In its second year as a Big Ten program, Terry Pegula’s investment in Penn State hockey is continuing to pay off.

108,534 fans came out to the Peg this season to see the Nittany Lions play their 18 home games, accounting for an NCAA-best 104.3 percent capacity mark. The Roar Zone propelled the team to victory quite often, as Penn State’s 13-2-3 home record was the third-best in the NCAA. The 6,030 fans who showed up per game gave Penn State the seventh-best NCAA mark (the Peg has a capacity of 6,014).

In only two seasons, Hockey Valley has earned its nickname. The Roar Zone is one of the fiercest students sections in the nation, rivaling the passion of football games’ and beating them in unique chants (“I wanna know…why you suck so bad!”). With the way crowds show up, it’s no surprise student tickets sold out for this season in only three minutes.

Penn State wrapped up its home schedule this past weekend with aplomb against No. 16 Michigan, sweeping the Wolverines to move within one win of the Big Ten lead. At 18-12-4 (10-7-1 B1G), the Lions have one crucial series left in the regular season, this weekend at No. 14 Minnesota.

Kudos to the fans for so quickly building one of the most loyal NCAA hockey followings in the nation.