For fans of Hockey Valley, Penn State Athletics has officially announced an outdoor game between Penn State and Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.

The spectacle will showcase plenty of future NHL talent, including No. 6 overall pick from 2025 Porter Martone, and the projected top pick in 2026 Gavin McKenna. Martone, along with fellow Flyers draft pick Shane Vansaghi, will get to take the ice in what very well could be the second-largest outdoor hockey game ever, with Beaver Stadium’s capacity coming in at over 106,000.

Penn State’s women’s team will also get to take part in the fun, facing off against Robert Morris.

The game is set for January 31st, 2026.

Beaver Stadium is going through a renovation process, which includes a “winterization” that was completed last year, so the stadium can hold events well past the football fall.

Now, Hockey Valley will be ready to rock in a highly anticipated College Hockey bout.

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PSU vs. MSU Sets the Stage for the Inevitable

As a Penn State alum, I am thrilled about this news. I already have my travel plans for the weekend, whether that be in the press box getting a good look at Martone and Vansaghi live, or enduring the Happy Valley cold.

However, the effect of this is much bigger. It sets the stage for the inevitable.

As a Pennsylvania kid, I have always dreamed of a Keystone State clash in the heart of the state. Not to mention, Beaver Stadium is the biggest venue possible. A Flyers-Penguins Winter Classic or Stadium Series would pack the Centre County cathedral with wild fans from both sides.

For the longest time, it seemed like it would never happen. The idea was right in front of the league, yet nobody would budge. If this goes as well as expected, there is no excuse.

Between the winterization of Beaver Stadium, a trial run of an outdoor game with this clash, and marketable players on both teams, there is no better place to revive the Flyers-Penguins rivalry than State College.

If it didn’t feel like it before, a Flyers vs. Penguins outdoor game feels inevitable.

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