Three CHA teams host ranked opponents this weekend
In the News
- Bothun Reaches 2,000 Career Saves: Penn State goaltender Josie Bothun reached the 2,000 career save mark this past weekend. She became the 15th CHA goaltender to reach this mark.
- Robert Morris Returns to the Ice: The Robert Morris Colonials will take the ice for the first time in their home arena since rejoining the conference when they face off with St. Anselm on Oct. 7. Robert Morris is returning to college hockey two seasons after the men’s and women’s programs were unexpectedly eliminated by the school in 2021 before being reinstated later that year.
- Logan Bittle, who was the program’s associate head coach when the Colonials ended the 2020-21 season in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Northeastern.
- Johansson, MacEachern Bothun and Nuutinen Earn September Player of the Month Honors: Mercyhurst sophomore Thea Johansson (Forward) and freshman forward Sofia Nuutinen (Rookie) join the Penn State duo of graduate student Maggie MacEachern (Defenseman) and senior goaltender Josie Bothun (Goaltender) as the CHA’s Players of the Month for September.
- Johansson scored four goals and had three assists for seven points in four September games. The Ljungby, Sweden, native led the CHA in points and goals and was second in assists for the month. This is her second career CHA monthly honor.
- MacEachern led all Nittany Lions and tied for first in the CHA in blocks with 11 on the month. She tallied a key assist on the game-winning goal against No. 5/5 Northeastern which she was awarded her first CHA Defensive Player of the Week honor. She also fired 11 shots on goal in four games. This is her first career CHA monthly honor.
- Bothun posted a 1.25 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage in September. The Wyoming, Minn., native allowed two goals in two games against No. 5/5 Northeastern to open the season to help the Nittany Lions to a series split. Bothun also recorded her 2,000th career save in September which makes her just the third Nittany Lion and 15th in CHA netminder to reach that milestone. This her 10th career CHA monthly honor.
- Nuutinen scored her first career goal in the Lakers’ season opener against Post on Sept. 23. The Vantaa, Finland, native added an assist the following night for two points in her first four collegiate games. This is her first career CHA monthly honor.
- CHA in the National Rankings: Defending CHA regular season and postseason champion Penn State is ranked at No. 11 in this week’s USAHockey/The Rink Live rankings as well as the USCHO poll.
By the Numbers
- 1.000: Penalty-kill percentage for RIT through four games. The Tigers have killed off all 12 opponent power-play attempts this season.
- 65: Blocked shots for Lindenwood in four games this season, the top total in the CHA.
- 64: Faceoff wins for Penn State sophomore Tessa Janecke, which tops the CHA and leads the NCAA.
- 20: Saves by RIT sophomore Sophia Bellina in her first career victory on Sept. 30. Bellina backstopped the Tigers to a 5-1 win at Assumption to earn the victory.
- 15: Faceoff wins by Syracuse freshman Nea Tervonen in the Orange’s season opener at Post on Sept. 29. The win total is the most by a Syracuse freshman in her Orange debut and ties for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
- 11: CHA-leading blocked shot total for Penn State defenseman Maggie MacEachern.
- 7.50: CHA-leading shots per game for Robert Morris forward Morgan Giannone.
- 5.0: CHA-leading assists per game total for the Mercyhurst Lakers.
- 4: Goals for Mercyhurst sophomore forward Thea Jonansson, which leads the CHA.
- .636: Syracuse’s CHA-leading faceoff win percentage. The Orange won 70 of 110 faceoffs in their season-opening series with Post.
The Week Ahead
- (11/11) Penn State at (3/3) Colgate: The Nittany Lions will meet Colgate in a battle of ranked teams. This weekend’s series will be the ninth and 10th meetings between the two schools with the series currently tied, 4-4-0.
- (4/4) Minnesota at RIT: The Tigers will host the No. 4/4 Minnesota Golden Gophers out of the WCHA this weekend. The Gophers won both games of last year’s series in Minneapolis.
- Merrimack at Syracuse: Merrimack will pay a visit to Syracuse this weekend for a friday and saturday game.
- (12/13) St. Cloud State at Mercyhurst: St. Cloud State visits Mercyhurst for the first meetings between the two schools since the 2019-20 season, when Mercyhurst took a win and a tie from the two game-series with the Huskies.
- Lindenwood at St. Thomas: Lindenwood will make a trip up to the Twin Cities to face St. Thomas on Friday and Saturday night.
- St. Anselm at Robert Morris: St. Anselm will take on RMU in a Sat./Sun. series. The action will stream live on FloHockey.
