How Penn State fared against Michigan during the regular season, and how they can learn from that

Penn State was not necessarily successful against the Michigan Wolverines this season, but considering how they played them on the road at Yost, things are trending up.

The Nittany Lions split on the road against Michigan just over a month ago winning the first game 5-4 before dropping the finale 7-3.

Arsenii Sergeev was not stout behind the net in that series, but he gave his team a chance to win in both games.

The goaltending Penn State got in that series was a complete 180 to what they received back in November at Pegula.

Michigan scored 16 times on the combination of Noah Grannan and John Seifarth in that series, proving how valuable the talents of Sergeev are.

The offensive firepower from the blue and white was a strong suit in both series however, as they scored 19 goals in the four games against the maize and blue.

Penn State is currently tied with UMass with the ninth best scoring offense in all of college hockey. They have scored 116 goals and averaged 3.41 goals per game.

It helps when you have one of the best players in the country, Aiden Fink, leading the charge with 45 points at the end of the regular season.

Playing more crisply on the defensive end will be a main focus this weekend, especially on two players who have lit up the Nittany Lions this year.

Michael Hage and T.J. Hughes have exploded when playing Guy Gadowsky’s squad this season. Hughes has six goals and four assists in the four games, and Hage has four goals and five assists.

It hasn’t been just them, but when they are on the ice expect lots of eyes to be drawn to their offensive talents.

The energy is going to be electric at Yost Ice Arena, a place Penn State has only won five times in their team’s history.

“It’s always a lively barn which I think is good. Anytime there is energy it pumps both teams up in my opinion and it’s easy to get up for these types of games,” Simon Mack said.

Mack had a huge season finale against Minnesota with two goals including the game winner in overtime for the annual wear white game.

Penn State had a February to remember with a 6-2-1 record in the final month of the season. They have slayed the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in back-to-back weeks.

“We did not play our best hockey on Saturday and I think it was a reminder for us that we’re not invincible,” Gadowsky said. “I think it is a timely reminder at this point in the year.”

Two years ago Michigan broke the hearts of Nittany Lions fans in Allentown preventing them from reaching their first Frozen Four. All of the seniors were participants in that game and they wanted a different outcome.

“Playoffs are just high stakes and we gotta be simpler and make the right plays, do our job and we’ll be good,” Jimmy Dowd Jr. said when asked about the last time they played Michigan in the playoffs.

Michigan had the Nittany Lions number during the regular season, but this is a different team this time around that is itching to make an NCAA tournament push.

Giustino Racchini is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email gar5448@psu.edu.