Feb. 20, 2008

Erie, Pa. -

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The Atlantic Hockey Association's version of the 'Amazing Race' enters the next-to-last weekend of the regular season with five marquis matchups. None of them is any bigger than No. 4 Mercyhurst (AHA 11-8-5, overall 11-16-5) and No. 3 RIT (AHA 12-8-4, overall 14-11-5), who collide for the third and fourth times this season Friday and Saturday nights at the Ice Center. Both games begin at 7:05. The teams split two early conference games in Rochester (6-3, 2-3ot) in mid-November. The United Way is sponsoring a "buy one, get one free" ticket offer for both games.

Other games include No. 1 Army (31 pts) at T-6 Bentley (22 pts); No. 2 Sacred Heart (29) in a home-and-home with No. 8 Holy Cross (20); No. 5 Air Force (26) at T-6 Canisius (22); and No. 9 American International (18) in a home-and-home with No. 10 Connecticut (17).

Mercyhurst has 27 points, one fewer than the Tigers. The Lakers need two wins in their final four regular season contests to clinch a top-5 spot although any sort of stumble by Canisius and Bentley would help the cause.

Only five points separate the top 5 teams in Atlantic Hockey and only five points separate teams 6 through 10. Everyone has four regular season games left.

Fast Facts

• The Lakers are 9-3-3 in their last 15 conference games.

• Mercyhurst finished four long road trips in the last five weeks with a split last weekend at Sacred Heart and a 3-2-3 record overall.

• Mercyhurst snapped an 8-game dry spell against Sacred Heart (0-7-1) with Friday's 4-3 win. The Lakers hadn't defeated the Pioneers since a 3-1 win in Erie on November 19, 2005. Mercyhurst hadn't won at Sacred Heart since a 5-4 verdict February 7 of 2003.

• The Lakers have scored a power play goal in ten of their last twelve games. After going 6 for 16 over the prior four games, the Lakers are just 3 of 27 in their last three contests.

• After giving up just two power play scores over a six-game stretch, Mercyhurst has allowed eight in its last three games (4, 1, 3; 8 of 23).

• Mercyhurst has already surpassed its conference wins of last season (9) with 4 conference contests left in the regular season (3h, 1a).

• The Lakers have scored more than three goals in a game only seven times in their first 32 contests. They are 7-0-0 when doing so.

• Mercyhurst has played seven overtime games this season, 0-5-2. They played a club-record ten last year.

• Mercyhurst has been outshot in 22 of 32 games and has won only once (RIT) when trailing after two periods.

• Junior defenseman Bobby Phillips had his first career game-winner in Friday's 4-3 win at Sacred Heart and junior defenseman Kirk Medernach had his first career two assist game.

• Sophomore Matt Fennell tallied his 5th power play goal of the season Saturday. He has six total goals.

• The Lakers gave up a shorthanded goal in each game against SHU and have now both scored and given up seven shorthanded goals this season. RIT has tallied two shorthanded goals this season and hasn't given up any.

• Mercyhurst is 2-4-0 against RIT since the Tigers joined Atlantic Hockey last season. Both wins have come in Rochester.

• Mercyhurst and RIT were 2 of 10 and 2 of 9 respectively with the man advantage in a 2-game split last November in Rochester. Mercyhurst rallied for four third period goals to win 6-3 in the opener before the Tigers prevailed 3-2 in overtime the next night.

• The Lakers were picked to finish fourth this season in the 10-team Atlantic Hockey Association's pre-season coaches' poll. RIT, which won the regular season crown a year ago but was ineligible for postseason play was picked first.

• The Lakers are fourth in the tightly-bunched conference at the moment with 27 points; RIT is third with 28.

• Any combination of points adding to 4 (Mercyhurst wins/ties or Bentley/Canisius losses/ties will guarantee a quarterfinal series (best 2 of 3) at the Ice Center March 7, 8, and (if necessary) 9.