Outdoor Hockey at Beaver Stadium: A Historic Event for Penn State
The Beaver Stadium at Pennsylvania State University will be the setting for an unprecedented event: its first outdoor ice hockey game. The historic doubleheader is scheduled for January 31, 2026, the university announced on Friday. The Penn State men’s and women’s hockey teams will compete in a doubleheader at the West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The men’s team will face Michigan State, in a match that revives the rivalry against the current two-time Big Ten tournament champion. For their part, the women’s team will face Robert Morris University, a classic rival from the Atlantic Hockey America conference.Since the NHL began holding outdoor games in 2008, hockey fans have longed to see a match at Penn State’s football stadium. A game between state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins, both with six outdoor game appearances, was speculated. The Beaver Stadium has a capacity for more than 106,000 spectators in football games. The attendance record for an outdoor NHL hockey game is 105,491 fans, set at the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL has considered holding an event at Beaver Stadium for the past 17 years, but it had not materialized due to facility challenges and financial considerations. The Beaver Stadium is in the midst of a $700 million revitalization project, which continues during this college football season and is expected to be completed in 2027. The NHL is interested in hosting an outdoor game between the Penguins and the Flyers at Beaver Stadium once the renovations are complete. Penn State began playing NCAA Division I college hockey in the 2012-13 season. In recent years, both programs have had considerable success. The men’s team has participated in the NCAA tournament four times since 2017 and reached the Frozen Four for the first time last season, losing in the semifinals against Boston University. The women’s team has won its conference tournament and reached the NCAA tournament in three consecutive seasons. The Penn State men’s team surprised the hockey world this offseason when 17-year-old phenom Gavin McKenna left Canadian junior hockey to join the Nittany Lions. McKenna, a forward, is the unanimous choice to be the number one pick in next summer’s NHL draft. McKenna’s NIL money for attending Penn State is “in the range” of $700,000, according to a source. To add some intrigue to the Beaver Stadium game next season: Michigan State was the runner-up in McKenna’s commitment to the NCAA with an NIL offer of around $200,000 to $300,000, according to College Hockey Insider.“This is a historic moment for Penn State hockey, our fans, and the entire Penn State community,” said Dr. Patrick Kraft, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the university. “Bringing the excitement of college hockey to Beaver Stadium is truly special.”
Dr. Patrick Kraft, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the university
