SERIES STORYLINES
- Penn State is facing Notre Dame 17th and 18th time with the Fighting Irish owning a 9-5-2 advantage. The two teams split their two-game series when they met earlier this season in South Bend.
- Penn State has been excellent this season on special teams and is one of just two teams nationally to have two top-10 units, joining Minnesota State.
- Notre Dame is coming off a 5-2 victory over Wisconsin, but has won just three times since mid-November with a 3-10-3 record in its last 16 games.
- Saturday's series finale will serve as the annual Wear White game with a twist this season as Penn State will wear speciality all-white "White Rush" uniforms based off the Penn State football road uniform and each fan in attendance will receive a commemorative Rally Towel.
STAT BREAKDOWN
PENN STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
14 NATE SUCESE (SR.)
FORWARD
- Sucese leads the Nittany Lions with 10 goals and 20 assists for a team-best 30 points.
- Against Robert Morris, Sucese tallied three assists to become Penn State's all-time points leader with 129. His 60 goals and 72 assists rank him first and tied for second, respectively.
- Played two seasons with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints, registering 38 goals and 48 assists for 86 points.
2 COLE HULTS (JR.)
DEFENDER
- Hults was named the Big Ten Third Star of the Week after totaling four points in the Nittany Lions' road split at Michigan State.
- He has racked up five goals and 19 assists (tied for second on the team) for 24 points. He also recorded a hat trick in Penn State's season opener vs. Sacred Heart.
- Named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection last season, as well as Penn State's Top Defenseman.
31 PEYTON JONES (SR.)
GOALIE
- Jones had 42 saves and allowed just one goal in Penn State's victory at Michigan State last weekend.
- Started 32 games in 2018-19 while compiling an 18-12-2 record with a .901 save percentage and a 3.32 goals against average.
- He was a member of the USHL's Lincoln Starts from 2014-16.
HEAD COACH GUY GADOWSKY
- Gadowsky is in his eighth season at Penn State and 20th overall, boasting a 142-118-20 record with the Nittany Lions.
- He has led Penn State to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2017 Big Ten Tournament title. The 2016-17 team also achieved the program's first No. 1 national ranking in January and finished the season as the highest scoring team in the country, averaging 4.10 goals per game.
- Prior to his tenure in Happy Valley, Gadowsky was head coach at Princeton for seven seasons. He led the Tigers to two NCAA Tournament berths and coached 20 players who would go on to sign professional contracts.
- Gadowsky also previously served five seasons as head coach at Alaska, and three as head coach and director of operations for the WCHL's Fresno Falcons.
PEGULA ICE ARENA
- Capacity: 5,782
- Opened: September 9, 2013
- Home to the Nittany Lions' men's and women's hockey programs, as well as a 5,000-square foot weight room, hydrotherapy training room, steam room, team lounge and locker room area.
- Fans experience some of the best amenities in college hockey at Pegula, which boasts an interactive history of Penn State Hockey, concession stands, suites, loge boxes and club seats.
- The Centre County community is able to take advantage of the community rink, which is open nearly 360 days a year.
Credits:
Mark Selders, Craig Houtz