UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — No. 5 NPI/No. 6 USCHO Penn State Nittany Lions welcome the Ohio State Buckeyes to Hockey Valley this weekend looking to snap a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). The Nittany Lions swept the Buckeyes earlier this season at Value City Arena on Oct. 30–31 and will aim to rediscover that form as the postseason race tightens.
SERIES INFO
Dates: Friday, Feb. 20 | Saturday, Feb. 21
Location: Pegula Ice Arena | University Park, Pa.
TV: Big Ten Network (Friday and Saturday)
Time: 8:30 p.m. | 8 p.m.
Penn State has controlled the recent series, posting a 12-7-1 record over the last 20 meetings. Excluding empty-net goals, 19 of the past 21 matchups, including both games earlier this season, have been decided by a single goal, underscoring how tightly contested this rivalry has become. The Nittany Lions hold a narrow 12-8-1 edge in those one-goal contests.
Defensively, Ohio State ranks near the bottom of the conference, allowing 3.39 goals per game ranking 50th nationally. Penn State has been stronger on the back end, surrendering 2.86 goals per game, good for third in the Big Ten and 30th nationally.
OHIO STATE NOTES
Ohio State finished last season 24-14-2, falling 4-3 in double overtime to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game before losing to Boston University in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. This season has been more challenging, with the Buckeyes entering the weekend at 11-16-1, though they have won three of their last four games.
The Buckeyes lost five of their top eight scorers from a year ago, including leading scorer Gunnarwolfe Fontaine. However, several key contributors returned. Riley Thompson, who tied Fontaine for the team lead in goals last season, is back alongside Davis Burnside and Max Montes.
Burnside and Montes currently lead the team with 11 goals each, producing 23 and 21 points, respectively. Thompson has added nine goals, including a team-best six on the power play. Freshman Jake Karabela has emerged as Ohio State’s top playmaker, pacing the team with 25 points on nine goals and a team-high 16 assists.
In goal, Kristoffer Eberly and freshman Sam Hillebrandt have split duties. Hillebrandt has started eight of the team’s 12 games since the holiday break. The two netminders have nearly identical numbers, with Eberly holding a slight edge in goals-against average (3.26 to 3.33) and Hillebrandt owning a marginally better save percentage (.887 to .886).
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Ohio State’s team save percentage of .883 is tied for last in the Big Ten and ranks near the bottom nationally that will be an area Penn State will look to exploit.
PENN STATE NOTES
Junior forward Reese Laubach enters the weekend on a hot streak after being named the Big Ten Third Star of the Week. Laubach paced the conference with three goals and four points during a two-game set in Ann Arbor, recording multi-point performances in both contests. He has goals in four of his last five games and points in seven of his last eight.
Freshman defenseman Jackson Smith has also been a revelation. Smith has scored goals in half of his 12 games this semester and leads all Big Ten defensemen with 10 goals, which is a Penn State single-season record for a defenseman.
Six of Smith’s 10 goals have come on the power play, the most in the nation among defensemen.
Despite allowing six power-play goals over the last four games, Penn State still owns the top penalty kill in the Big Ten at 84.3 percent, ranking 10th nationally. The Nittany Lions are also second in the conference with five shorthanded goals.
Forward Matt DiMarsico leads the team with a career-best 34 points on 15 goals and 19 assists, ranking among the Big Ten’s top scorers. He and classmate Aiden Fink continue to climb Penn State’s all-time goal charts. Fink is tied with Kevin Wall (43) for ninth on the all-time goal scoring list while DiMarsico (39) sits just two shy of cracking the top-10 all-time (Brandon Biro – 41).
Freshman phenom Gavin McKenna has found his rhythm since returning from the World Junior Championships. He has points in seven of his last 10 games, including four multi-point efforts and his first collegiate hat trick in late January. McKenna leads Penn State with 23 points in conference play and ranks among the nation’s top freshman scorers.
NEXT UP
Following this weekend’s series, Penn State hits the road for its final regular-season road trip, traveling to South Bend for a pair of games against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish next Friday and Saturday.
With the postseason approaching, the Nittany Lions know the importance of regaining momentum. A strong showing against Ohio State could stabilize their position in the Big Ten standings and restore confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.
