Penn State men's hockey won't catch a break anytime soon. After falling to Notre Dame in the second Big Ten series of the 2026-27 season, the Nittany Lions head over to Ann Arbor to face the No. 2 ranked Michigan Wolverines on Friday and Saturday.
Here's everything you need to know about Penn State's weekend series.
How to watch Game 1 of Penn State at No. 2 Michigan
- Date: Friday, Nov. 13
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Yost Ice Arena (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
- How to Watch: Big Ten+
- Penn State record: 2-7-1 (0-3-1 Big Ten)
- Michigan record: 8-1-0 (1-1-0 Big Ten)
How to watch Game 2 of Penn State at No. 2 Michigan
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Yost Ice Arena (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
- How to Watch: Big Ten+
Penn State vs. Michigan series history
Over the 57 meetings these two teams have had, the Wolverines hold a 34-21-2 record over the Nittany Lions. Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato has a 14-7-1 record against Penn State since he started coaching the Wolverines, per Michigan Athletics.
Michigan most recently got the best of the Nittany Lions in the 2026 Big Ten semifinals. The Wolverines took down Penn State 4-1 at Yost Ice Arena in mid-March. This boosted their home record to 18-7-1.
The last time the blue and white defeated Michigan was in the first series of the 2025-26 season between these two teams. Penn State lost the first night, 7-1, but redeemed itself with a 4-2 victory in the second game.
Key Nittany Lions and Wolverines to watch
Penn State: Goaltender Josh Fleming and goaltender Ryder Fetterolf
If the Nittany Lions want any shot at keeping these games close, it'll take a full team effort with a little extra coming from their defense. Can Penn State's offense keep up with Michigan? The simple answer is no. Fleming or Fetterolf along with the defenders have their work cut out for them if they want to keep the Nittany Lions in a competitive game.
The reason why two goaltenders are listed is because head coach Guy Gadowsky isn't sold on either being the sole starter. Fleming is the main guy, having played in six games, including the full series at Minnesota. Fetterolf, who saw time during the season-opening non-conference slate, was thrown in net for the first Notre Dame game. That game ended 5-4 in favor of the Fighting Irish, but Fleming didn't do much better in his 4-2 loss the following night.
With how impressive Michigan's offense is, this weekend is a huge challenge for either (or both) goaltenders. It'd be nice to see both in action vs. the top offense in the country to see which one performs the best under pressure.
Michigan: Forward Jayden Perron and forward Michael Hage
The Wolverines lead the country in scoring offense with 46 goals through nine games (5.11 average), assists (83), and points (109). They outscore opponents by 2.56 goals per game on average as well.
A huge part of that offensive success comes from Perron and Hage. They are the only players in college hockey so far this season to average over 2.00 goals per game. Hage leads with 2.22 goals per game and Perron averages 2.11.
Perron was also named the HCA National Player of the Month in October after averaging two points per contest (16 points in eight games). He's six points away from reaching 100 career points. Hage is the nation's leading scorer (20 points) and has the most assists (16) in the NCAA as well.
Penn State hockey at No. 2 Michigan weekend series prediction
Game 1: 5-3, Michigan
Game 2: 6-2, Michigan
The Wolverines are the No. 2 team in the country that lost their No. 1 throne to Wisconsin, another Big Ten foe. If Michigan wants to redeem that top spot, losing to Penn State isn't an option.
The Nittany Lions just sustained two losses to Notre Dame at Pegula Ice Arena last weekend, and while they should play with a little extra fire, going up against the Wolverines is like going up against an extinguisher in this case.
Making matters worse for the blue and white, Michigan enters the weekend coming off a bye. It split its most recent series with unranked Ohio State, which ultimately dropped them down a spot on the USCHO Poll. Even though the Buckeyes took the Wolverines into overtime in game two, we're still talking about the team that swept the reigning national champions, Denver, to claim that No. 1 spot in the poll. Michigan beat the Pioneers 4-1 and 4-3 on their home ice in Colorado. The Wolverines also took down Western Michigan when it was the No. 5 team in the country.
Penn State just doesn't have the talent to compete with the best in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions couldn't steal a win at home over the Fighting Irish and now they head on the road to face Michigan in Ann Arbor. They won't look any better this weekend than they have to start the season unless a miracle has happened over the last week. I expect two empty net goals each night as the blue and white try some last ditch efforts to cut down the deficit.
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