BOSTON - December's first slate of games is the only one that features multiple Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) programs competing in the 2025 calendar year.
Following the completion of play on Dec. 6, AHA will not see more than one program hit the ice in a single week until Jan. 2, 2026.
MATCHUPS
Friday/Saturday (Dec. 5/6)
- Lindenwood at (RV) Mercyhurst
- Delaware at RIT
- Robert Morris at Syracuse
AROUND AHA
- Robert Morris senior forward Morgan Giannone (1G-5A) and sophomore forward Jessica MacKinnon (5G-2A) enter play with an active five-game point streak.
- A pair of Lindenwood forwards, Tatiana Blichova (3G-5A) and Michaela Paulinyova, were tied for the November lead in points among AHA freshmen with eight.
- Syracuse's Ava Drabyk ranks second among all Division I freshmen netminders with six wins in 2025-26.
- Delaware freshman blueliner Lexie Lonask leads the nation with 86 blocks.
QUICK HITS
- Penn State senior forward Tessa Janecke is one of two active players with at least 20 career points (9G-11A) in December, which is the second-most in the nation.
- The Nittany Lions' senior forward Katelyn Roberts leads Division I with six game-winning goals this season.
- Mercyhurst senior defenseman Makayla Javier leads all active skaters with 238 career blocks.
- Freshman forward Emma Gnade netted a hat trick in a 3-0 win over RPI on Saturday, Nov. 29, the first by a Syracuse skater since forward Bryn Saarela recorded one on Dec. 6, 2024, against Robert Morris.
NOTEWORTHY NOVEMBER
RIT junior defenseman Emma Pickering recorded a single-month career high with 12 points (4G-8A) in nine games played.
This was the third-most points by a blueliner in November this season, and the fifth-most in the month by any active defenseman throughout their careers.
The Fishers, Ind. native's four goals all came on the power play, which tied for the most among any Division I skater in November. The Tigers lead the nation with 24 power play goals in 2025-26, and Pickering is tied for the AHA lead in the same category with four this season.
600 CLUB
On Friday, Nov. 28, (RV) Mercyhurst earned a 6-1 victory over Stonehill in Nashville, Tenn. The victory marked head coach Mike Sisti's 600th career victory.
Sisti became only the second head Division I women's ice hockey coach to reach the milestone, joining Wisconsin's Mark Johnson.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Forward: Zsofia Pazmandi, JR, Lindenwood (Kaposvar, Hungary) - 2 GP, 4 PTS (2G-2A) vs. Bemidji State
Defenseman: Emma Pickering, JR, RIT (Fishers, Ind.) - 2 GP, 5 PTS (1G-4A) vs. Robert Morris
Goaltender: Ava Drabyk, FR, Syracuse (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) - 2 GP (2-0-0), 0.97 GAA, .967 SV% vs. RPI
Rookie: Linnea Misner (D), Robert Morris (Springfield, Manitoba) - 2 GP, 5 PTS (2G-3A) vs. RIT
NOVEMBER PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
Forward: Tessa Janecke, SR, Penn State (Orangeville, Ill.) - 7 GP, 11 PTS (3G-8A)
Defense: Emma Pickering, JR, RIT (Fishers, Ind.) - 9 GP, 13 PTS (4G-9A)
Goaltender: Katie DeSa, SR, Penn State (Pawcatuck, Conn.) - 7 GP (6-1-0), 1.58 GAA, .914 SV%, 2 SO
Rookie: Tilli Keranen (F), RIT (Kuopio, Finland) - 8 GP, 7 PTS (3G-4A)
BY THE NUMBERS
3 - Robert Morris redshirt sophomore forward Alaina Giampietro is tied for the AHA lead with three multi-goal games this season.
3 - Gnade's three game-winning goals are tied for the second-most in the nation among freshmen.
5 - Five AHA skaters have recorded 10 or more points in 2025-26.
10 - Robert Morris's Linnea Misner's 10 assists are tied for the third-most among Division I freshmen blueliners.
SCORING LEADERS
*Stats are from all regular-season contests.
GOALS
- Grace Outwater (Penn State) - 13
- Maddy Christian (Penn State) - 12
- Tessa Janecke (Penn State) - 11
- Two tied - 11
ASSISTS
- Tessa Janecke (Penn State) - 16
- Kendall Butze (Penn State) - 14
- Danica Maynard (Penn State) - 14
- Emma Pickering (RIT) - 13
POINTS
- Tessa Janecke (Penn State) - 27
- Grace Outwater (Penn State) - 23
- Jessica MacKinnon (Robert Morris) - 21
- Danica Maynard (Penn State) - 20
GOALTENDING LEADERS
*Min. 33% of team minutes played.
GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE
- Katie DeSa (Penn State) - 1.17
- Magdalena Luggin (Mercyhurst) - 2.30
- Sophia Bellina (RIT) - 2.49
- Maggie Hatch (Robert Morris) - 2.57
SAVE PERCENTAGE
- Katie DeSa (Penn State) - .928
- Lexington Secreto (Lindenwood) - .928
- Magdalena Luggin (Mercyhurst) - .927
- Sophia Bellina (RIT) - .924
SAVES
- Magdalena Luggin (Mercyhurst) - 520
- Ava Drabyk (Syracuse) - 491
- Sophia Bellina (RIT) - 489
- Charlotte Payne (Delaware) - 398
ABOUT ATLANTIC HOCKEY AMERICA
Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is in its second season following the merger between the Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America. The conference fields 10 Division I men's teams and seven women's teams. For more information, visit atlantichockeyamerica.com.
Connect with AHA on X (@Atlantic_Hockey), Instagram (@atlantichockeyamerica) and Facebook (Atlantic Hockey America).
Watch AHA home games on FloHockey this season.