Penn State Hockey: Nittany Lions Match Highest Final Season Ranking At No. 8

Penn State men’s hockey will finish the season ranked No. 8 in the final USCHO.com poll released on Monday.

The ranking matches the program’s highest finish, tied with the 2016-17 season when the Nittany Lions ended the year at 25-12-2, falling in the East Regional Final to Denver. Penn State ends this season at 20-10-4 picking up five of a possible six points in their final weekend of the regular season against Minnesota.

Of course the 2019-20 season will continue to be remembered as a ‘what if?’ the Nittany Lions coming off a regular season Big Ten Title and slated to host its own regional in Allentown for the NCAA Tournament, among a handful of teams with legitimate national title hopes.

Instead the cancelation of all winter postseason play and the entire NCAA spring slate has rendered an otherwise historic season short of a final conclusion in the wake of the spread COVID-19 virus.

Penn State will lose 10 players to graduation this offseason and likely the services of either (or both) defenseman Cole Hults and forward Evan Barratt to the professional ranks. Hults was named to College Hockey News’ first team on Monday morning.

Both captain forward Brandon Biro and fellow senior Nate Sucese signed entry-level contracts with NHL teams last week.