No. 5 Penn State hockey had a huge weekend with a sweep that pushed them to the top of the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions (18-6, 10-4 Big Ten) defeated Wisconsin on the road in definitive 7-2 and 3-1 victories.
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The Badgers (15-7, 8-6 Big Ten) were No. 5 in the country heading into the weekend, dropping down three spots from their previous ranking. Despite the drop from No. 2, Penn State was still the underdog in this battle as the eighth-ranked team in the country at the time.
The weekend sweep, however, gave the Nittany Lions even more second half momentum as they brought their season-long point-total to 31. They're currently tied for first in the Big Ten, neck-and-neck with Michigan — the No. 1 seed in the country. They moved up three spots in the USCHO Poll as Wisconsin dropped to No. 8.
Penn State Hockey completes the sweep of No. 5 Wisconsin in Madison! The Nittany Lions have won 7 straight and picked are currently tied for 1st place in the Big Ten Standings! 🧹🧹#WeAre #HockeyValley #PennState #Wisconsin #CollegeHockey pic.twitter.com/94I6vpIak6
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) January 25, 2026
Penn State hockey sweeps Wisconsin and celebrates back-to-back victories with defensive end Micah Parsons
The final battle between Wisconsin and Penn State ended with a brawl due to heated tension between the two teams as seconds ticked down at the end of the third period. The Badgers' last effort to score on the Nittany Lions with a sixth skater on the ice failed. The blue and white embraced the moment, pointing to the scoreboard and reminding Wisconsin's team and fans who came out on top.
After the game in the locker room, former Penn State football linebacker and current Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons celebrated with the Nittany Lions. Parsons banged a mallot on the table with applause and cheers filling the locker room.
Micah Parsons celebrates in the locker room with the Penn State hockey team after their sweep of No. 5 Wisconsin!#WeAre #HockeyValley #CollegeHockeypic.twitter.com/hn1i89TCYa
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) January 25, 2026
Penn State hockey's next contest is against Michigan State at home. Puck drop on Friday, Jan. 30 is slated for 6 p.m. ET at Pegula Ice Arena. The teams then take the ice outdoors at Beaver Stadium for Saturday's game with puck drop set for 1 p.m. ET. The matchups can be watched on Big Ten+ and Big Ten Network, respectively.
The Spartans (19-5, 10-4 Big Ten) are ranked second in the Big Ten with 30 points behind the Nittany Lions and Wolverines. They are also No. 2 in the country following their own sweep over the weekend. They defeated Minnesota 3-1 and 3-2 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.