Mercyhurst (0-2-1, 0-1-0 AHA) at Sacred Heart (0-4-1, 0-2-1)
When: Today, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Today at Northford Ice Pavilion – Northford, Conn.; Saturday at Webster Bank Arena – Bridgeport, Conn.
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.sacredheartpioneers.com (live statistics)
What to expect: Officials at Sacred Heart moved tonight’s game from Milford Ice Pavilion, located in Connecticut’s coastal town of Milford, reportedly because the effects of Hurricane Sandy knocked out power at the rink. Northford is 20 miles northeast of Milford. Saturday’s game remains in the coastal city of Bridgeport at Webster Bank Arena, home of the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. … Mercyhurst returns to Atlantic Hockey Association play after taking last weekend off. The Lakers haven’t played since losing 7-3 and tying 3-3 at nationally ranked Ferris State two weeks ago. … They continue a season-opening stretch of 11 straight road games. Six of the last eight games are against conference teams. … They swept both games from the Pioneers, 9-1 and 3-1, at Mercyhurst Ice Center a season ago. … The Lakers opened AHA play with a 2-1 loss at Niagara Oct. 13. … Sacred Heart lost 7-1 at Bentley Oct. 16 before losing once and tying once against Army two weeks ago. … The Pioneers lost 6-3 last Saturday against NCAA Division I newcomer Penn State, which features former Lakers Taylor Holstrom and Nate Jensen.

- Victor Fernandes

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey tied Ferris State Saturday night. The Lakers had a chance to win.
Then the Lakers won the shootout after finishing regulation and overtime tied 3-3 in front of 1,656 fans at Ewigleben Ice Arena. They rebounded from a 7-3 loss Friday night to the Bulldogs, which reached the NCAA Division I championship game a season ago.
Mercyhurst (0-2-1) carried a 3-2 lead into the third period, but Justin DeMartino scored with 5 minutes, 52 seconds left to force overtime. Neither team could score in overtime. Lakers sophomore Nardo Nagtzaam scored the lone goal in the shootout, but the non-conference game officially finished in a tie. Mercyhurst built a 2-0 first-period leads on goals from Ryan Misiak and Paul Chiasson less than two minutes apart. Ferris State (1-1-2) sliced the lead in half on Eric Alexander’s goal with 5:32 left in the period.
The Bulldogs tied the score at 2 on Andy Huff‘s goal 48 seconds into the second period. But the Lakers answered quickly on Grant Blakey‘s goal 1:05 later. Sophomore goaltender Jimmy Sarjeant, who made his second career start, made 39 saves in regulation and overtime and three more in the shootout for Mercyhurst, which was outshot 42-25. Misiak and Chiasson had a goal and assist apiece.

The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey team received two votes in USCHO.com’s opening Division I poll of the season, which was released Monday. Mercyhurst spent two weeks on the honorable mention list last January on the way to a 20-16-4 record a season ago. The Lakers are one of four Atlantic Hockey Association schools that earned votes in the poll.
Defending AHA champion Air Force stands 19th with 116 points. Rochester Institute of Technology (six points), Mercyhurst and Niagara (two) were among the honorable mention.
Boston College begins defense of its national championship ranked No. 1 with 35 first-place votes and 972 points. Minnesota stands second with 12 first-place votes and 937 points, followed by Michigan at No. 3 with three first-place votes and 857 points. North Dakota (826) and Union (789) complete the top five.
Mercyhurst plays 12 games against five teams ranked among the top 20 or the honorable mention. No. 11 Ferris State, which lost to BC in the national title game this past spring, and No. 15 Maine joins Air Force, RIT and Niagara on the schedule.