The Penn State ACHA Div. I Icers may have already beaten St. Clair twice this season -- but that fact isn't putting the team anymore at ease. One month ago, the Icers only managed to record a combined eight more shots than St. Clair and were even outplayed at times.

This weekend, Penn State will face the Saints for the third time this season, albeit in friendlier territory at the Greenberg Ice Pavilion. The first matchup will take place at 9 tonight and the second at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.

"Obviously, it would be a big mistake for us to think it's the same St. Clair team we played up there," Icers coach Joe Battista said. "As I reminded the guys, the shots on goal in both those games were like 38-33 and 33-31."

Since losing to Penn State at home, the Saints have played like they have something to prove. They're currently riding a seven-game win streak against hockey clubs in the ACHA.

Those victories haven't exactly come from powder puff teams either, as St. Clair bested both No. 3 Ohio and No. 4 Lindenwood. The main reason the Icers were able to come away with such lopsided wins in their last meeting with the Saints was goaltending.

And, according to Penn State goalie Chris Matteo, if the Icers want to win -- the same should hold true this weekend.

"Anytime you have two offensively talented teams like Penn State and St. Clair, there's going to be a lot of shots," he said. "Both teams will probably get over 35 shots, so it's going to come down to who's stronger in net."

Matteo and fellow goaltender Paul Mammola were virtually unstoppable in their previous meeting with the Saints, as the pair teamed up for 51 saves.

Mammola prevented scores on five St. Clair breakaways -- four of which came in the second period -- in the first game, while Matteo tallied 29 saves the following day.

"What you'll see from this St. Clair team, and this is why they got the number of odd-man rushes and breakaways against us, they get a loose puck -- and zoom, it's right up the ice," Battista said. "They don't hold on to it; they move it."

Unlike the Saints, Battista said that kind of crisp passing has been a huge problem for the Icers this season. Instead of making the easy pass, Penn State has a tendency to handle the puck too much.

Battista hasn't been forced to address the issue in years past because Penn State has had the likes of Glenn Zuck, Justin DePretis and Bill Downey on the ice. And, according to Battista, those three had the talent to stickhandle around a pack of defenders. Besides offensive dynamo Kevin Jaeger, no other Icer really has the puck-handling ability to accomplish that feat this season.

"All I can tell you right now is I'm a little bit frustrated because our team hasn't accepted this as something we have to work on," Battista said. "They just continue to try to overhandle."

It's also been difficult for Penn State to build team chemistry this season because the lines have constantly been changing as a direct result of injuries.

Defensemen Cole Burnham has been moved to forward, and virtually every line is different compared to when the season began.

To make matters even worse, Jaeger sat out Tuesday's practice with a minor ankle injury.

"I'll find a way to play," Jaeger said.