Before every game, Penn State forward Grace Outwater writes two letters on her hockey stick. They are not her own initials.

They belong to her grandmother, who passed away in her early-to-mid 50s, and the ritual is her way of keeping her close on game days. It is a small thing, but for a player who just helped Penn State win their second straight AHA Championship, the mindset behind it says a lot about who she is.

Outwater came up through the Ottawa Senators Women's Hockey Club program, a time she credits as some of her most important growth as a player and a person. Away from the rink, her grandmother played just as big a role, even if she was not a hockey person. "If I was going through a hard time with hockey, or with anything, I would always go to her," she said. "She was literally the most positive person I've ever met. She never had anything bad to say about anyone. She always gave me great advice."

The initials on the stick are a daily reminder to bring that same energy to the ice. "Putting her initials on my stick really means a lot to me," Outwater said. "Just to have her in the back of my head, knowing to stay positive throughout the game and to keep her advice throughout the rest of my life."

For the sophomore forward, every game day is a chance to honour the woman who taught her what that looks like. Two AHA Championships in, it seems to be working.