink was equally dominant, tallying seven points in the series and continuing his climb up the school’s all-time scoring list. Since returning from injury, Fink has produced at an elite rate and now ranks among the program’s top career leaders in points, goals, and assists.
The Nittany Lions’ power play has become a defining strength. Penn State converted 7 of 11 opportunities last weekend and now leads the Big Ten with a program-record 36 power-play goals this season. Defenseman Jackson Smith leads all NCAA blueliners in power-play goals, while multiple forwards have emerged as threats with the man advantage.
Penn State’s offensive depth extends beyond its stars. Matt DiMarsico leads the team with 17 goals and has reached a career-best 39 points, while Reese Laubach has surged in the second half with points in nine of the last 10 games.
The Nittany Lions have also shown resilience, outscoring opponents 47-22 in third periods and winning six games when trailing after two periods. Their ability to finish strong has been a hallmark of a team with championship aspirations.
NEXT UP
Penn State returns to Pegula Ice Arena next week to close the regular season against Wisconsin in a Thursday-Friday series that could have major implications for Big Ten tournament seeding.
