UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State women’s hockey team has released its schedule for the 2017-18 season, as announced by first-year head coach Jeff Kampersal. The Nittany Lions’ sixth season as a varsity program features 15 home games inside Pegula Ice Arena.
“September can’t come soon enough,” Kampersal said. “In addition to our demanding CHA schedule, we play truly elite nonconference opponents. We open the season on the road against a strong Minnesota-Duluth team, and then we welcome a well-coached, up-and-coming Union team and the defending NCAA champion Clarkson Golden Knights to the Pegula Ice Arena.”
The Nittany Lions open the 2017-18 campaign when they trek to northern Minnesota on Sept. 29-30 to take on the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs for the first time in program history. Following a trip to the North Star State, the Nittany Lions return to Pegula Ice Arena to open their 2017-18 home slate.
Penn State opens the month of October at home against Union on Oct. 6-7 and Clarkson on Oct. 13-14.
The month of October continues for the Nittany Lions as they travel to Andover, Massachusetts, Oct. 20-21 to take on Merrimack for the first time in program history, before returning home to open College Hockey America (CHA) action against the defending CHA regular season and tournament champion Robert Morris Colonials, Oct. 28-29.
“I am looking forward to heading to Merrimack, because it is a homecoming for me of sorts, as I grew up 25 minutes away from that campus,” Kampersal noted.
The Nittany Lions continue conference play at home against Mercyhurst, Nov. 3-4, before traveling to Syracuse, Nov. 10-11.
Penn State returns to nonconference action with three games within a five-day stretch. The Blue and White travels to Ithaca, New York, to take on the Cornell Big Red for the first time on Tuesday, Nov. 21, before heading to Storrs, Connecticut, for the Nutmeg Classic, Nov. 24-25.
“Our schedule includes the Nutmeg Classic around Thanksgiving, Ohio State after the New Year and an emotional contest against a top-notch Princeton team, which will help us get ready for the final stretch of CHA play,” Kampersal said.
The Nutmeg Classic features Penn State taking on UConn on Nov. 24 and then either Quinnipiac or Yale on Nov. 25. After the Nutmeg Classic, Penn State heads back to New York to play RIT on Dec. 1-2 for its lone series in December.
The 2018 calendar year opens with a four-game road trip at Ohio State on Jan. 5-6 and Lindenwood on Jan. 12-13. Penn State then continues its season with a series against Syracuse on Jan. 19-20 before heading to Robert Morris on Jan. 26-27.
Penn State closes out its nonconference slate with a Tuesday evening contest at home against the Princeton Tigers on Jan. 30.
Following a CHA bye week, the Nittany Lions begin their final stretch of regular-season action in Erie on Feb. 9-10 against Mercyhurst. Penn State closes out the regular season at home against RIT on Feb. 16-17 and Lindenwood on Feb. 23-24.
Similar to last year’s format, the 2018 CHA Tournament will be held at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York, March 1-3. The CHA first round is scheduled for March 1, followed by the semifinal round on March 2. The CHA’s automatic berth for the NCAA Tournament will be decided on March 3.
“We play many of the best teams in women’s college hockey this season, and we will work hard to be the best,” Kampersal said. “In order to do that, we need to beat the best. Whether it is at home or on the road, we are looking forward to playing in front of our fans this season.”