For the second consecutive year, the Mercyhurst Lakers and the Penn State Nittany Lions will face off in the CHA Championship game after both teams emerged victorious in the semifinals. This marks the fifth meeting between the two teams this season, with the Lakers making their 18th appearance in the championship and aiming for their 13th title. They face the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are the defending tournament champions and secured their first title in program history last year. The Lakers last claimed the title in 2020. The matchup history shows that the Lakers lead the all-time series 25-17-9 but have faced recent challenges from the Nittany Lions, who clinched the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament last year with an overtime win. The Lakers come into the championship game following a comeback in the semifinals against Robert Morris. Vanessa Upson and Sofia Nuutinen played pivotal roles, each delivering record-tying performances. The Lakers will be looking to Thea Johansson, Sofia Nuutinen, and Sara Boucher, who lead in goals, assists, and points respectively, to lead them to victory. In the net, Ena Nystrøm has been a strong presence with a .926 save percentage and six shutouts. On the other side, the Penn State Nittany Lions, led by Tessa Janecke and Brianna Brooks, finished the regular season as the CHA regular season champions and swept RIT in the semifinals. With a highly anticipated game on Saturday, the stage is set for another intense battle between these two rivals.

By the Numbers
  • The Lakers make their 18th appearance in the CHA Championship and aim for their 13th tournament title
  • The Lakers lead the all-time series against the Nittany Lions 25-17-9
  • Venessa Upson and Sofia Nuutinen both had record-tying performances in the CHA Semifinals
  • Thea Johansson leads the Lakers in goals with 19, while Sara Boucher leads in points with 40
  • Ena Nystrøm boasts a .926 save percentage, 2.22 GAA, 1003 saves, and six shutouts
  • Tessa Janecke led the Nittany Lions in goals (17), assists (36), and points (53) during the regular season
  • Brianna Brooks finished third on the Nittany Lions in goals (14) and second in both assists (18) and points (32)
  • Katie DeSa led the Nittany Lions in save percentage at .925 and GAA at 1.55
State of Play
  • The Lakers are looking to reclaim the CHA Championship title after losing in the past two consecutive years
  • The Penn State Nittany Lions enter the championship game as the defending champions and the CHA regular season title holders
Bottom Line

As the Mercyhurst Lakers and the Penn State Nittany Lions prepare to face off in the CHA Championship game, the stage is set for an intense matchup between two fierce rivals, with the Lakers eager to reclaim the title and the Nittany Lions seeking to defend their championship status.