March 6, 2008

Erie, Pa. -

Complete Release in PDF Format

Two long-time hockey rivals, Mercyhurst and Canisius, will clash in an Atlantic Hockey best 2-of-3 quarterfinal series starting Friday night at the Ice Center. The Lakers, 11-18-7 overall and 11-10-7 in the conference, enter the playoffs as the No. 5 seed. Canisius, 11-18-6 and 10-13-5, is the No. 6 seed. The Golden Griffins went 2-1-1 against Mercyhurst during the regular season including 0-1-1 at the Ice Center. All games (Friday, Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday) begin at 7:05pm.

Canisius will be in town for a second straight weekend. The two teams closed the regular season last Friday and Saturday with home-and-home contests. Canisius won 5-3 in Buffalo and the two teams played to a 5-5 overtime tie the next night in Erie.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door each evening.

Fast Facts

• The Lakers have scored a power play goal in 13 of their last 16 games.

• After giving up just two power play scores over the prior six-game stretch, Mercyhurst has allowed 14 in its last seven games.

• The Lakers scored more than three goals in a game only eight times in the regular season. They went 7-0-1 when doing so.

• Mercyhurst has played nine overtime games this season, 0-2-7. They played a club-record ten last year.

• Mercyhurst has been outshot in 24 of 36 games and has won only once (RIT) when trailing after two periods.

• Junior Matt Pierce has quietly put together a six game scoring streak; he's scored four goals, including three power play, and added five assists during that time

• Senior Ben Cottreau had three goals (all special teams) and an assist last weekend against Canisius. He scored two power play goals in Friday's 5-3 loss and tallied a shorthanded goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-5 tie. Cottreau is now 8th all time in scoring (152 points) and 8th in assists (92). His two power play goals Friday marked the second time in his career he's accomplished that (March 5, 2005 in 4-2 win over Sacred Heart at Ice Center). He's tied for 4th in career power play goals with 26. The shorthanded goal, which tied Saturday's game at 5, was the third of his career and first since his sophomore season. He recaptured the team lead in goals with 12 and maintained his superiority in points with 32.

• Sophomore Chris Risi scored a goal in back-to-back games last weekend for the first time this season and finished the two games against Canisius with three points.

• The Lakers have been outscored 26-16 in their last six conference games (1-3-2) and are winless in their last five games.

• Mercyhurst and Canisius have met twice previously in Division I conference playoffs. The Lakers prevailed 4-3 in the MAAC Hockey League semifinals March 15, 2001 at UConn and went on to capture the MAAC title and advance to the NCAA playoffs. Mercyhurst then defeated the Golden Griffins 7-2 at the Ice Center March 11, 2006 in the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals.

• Although the Lakers lead the all-time series 29-15-8, they were 0-1-3 vs. Canisius last season and 1-2-1 this season.

• Although outscored 16-13 in four regular season games against Canisius, Mercyhurst outshot the Golden Griffins 134-104.

• Eleven of the combined 29 goals in the four games this season came on special teams. Mercyhurst had three power play and three shorthanded goals while Canisius collected five power play goals.

• Ben Cottreau (2) and Matt Pierce had the Mercyhurst power play goals; Cottreau, Kerry Bowman, and Kirk Medernach had the shorthanded scores.

• Both teams had an empty net goal.

• Mercyhurst goaltenders had a combined save percentage of .846 in the four games and a goals-against-average of 3.92. Canisius fared much better: .903 and 3.18.