The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey team was chosen to finish third out of 12 teams in the Atlantic Hockey Association’s preseason coaches poll, which was released Tuesday.
The Lakers received no first-place votes and 89 points. Air Force, the defending regular-season and tournament champions, earned eight first-place votes and 112 points. Niagara was second with three first-place votes and 101 points. Bentley and Rochester Institute of Technology were tied for fourth with 87 points.
Holy Cross (74) placed sixth, followed by Connecticut (65) and Robert Morris (61), which had one first-place vote. Canisius (38), Army (30), American International (20) and Sacred Heart (19) rounded out the rest of the list.

Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament schedule

Semifinals – Friday

at Blue Cross Arena – Rochester, N.Y.

No. 1 Air Force (19-10-7) vs. No. 4 Mercyhurst (20-15-4), 4:05 p.m.

No. 2 Niagara (17-10-9) vs. No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology (19-12-6), 60 minutes after completion of Game 1

Championship game – Saturday

at Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y.

Semifinal winners, 7:05 p.m.

Quarterfinals (best-of-three series)

No. 5 Holy Cross at No. 4 Mercyhurst

Game 1 – Mercyhurst 2, Holy Cross 1

Game 2 – Holy Cross 3, Mercyhurst 1

Game 3 – Mercyhurst 3, Holy Cross 1

Mercyhurst wins series 2-1

No. 6 Bentley at No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology

Game 1 – Bentley 4, RIT 1

Game 2 – RIT 5, Bentley 4 (2OT)

Game 3 – RIT 3, Bentley 0

RIT wins series 2-1

No. 7 Robert Morris at No. 2 Niagara

Game 1 – Niagara 3, Robert Morris 0

Game 2 – Niagara 2, Robert Morris 1

Niagara wins series 2-0

No. 8 Connecticut at No. 1 Air Force

Game 1 – Air Force 4, Connecticut 3

Game 2 – Connecticut 3, Air Force 1

Game 3 – Air Force 4, Connecticut 3

Air Force wins series 2-1

The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team will face Holy Cross in the Atlantic Hockey Association quarterfinals next weekend at Mercyhurst Ice Center.

The best-of-three series begins Friday at 7:05 p.m., followed by Game 2 Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is set for Sunday at 7:05 p.m.

The fourth-seeded Lakers (18-14-4) earned a bye in this past weekend’s first round by finishing among the top four teams in the regular-season standings.

Fifth-seeded Holy Cross (19-13-4) swept 12th-seeded Army 3-2 and 5-2 in a best-of-three, first-round series in Worcester, Mass.

The other three quarterfinal series next weekend are No. 8 Connecticut (15-17-4) at No. 1 Air Force (17-9-7), No. 7 Robert Morris (17-15-5) at No. 2 Niagara (15-10-9) and No. 6 Bentley (15-14-8) at No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology (17-11-6).

The winners earn spots in the semifinals, which will be held March 16 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. The championship game is March 17 in Rochester.

- Victor Fernandes

The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team has earned a well-deserved break.

The Lakers needed a win against Canisius Saturday night and some help to secure a top-four finish in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings and a bye in next weekend’s first round of the AHA playoffs.

The Lakers handled their part, as they shut out the Golden Griffins 5-0 in front of 725 at Mercyhurst Ice Center behind redshirt junior goaltender Max Strang’s 27-save performance. Then Holy Cross defeated Bentley 6-4 Saturday, which handed the Lakers (18-14-4, 15-8-4) next week off and home-ice advantage in a best-of-three quarterfinal series against a first-round winner in two weeks.

Mercyhurst finished fourth in a tight conference race, behind first-place Air Force, Niagara and Rochester Institute of Technology. The Lakers would face the best remaining first-round winner in the quarterfinals.

Canisius (10-20-4, 10-14-3) finished ninth and will face eighth-place Connecticut in a best-of-three, first-round series next weekend.

Freshmen Nardo Nagtzaam and Chris Bodo led the Lakers with a goal and two assists apiece. Nick Jones had a goal and assist. Daniel O’Donoghue and Kyle Just each scored a goal.

Here’s the fallout from the Mercyhurst men’s hockey team’s 2-1 loss to Canisius Friday night, according to SID David Leisering

* Mercyhurst no longer has a chance for the Atlantic Hockey Association regular season title. Niagara has the tiebreaker on us so the Lakers cannot pass the Purple Eagles.

* Niagara and Air Force tied for first with 34 points

* Bentley and RIT tied for third with 33 points

* Mercyhurst and Holy Cross tied for fifth with 32 points

* Robert Morris has 31 points

* Mercyhurst holds tiebreaker on Air Force, Bentley, and Holy Cross

**** Mercyhurst can still get a first-round bye with a win and …

1) a Bentley loss or tie

2) an RIT loss

3) Bentley wins and RIT wins or ties, but Air Force loses

Mercyhurst (17-13-4, 14-7-4 AHA) at Canisius (9-19-4, 9-13-3)

When: Friday, 7:05 p.m.

Where: Buffalo State Sports Arena, Buffalo

On the air: www.b2livetv.com (live stream), www.gogriffs.com (Internet radio, live statistics)

Up next: vs. Canisius (Saturday, 7:05 p.m.)

Fast facts: Mercyhurst enters the final weekend of the regular season with a chance to win the Atlantic Hockey Association’s regular-season championship for the first time. … The Lakers are tied for third with Bentley and Niagara at 32 points – one point behind front-running Air Force and one behind second-place Rochester Institute of Technology. Holy Cross (31 points) and Robert Morris (29) are behind the Lakers in sixth and seventh, respectively. … Mercyhurst holds tiebreakers over Air Force, Bentley and Holy Cross, but not over Niagara, RIT and RMU. … Mercyhurst would secure a bye in next weekend’s first round of the AHA playoffs and home-ice advantage for the quarterfinals in two weeks by finishing among the top four in the standings. … The Lakers can finish as low as seventh. If the Lakers finish fifth, sixth or seventh, they would play a first-round game at Mercyhurst Ice Center. … They have three of their last five games, but are 5-5-2 since recording their second four-game winning streak of the season. … They are 6-4-3 in AHA road games. … Redshirt junior G Max Strang will start tonight. … Junior F Grant Blakey (lower-body injury) won’t play this weekend. He already has missed nearly a month. … Canisius stands ninth in the conference with 21 points, three behind Connecticut. The Golden Griffins need to sweep Mercyhurst and two UConn losses to 10^th-place American International to host a first-round game against UConn. … Canisius has won six of the past nine meetings with the Lakers.

- Victor Fernandes

What: Mercyhurst College (10-11-2, 8-8-0 AHA) at Bentley (5-11-4, 4-8-3)

When: Friday and Saturday, 7:05 p.m.

Where: Ryan Skating Arena – Watertown, Mass.

On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (8-8-1 record, 2.65 goals-against average, .922 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Scott Pitt (7-13-20), Sr. F Steve Cameron (7-12-19), So. F Paul Chiasson (10-7-17), Fr. F Taylor Holstrom (9-7-16)

Bentley – Sr. F Erik Peterson (7-7-14), Sr. F Dustin Cloutier (5-8-13), So. F Joe Campanelli (4-6-10), So. F Dan Koudys (4-6-10), Sr. G Joe Calvi (4-6-2, 2.51, .925)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers have rebounded from a three-game winless streak with three straight wins – all in Atlantic Hockey Association play. … With a win tonight, they can match their season-high, four-game winning streak set with wins against Air Force, Army (twice) and Robert Morris from Nov. 5-19. … The Lakers also can reach the .500 mark for the first time since that win streak (4-4-1). They haven’t posted a winning overall record this season. … The Lakers (16 points) have moved into fifth in the AHA standings – one behind fourth-place Air Force and three behind Niagara and Robert Morris, who are tied for second. … Holstrom earned AHA rookie honors the past two weeks. … Zapolski, an Erie native, is the current co-goaltender of the week. … Chiasson has four multi-goal games this season, the most by a Laker since Matt Pierce’s six in 2008-09. … Freshman F John Mousso had his first collegiate goal and point in last Friday’s win against Holy Cross. … Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Crusaders marked the Lakers’ third series sweep of the season and second OT win in four tries (2-0-2). … Sophomore D Charlie Carkin’s father, Charlie Sr., is Bentley’s longtime assistant coach, athletic trainer and equipment manager. The younger Carkin recorded his first collegiate goal and point at Bentley on Oct. 31, 2009. … Senior F Mike Gurtler (4-12-16) needs 14 points to become the 15^th player in the program’s Division I history to reach 100 career points and third this season (Pitt and Cameron). … Gurtler has a five-game point streak, while Cameron has points in four straight games. Chiasson, Holstrom and sophomore F Grant Blakey (7-7-14) have three-game streaks. … Junior D Kevin Noble (lower-body injury) hasn’t played since Dec. 4 at Sacred Heart.

Bentley – The Falcons are winless in nine straight games (0-6-3). Their last win was 3-2 at home against Canisius Nov. 28. But they held a two-goal, third-period lead at first-place Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday before settling for a 3-3 tie. … They have fallen into a tie for 10^th with Sacred Heart in the 12-team conference, two points ahead of last-place American International. … They have won nine of 39 career meetings with the Lakers (9-25-5). … They have played only six of 20 games at home (3-3-0 at home, 2-8-4 on the road). … They have scored a league-low 36 goals in AHA games.

Up next: at RIT (Jan. 29, 7:05 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes

(in order of predicted finish)

Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers

2009-10 record: 28-12-1, 22-5-1 AHA

Coach: Wayne Wilson, 12th season (216-103-25)

Players to watch: Jr. F Cameron Burt (16-31-47), Sr. F Andrew Favot (13-33-46), Jr. F Tyler Brenner (15-11-26), D Chris Haltigin (11-13-24), C Sean Murphy (6-13-19)

Outlook: The Tigers enjoyed a magical ride to the conference’s first NCAA Division I Frozen Four berth last season. If they find a replacement for graduated G Jared DeMichiel (27-10-1, 2.09, .920, 5 SO in 2009-10), they will have the inside track for another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Mercyhurst Lakers

2009-10 record: 15-20-3, 15-10-3 AHA

Coach: Rick Gotkin, 23rd season (399-272-52)

Players to watch: R-So. F Phil Ginand (15 goals, 19 assists, 34 points in 2008-09), Sr. F Mike Gurtler (14-16-30 in 2009-10), Sr. F Brandon Coccimiglio (14-14-28), Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (15-17-3 record, 2.79 goals-against average, .918 save percentage, 2 shutouts), Sr. D Jeff Terminesi (5-13-18, plus-17)

Outlook: Ginand’s return to a lineup filled with size makes the Lakers an imposing team in the conference. They will be in contention for the conference title until the end of the season.

Air Force Falcons

2009-10 record: 16-15-6, 14-8-6 AHA

Coach: Frank Serratore, 13th season (198-212-32)

Players to watch: Sr. F Jacques Lamoureux (22-20-42), Sr. F Derrick Burnett (10-23-33), Jr. D Tim Kirby (5-19-24), So. F Kyle De Laurell (6-12-18), Jr. D Scott Mathis (2-14-16)

Outlook: Lamoureux, whose sisters, Jocelyne and Monique, won silver with Team USA at the Vancouver Olympics, leads a veteran Falcons’ team. But they need to replace their longtime starter in net, Andrew Volkening (16-15-6, 2.44, .918 in 2009-10).

Canisius Golden Griffins

2009-10 record: 17-15-5, 13-11-4 AHA

Coach: Dave Smith, 6th season (N/A)

Players to watch: Sr. F Cory Conacher (20-33-53), Sr. F Vincent Scarsella (11-30-41), So. F Preston Shupe (10-15-25), Jr. G Dan Morrison (12-11-3, 3.16, .906, 3 SO)

Outlook: Conacher, the reigning AHA player of the year, and Scarsella ignite one of the nation’s leading offenses. But the Golden Griffins need to replace two key weapons in Josh Heidinger (11-28-39 in 2009-10) and Carl Hudson (14-20-34).

Sacred Heart Pioneers

2009-10 record: 21-13-4, 16-9-3 AHA

Coach: C.J. Marottolo, 1st season (0-0-0)

Players to watch: Sr. F Patrick Knowlton (13-26-39), Jr. F Matt Gingera (11-12-23), Sr. F David Berube (10-7-17), So. D Alex Stuart (1-10-11), So. Steven Legatto (19-10-3, 3.10, .907, 2 SO)

Outlook: Marottolo takes over a program that lost four of its top five players from the 2009-10 team. But he still had Legatto, who had a standout season in net as a freshman.

Army Black Knights

2009-10 record: 11-18-7, 10-12-6 AHA

Coach: Brian Riley, 7th season (79-102-32)

Players to watch: Sr. F Cody Omilusik (18-16-34), Jr. F Mike Hull (8-20-28), D Marcel Alvarez (6-14-20), Jr. F Danny Colvin (6-12-18), Sr. G Jay Clark (11-16-5, 3.00, .908, 1 SO)

Outlook: The Black Knights lost leading scorer Eric Sefchik (11-24-35 in 2009-10). But they return enough talent, led by Omilusik up front and Clark in net, to enjoy a solid season.

Robert Morris Colonials

2009-10 record: 10-19-6, 6-10-4 CHA

Coach: Derek Schooley, 6th season (59-94-20)

Players to watch: Sr. F Nathan Longpre (14-17-31), Sr. F Chris Kushneriuk (11-18-29), Sr. D Denny Urban (10-14-24), Jr. F Trevor Lewis (5-16-21), Jr. G Brooks Ostergard (9-16-3, 3.13, .906)

Outlook: The Colonials take a veteran club into their inaugural AHA season. But in this conference, they should be middle of the pack.

Niagara Purple Eagles

2009-10 record: 12-20-4, 6-10-2 CHA

Coach: Dave Burkholder, 10th season (156-141-32)

Players to watch: Sr. F Bryan Haczyk (9-13-22), Sr. F Paul Zanette (11-10-21), So. F Marc Zanette (7-13-20), Jr. G Chris Noonan (7-9-1, 3.20, .909)

Outlook: The Purple Eagles join former College Hockey America counterpart Robert Morris in the now 12-team AHA. With the departure of leading scorers Chris Moran (9-33-42 in 2009-10), Ryan Olidis (14-19-33) and Tyler Gotto (11-14-25), their first season could be difficult.

Bentley Falcons

2009-10 record: 12-19-4, 10-15-3 AHA

Coach: Ryan Soderquist, 9th season (99-154-28)

Players to watch: So. F Joe Campanelli (10-15-25), So. F Dan Koudys (6-14-20), So. F Brett Hartung (10-5-15), Jr. G Kyle Rank (8-12-3, 3.33, .895)

Outlook: The Falcons relied on several underclassmen last season. Those players are back to lead the way again this year.

Holy Cross Crusaders

2009-10 record: 12-19-6, 10-13-5 AHA

Coach: Paul Pearl, 16th season (226-226-54)

Players to watch: So. F Rob Linsmayer (4-15-19), Jr. F Jay Silvia (10-4-14), Jr. D Mike Daly (3-10-13), So. G Thomas Tysowsky (11-17-6, 2.43, .910, 2 SO)

Outlook: The Crusaders need to replace three of their top four scorers – Jordan Cyr (14-16-30), Everett Sheen (9-11-20) and Brodie Sheahan (10-4-14). That should be difficult, since the team scored only 87 goals in 37 games last season.

Connecticut Huskies

2009-10 record: 7-27-3, 6-19-3 AHA

Coach: Bruce Marshall, 23rd season (301 wins)

Players to watch: Sr. F Andrew Olson (9-10-19), So. F Sean Ambrosie (7-11-18), Sr. F Jason Krispel (3-12-15), So. G Garrett Bartus (5-14-1, 3.26, .900)

Outlook: Marshall recorded his 300th career win last season. But the Huskies didn’t win many more games. Offense was a culprit, as they scored 59 goals in 37 games.

American International Yellow Jackets

2009-10 record: 5-24-4, 5-19-4 AHA

Coach: Gary Wright, 27th season (264-466-55)

Players to watch: So. F Adam Pleskach (15-9-24), Sr. F Steve McLeod (9-13-22), Sr. F Tom Mele (9-8-17), Jr. F Nielsson Arcibal (3-12-15), So. G Ben Meisner (4-12-2, 3.66, .901, 3 SO)

Outlook: The Yellow Jackets return 17 letterwinners from the 2009-10 team. But that team struggled in many facets of the game. Don’t expect much different this season.

- Victor Fernandes

The Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team has been picked to finish second this season in the Atlantic Hockey Association Preseason Coaches Poll, released Tuesday afternoon at AHA Media Day in Rochester, N.Y.

The Lakers earned 101 points and two of the possible 12 first-place votes.

RIT, which made history last season as the first AHA team to advance to the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, was picked as the early favorite to win the conference this season with 118 points and eight first-place votes.

Air Force was tabbed third with 98 points, followed by newcomers Robert Morris (82) and Niagara (82) in a tie for fourth, with the Colonials garnering the final two first-place nods. Both teams enter their first season as full-fledged AHA members after leaving College Hockey America.

Canisius, (63) Sacred Heart (61), Holy Cross (60), Army (48), Bentley (47), Connecticut (21) and American International (11) rounded out the poll in spots 6 – 12. The Lakers officially open the 2010-11 season when they face Michigan on Oct. 2 in Ann Arbor, Mich. Game time is slated for 7:35 p.m.

- From Mercyhurst news release

Rick Gotkin (Contributed/USCHO.com)

Head coach Rick Gotkin of the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team released Monday the details of the Lakers’ 2010-11 schedule, highlighted by 18 regular-season home games, a date with perennial power Michigan and a possible meeting against defending NCAA Division I champion Boston College.

“We’re very excited and really looking forward to this season,” said coach Gotkin, who is sitting on 399 wins entering his 23rd season at Mercyhurst. “We want to have a challenging schedule to prepare our players for the road ahead. Playing teams such as Michigan and Boston College gives us the experience to tackle the teams in our conference. Our league has gotten better and better over the years, and with the addition of Robert Morris and Niagara this season, it’s probably the toughest it’s ever been.”

The Lakers will play 34 regular-season games and two exhibition contests in their 24th season of intercollegiate play. Twenty-seven of those games will be against teams from Atlantic Hockey Association, while the remaining seven put the Lakers up against foes from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC Hockey), and possibly Hockey East (HEA).

Unlike previous years, Gotkin and his squad won’t have an opportunity to get a tune-up in before their first game as they head straight to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face Michigan on Oct. 2 at Yost Ice Arena. It will be the season opener for both squads and the first time the Lakers and Wolverines faced off against each other since a 5-3 loss in the 2003-04 season.

After the bout with the Wolverines, the Lakers return home to open the doors to the Mercyhurst Ice Center with a five-game home stand, beginning with an exhibition contest against Queens University, a Kingston, Ontario, school, on Oct. 3. A two-game series against Western Michigan (Oct. 15-16) follows before Canisius comes to town on Oct. 19 and the United States Under-18 National Team for another exhibition on Oct. 24.

The Lakers resume league play for the next 11 games, beginning with consecutive road singles at Niagara (Oct. 29) and Air Force (Nov. 5). The next five contests feature a pair of two-game home series against Army (Nov. 12-13) and American International (Nov. 26-27) sandwiched around a game at Robert Morris on Nov. 19. A trip to Sacred Heart (Dec. 3-4) and a home series against Rochester Institute of Technology (Dec. 10-11) close out the stretch and lead the team into non-conference action for the rest of the month.

Following a series against former Division II rival Alabama-Huntsville (Dec. 16-17) at home, the Lakers will have two weeks off before taking part in the 2010 Ledyard Bank Classic in Hanover, N.H., where they will face Dartmouth (Dec. 30) in the opening game and either Boston College or Colgate, depending on the outcome, the next day.

Mercyhurst has not faced Boston College since a 5-4 setback in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Division I Tournament.

Atlantic Hockey play then heats up again as the Lakers open up the second half of the season on the road at Connecticut (Jan. 7-8), followed by a home series against Holy Cross (Jan. 14-15) and a trip to Bentley (Jan. 21-22). Mercyhurst closes out its three-game season series with RIT in Rochester, N.Y. on Jan. 29, taking the team into the final month of the regular season.

Back-to-back home-and-home series kick off the month of February with the Lakers facing Niagara (Feb. 4-5) and Robert Morris (Feb. 11-12). Both series will have Mercyhurst on the road for the first contest. Air Force (Feb. 18-19) then closes out its series with a pair at the Mercyhurst Ice Center before the regular-season finale against Canisius on Feb. 25 on the road and Feb. 26 in Erie.

- From Mercyhurst news release