The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey team has faced daunting schedules in the past. The 2012-13 season won’t be any different.
The Lakers, which finished 20-16-4 and reached the Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament’s final four in 2011-12, opens the season Oct. 6 with an exhibition game at Mercyhurst Ice Center against Wilfrid Laurier, from Waterloo, Ontario. Then they begin the regular season Oct. 13 at AHA rival Niagara – the first of 11 straight road games. They head to Ferris State, NCAA Division I’s runner-up a season ago, for games Oct. 19-20, followed by trips to Sacred Heart (Nov. 2-3), Rochester Institute of Technology (Nov. 9), Bentley (Nov. 23-24) and Air Force (Nov. 30) for AHA games as well as to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Nov. 16-17 for a non-conference series.
Mercyhurst finally plays its first regular-season home games Dec. 7-8 against AHA foe American International before heading to Clarkson for a game Dec. 15. The Lakers also play at Maine Jan. 4-5. They play seven of their 14 home games in February. The regular season ends March 1-2 with a home-and-home conference series against Robert Morris. The AHA Tournament begins March 8.

Mercyhurst men’s 2012-13 schedule
(all times p.m.)
Date Opp. Time
October
6 vs. Wilfrid Laurier# 7:05
13 at Niagara* 7:05
19 at Ferris State 7:05
20 at Ferris State 7:05
November
2 at Sacred Heart* 7:05
3 at Sacred Heart* 7:05
9 at RIT* 7:05
16 at RPI 7
17 at RPI 7
23 at Bentley* 7:05
24 at Bentley* 7:05
30 at Air Force* 9:05
December
7 vs. AIC* 7:05
8 vs. AIC* 7:05
15 at Clarkson 7
18 vs. Canisius* 7:05
January
4 at Maine^ 7:07
5 at Maine 7:07
11 vs. Holy Cross* 7:05
12 vs. Holy Cross* 7:05
18 at Connecticut* 7:05
19 at Connecticut* 7:05
25 vs. Canisius* 7:05
26 at Canisius* 7:05
February
1 vs. Army* 7:05
2 vs. Army* 7:05
5 at Robert Morris* 7:05
8 vs. Air Force* 7:05
9 vs. Air Force* 7:05
15 vs. RIT* 7:05
16 vs. RIT* 7:05
22 at Niagara* 7:05
23 vs. Niagara* 7:05
March
1 at Robert Morris* 7:05
2 vs. Robert Morris* 7:05
8-10 AHA Tournament first round TBA@
15-17 AHA Tournament quarterfinals TBA@
22 AHA Tournament semfinals TBA&
23 AHA Tournament final TBA&
# Exhibition game
* Atlantic Hockey Association game
^ at Portland, Maine
@ at higher-seeded team
& at Blue Cross Arena – Rochester, N.Y.