What: No. 4 Mercyhurst College (7-1-0) at Niagara (1-7-1)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Dwyer Arena – Niagara University, N.Y.
On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video)
Players to watch
Players to watch
Mercyhurst – Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (7-1-0 record, 1.96 goals-against average, .910 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (3 goals, 9 assists, 12 points), Jr. F Bailey Bram (7-9-16), Fr. F Christine Bestland (4-8-12), Sr. D Cassea Schols (2-6-8)
Niagara – Sr. G Jenni Bauer (1-6-1, 2.11, .923), Sr. F Autumn Stuntz (0-3-3), So. F Daniela Dal Colle (2-0-2), Jr. D Erica Owczarczak (2-0-2), Fr. F Kristen Richards (2-0-2)
Fast facts
Mercyhurst – The Lakers return to action after posting a 4-3 overtime win at No. 2 Cornell on Tuesday. … They begin a four-game road trip that completes a stretch of eight road games in nine outings that began a month ago. … They face a College Hockey America opponent in a rare non-conference game. These teams meet in four conference games this season – Dec. 3-4 at Mercyhurst Ice Center and Jan. 28-29 at Niagara. … The Lakers will play tonight without senior Fs Meghan Agosta (10-9-19) and Vicki Bendus (6-12-18), who will represent their native Canada at the 2010 Women’s Four Nations Cup. The tournament runs from Tuesday through next Saturday in St. John’s, Newfoundland. They will rejoin the Lakers in time for next weekend’s CHA games at Wayne State. … The Lakers have won nine straight games against CHA teams dating to last season. Niagara was the last conference team to beat the Lakers, 2-1 on Jan. 30, which snapped their 16-game overall unbeaten streak, 25-game CHA unbeaten streak and 29-game unbeaten streak against the Purple Eagles. … The Lakers scored only seven goals in their four meetings with Niagara last season (2-1-1). … Bestland, the reigning CHA rookie of the month, ranks among NCAA Division I’s top five rookies in points and points per game (1.50). … Bram had her third career hat trick against Cornell. Scanzano scored the game-winning, short-handed goal in overtime.
Niagara – The Purple Eagles have struggled mightily on offense, scoring nine goals in nine games and none in four of those games (0-3-1). … They scored a season-high three goals in their lone win, 3-1 at home against Maine on Oct. 23. … Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 60 percent of the team’s scoring. … Bauer ranks among the top 15 nationally in goals-against average and save percentage. … Niagara ranks 11th nationally in goals against per game (2.00) and 10th on the penalty kill (87.5 percent). … The Purple Eagles face the Lakers two nights after losing to St. Lawrence, the first time they have played two different teams in the same week since Nov. 21-22, 2008 (Brown and Providence).
Up next: at Wayne State (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.; Nov. 20, 2 p.m.)
- Victor Fernandes
