Pure domination.
No. 6 Penn State continued its conference authority following a two-game series sweep over Syracuse. The Nittany Lions blanked the Orange in Game 1, 7-0, featuring seven unique goal-scorers. Then, the blue and white tied the program-record for single-game goals, putting up an 11-2 victory in Game 2.
The blue and white improved to 14-0 on the season, and are the lone remaining undefeated team in Division I. Penn State is set to close out its conference-stretch next weekend on the road against RIT.
History in the making
The past two seasons have been filled with records and milestones. However, this was on full-display in the series with Syracuse.
Penn State tied the program-record for goals in a single game, with 11 in Game 2. The record has been set twice previously, first against the Orange in 2022 and then against Stonehill in 2024. In Game 1, the Nittany Lions’ seven goals is tied for fourth with four other games, all featuring AHA opponents.
Captain Tessa Janecke, already Penn State hockey’s leading point-scorer including the men’s and women’s teams, reached 100 career assists in Game 2. She became the lone triple-digit producer in Penn State history when she set linemate Katelyn Roberts up for a snipe in the first period.
Katie DeSa and Kendall Butze are both in sight of their upcoming records. DeSa, posting a 14 save shutout in Game 1, entered Game 2 on the verge of tying the program-record for career shutouts. However, the Orange struck early in the first period, and DeSa wasn’t yet able to tie Josie Bothun’s record of 20.
Goaltender Katie DeSa (35) makes a save during the Penn State women’s ice hockey game against Lindenwood in Pegula Ice Arena on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions beat the Lions 6-1.
Samantha DiCamillo
Despite not reaching Bothun, DeSa’s six shutouts on the season leads the nation. She is also second in goals-against average with 0.83.
Butze registered five assists throughout the series, tying Lyndie Lobdell for second place in Penn State history for all-time assists as a defenseman. With 64 assists in her career, with half a season left to play, the Cleveland, Ohio, native is only one behind Izzy Heminger’s program-record set in 2023.
The senior defenseman is only five points away from tying Heminger’s program-record 80 all-time points by a defenseman. Butze is also tied for second in the nation with teammate Danica Maynard for assists by a defenseman, each tallying 13.
Special teams, special players
The Nittany Lions were successful on the powerplay throughout the series, scoring five powerplay goals on 10 man-advantages. In Game 1, three of Penn State’s seven goals came on the powerplay, while it added another two goals and two while shorthanded in Game 2. Five unique goal-scorers produced the special teams.
Overall, the Nittany Lions are 17-of-50 on the powerplay, putting up an impressive .148 powerplay-shooting percentage. Penn State is ranked second in the nation with its .340 powerplay percentage, behind No. 4 Cornell’s .361. The Nittany Lions are tied for first in the nation with RIT, scoring 17 total powerplay goals.
Defenseman Grace Tullock (2) dodges defenders while advancing into the attacking zone during the Penn State women’s hockey game against Syracuse at Pegula Ice Arena on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions beat the Orange 11-2.
Sawyer Hadlum
With the 18 goals scored in the series, Penn State now leads the nation with 74, one higher than No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 2 Minnesota.
Coach Jeff Kampersal has previously mentioned that his team needed to avoid taking too many penalties as that’s “a way that teams attack.” Despite taking 10 penalties in the series, Syracuse only scored on one of them, when Celia Wiegand found the net in Game 2.
The Nittany Lions’ .917 penalty kill percentage ranks fifth in the nation.
So far, Penn State has only allowed 40 shots-on-goal on the penalty kill, totalling only four goals from it. As a result of the blue and white’s success in limiting shots on the defensive end, it has translated to its season-total five shorthanded goals.
The Nittany Lions’ historic weekend further cements themselves as an elite team, despite their schedule’s lack of strength. However, with RIT on the horizon, Penn State will need to clean up its discipline to avoid the Tigers’ top-tier powerplay unit.
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