Penn State loses to Boston in first NCAA Frozen Four appearance

Penn State's first trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in school history was a short-lived experience, but it will be a memorable one. Penn State came up short in a 3-1 loss to Boston University on Thursday nigh in St. Louis, the site of this year's Frozen Four.

Penn State and Boston were scoreless after the first period, but the Terriers took a 2-0 lead in the second period on goals by Jack Hughes and Cole Elserman. The Nittany Lions trailed 2-0 going into the third period, but Nicholas DeGraves knocked in a rebound past Boston goaltender Mikhail Yegorov for Penn State's first Frozen Four goal in program history in the first few minutes of the third period to bring the Nittany Lions within one.

One goal game in St. Louis!!#WeAre#HockeyValleypic.twitter.com/DQIgiHMVIG

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) April 11, 2025

Penn State continued to battle in the third period but gave up an empty-net goal in the final minute of the game to punch Boston University's spot in the national championship game this weekend. Penn State goalie Arsenil Sergeev stopped 31 shots by the Terriers to help keep Penn State in striking distance. Penn State was perfect against Boston's three power-play opportunities, but Penn State was also 0-2 on the power play.

In the end, the season comes to a bittersweet ending for the Penn State program. From buried in the Big Ten standings at the beginning of the calendar year all the way to a thrilling run to the first Frozen Four in school history, Penn State continues to pave the ground for a program that will hope to make trips to the Frozen Four an expectation more often than not. Guy Gadowsky continues to mold this program into a pure winner, and a trip to the Frozen Four gives the program some valuable experience despite coming up short in its matchup with college hockey blueblood Boston University, which will now play for its sixth national championship, which would be tied for the fourth-most national titles in college hockey.

Not the way they wanted it to end, but a season for the history books nonetheless.

No doubt @PennStateMHKY will be back 💙#B1GHockeypic.twitter.com/X1zkSdPlBt

— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) April 11, 2025

As Penn State's season comes to a close and begins to reflect and prepare for next season, Boston University will face Western Michigan in the national championship game in St. Louis on Saturday. Western Michigan clipped Denver in double overtime. Western Michigan is also making its first appearance in the Frozen Four.

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