No. 5 (NCAA Percentage Index, NPI) Penn State Nittany Lions travel to No. 2 Michigan this weekend for a pivotal Big Ten series as both teams jockey for conference positioning and national tournament seeding down the stretch of the regular season. With only a handful of games remaining, every point carries heightened significance and this matchup features two of the most explosive and disciplined teams in the country.
SERIES INFO
Dates: Friday, February 13 | Saturday, February 14
Place: Yost Ice Arena | Ann Arbor, Michigan
TV: FRI: Big Ten+ | SAT: B1G Network
Time: 6:30 p.m. | 5 p.m.
Penn State has found recent success in Ann Arbor, winning four of the last six contests at Yost Ice Arena including three of four last season. The Nittany Lions memorably swept Michigan in last year’s best-of-three Big Ten Quarterfinal series, a result that ultimately pushed the Wolverines to the edge of the NCAA tournament bubble. Earlier this season in November, the two teams split a series at Pegula Ice Arena. Michigan controlled the opener with a decisive 7-1 win before Penn State responded the following night with a composed 4-2 victory to even the weekend and reassert its defensive structure.
No. 2 Michigan Notes
The Wolverines enter the weekend following a split series against Michigan State. Michigan rallied from a two-goal deficit to claim an overtime victory at Yost on Friday before falling 5-2 in Detroit on Saturday. The results allowed the Spartans to leapfrog Michigan in both the national polls and the Big Ten standings, dropping the Wolverines to No. 2 nationally and second in the conference, trailing by a single point.
Michigan remains the highest-scoring offense in the nation, averaging 4.68 goals per game and totaling 131 goals on the season. Defensively, the Wolverines have been equally efficient, surrendering just 2.29 goals per contest to rank second in the Big Ten and inside the national top ten. Their +2.39 goal differential leads the country and highlights a balanced approach that blends elite scoring with disciplined defensive play.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.The Michigan power play continues to be a defining strength, converting at a 29.8 percent rate (31-for-104), the best mark in the Big Ten and second nationally. Their 31 power-play goals trail only Minnesota Duluth for the national lead. Up front, captain TJ Hughes anchors the attack as college hockey’s active career scoring leader with 162 points. Hughes paces the team with 40 points this season, placing him among the nation’s top scorers. Sophomore Michael Hage has added 37 points while Will Horcoff leads the Big Ten with 20 goals, eight of which have come with the man advantage. Josh Eernisse adds a shorthanded threat with three goals while freshman goaltender Jack Ivankovic recently returned from injury and carries a .925 save percentage alongside a 2.02 goals-against average, ranking among conference leaders.
No. 5 Penn State Notes
Penn State counters with momentum of its own, fueled by the continued emergence of freshman forward Gavin McKenna. Since returning from international duty at the 2026 World Junior Championships, McKenna has recorded points in six of eight games, including four multi-point performances and his first collegiate hat trick at Wisconsin in late January. He has been held scoreless in only four of his 16 Big Ten appearances and now leads the team with 22 conference points on eight goals and 14 assists. His 32 points overall place him among the nation’s top freshmen and near the top of the Big Ten scoring race.
Special teams remain a cornerstone for the Nittany Lions. Despite a brief stumble two weeks ago, Penn State owns the top penalty kill in the Big Ten at 86.1 percent, ranking inside the national top ten. Junior captain Dane Dowiak leads the country with four shorthanded goals this season, setting a new Penn State single-season record and continuing to climb the program’s all-time leaderboard.
On the blue line, freshman defenseman Jackson Smith has been a revelation, scoring eight goals this year to lead all Big Ten defensemen and tie the Penn State single-season record at the position. Five of those tallies have come on the power play, placing him among national leaders for defenseman scoring with the man advantage.
In net, Penn State boasts one of the nation’s strongest goaltending tandems in Josh Fleming and Kevin Reidler. Together they hold a .919 team save percentage, second in the Big Ten. Fleming individually leads the conference with a .938 save percentage and carries a 2.02 goals-against average that ranks among the nation’s best. Their reliability between the pipes provides Penn State with a consistent defensive backbone as the regular season winds down.
Following the Michigan series, Penn State returns home next week to conclude its season set against Ohio State at Pegula Ice Arena in what promises to be another crucial Big Ten showdown.
