UNIVERSITY PARK — The Altoona Area High School ice hockey team will make history on Thursday night when it plays the first-ever outdoor scholastic ice hockey game at Beaver Stadium against State College.

Game time is set for 6:15 p.m. Admission is free but paid parking will be enforced. Event parking rates will be in effect.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our players, families and community,” Altoona coach Don Burgmeier said. “Playing at Beaver Stadium brings the excitement of big-time hockey to high school athletes and highlights the talent we have right here in central Pennsylvania.”

You are asked to access the venue through the South Tunnel which is located off Curtin Road. Spectator seating is limited to sections EJ, EE and EF on the east side. No pets are permitted. Guests are allowed to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Fans are asked to arrive early since there is a concert being held at the Jordan Center beginning at 7:30 p.m. The parking lots are open from 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

PSU icers

The fifth-ranked Penn State men’s ice hockey team will play outside on the Beaver Stadium man-made rink on Saturday against Michigan State with the puck drop at 1 p.m.

Penn State is 18-6 overall and 10-4 in the conference. The Spartans are 19-5 overall and also 10-4 in the conference.

Tickets can be purchased online at the team’s ice hockey website priced from $32.90 to $47.30.

The team will wear commemorative sweaters for the outdoor game instead of their traditional home Penn State hockey jerseys.

Big Ten honors

Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Dane Dowiak were named Big Ten First and Second Star of the Week winners on Tuesday.

McKenna has won two weeks in a row and three times so far while Dowiak won for the first time. McKenna paced the Nittany Lions in both goals scored (4) and points (5) in a weekend sweep of Wisconsin. In 14 games this season, he has 19 points on seven goals and 12 assists.

Dowiak had three goals and two assists in the sweep of the Badgers as well. He has points in four of the team’s last five games.