Joe Kimball, Mercyhurst University’s director of athletics, announced at a news conference Tuesday that men’s hockey Rick Gotkin and women’s coach Michael Sisti have signed four-year contracts that will keep them with their respective NCAA Division I programs through the 2015-16 season.
Gotkin also confirmed that his Lakers have been invited to play an outdoor game against Ohio State in December 2013 at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
“It’s an exciting day at Mercyhurst University, especially for our two hockey programs,” Kimball said.
Gotkin and Sisti still had one year left on three-year deals. Yet their new contracts, which replace those previous deals, allow them to maintain the continuity at the top of their programs that prospective student-athletes and their families search for during the recruiting process.
“When you look a kid in the eye and they ask if you’re going to be here, you’ve got the feeling you’re going to be here,” said Sisti, who heads into his 14th season as women’s coach after spending his first six years at Mercyhurst as Gotkin’s assistant. “But it’s nice to have it on paper, so you can look them in the eye back and say, ‘I’m definitely going to be here.’ It helps them feel good about the process.”
The first outdoor hockey game in school history also would serve as a great recruiting tool. Ohio State faced rival Michigan this past January in front of 25,864 fans at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians baseball team, in the first outdoor college hockey game in Ohio.
“It’s a great reflection of our program from top to bottom,” Gotkin said. “I think people realize we have a big-time program.”
The game isn’t official yet, said Gotkin, who received the invitation from OSU officials this past weekend. The schools await confirmation from the Indians. Mercyhurst and OSU already are scheduled to play a two-game weekend series in Columbus Dec. 13-14, 2013. Gotkin said the Dec. 14 game would move to Progressive Field.

- Victor Fernandes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team earned 172 points and seven first-place votes to take the top spot in the USA Today / USA Hockey Magazine Women’s College Hockey Poll released Tuesday. The Lakers are now ranked No. 1 in both national polls after moving up in the USCHO.com poll on Monday.
Cornell remained at No. 2 with 155 points and six first-place votes, while Minnesota moved up to the No. 3 spot with 144 points and two first-place votes. Wisconsin climbed to No. 4 with 141 points and two first-place votes after twice defeating Bemidji State. Minnesota Duluth rounded out the top five with 138 points and two first-place votes following a weekend split with No. 7 North Dakota.
Boston University was tabbed sixth with 81 points, while Boston College (58), Harvard (40) and Ohio State (18) occupied spots 8 –10.
Mercyhurst continues non-conference play this weekend with a two-game series at Bemidji State, beginning on Friday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.

- From Mercyhurst College news release

MINNEAPOLIS – The Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team climbed two spots to take over the No. 1 ranking in this week’s USCHO.com Women’s Division I Poll. The Lakers claimed 129 points and three first-place votes after disposing of non-conference foe Maine, 5-2 and 6-1, last weekend on the road to move to 4-0-0 on the season.
It marks the first time this season the Lakers are ranked No. 1 after occupying the top spot for most of last season.
Cornell remained second with 120 points and seven first-place votes, followed by Minnesota and Wisconsin in a tie for third with 117 points apiece. Both teams captured first-place votes with the Gophers taking three and the Badgers with one.
Previous No. 1 Minnesota Duluth dropped four spots to fifth with 111 points and the final first-place nod.
Boston University (66), Boston College (52), North Dakota (45), Harvard (36) and Ohio State (12) and Providence (12) in a tie rounded out spots 6 – 10.
Mercyhurst continues non-conference play this weekend with a two-game series at Bemidji State, beginning on Friday, Oct. 15 at 2:07 p.m.

- From Mercyhurst news release

Robbie Ftorek (Contributed/Erie Otters)

Sherry Bassin wants to keep coach Robbie Ftorek and assistant coach Peter Sidorkiewicz with the Erie Otters in the future.

So Bassin, managing partner and general manager, plans to restructure their contracts, he said Wednesday at Tullio Arena. Bassin either will add to their existing deals or finalize a new contract.

Either way, their new deals will last a minimum of three years apiece. Ftorek has two years left on his current deal. Sidorkiewicz has one year remaining. “They’re good,” Bassin said of Ftorek and Sidorkiewicz. “It’s good for the continuity of the team. It’s good for the new players that are coming in.”

* Camp cuts: Club officials cut 11 prospects on Wednesday to reduce the roster to 40 players.

The list includes five 2010 OHL draft picks – goaltender Hunter Johnson (10th round), defenseman Liam Maaskant (eighth) and forwards Eric Kimmerly (11th round), Brent Hambly (14th round) and Liam Walker (15th round) and a pair of 2009 picks – defensemen Mikhel Poldma (fifth round) and Matt Halloran (14th round). Bassin originally planned to keep Maaskant in camp. But he wasn’t able to practice because of a case of shingles, a painful skin rash triggered by the same virus that causes chicken pox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“That’s too bad because he deserves to stay longer,” Bassin said of Maaskant.

Harborcreek Township native Billy Wager, a goaltender, and Harbor Creek High School defenseman Hunter Conboy headlined a list of free-agent invites cut that included defenseman Tyler Mayea and forward Jack Pirie.

* Ailing Luciani: Right wing Anthony Luciani had wisdom teeth removed a few days before training camp began. That should keep him from practicing all week. Bassin said Luciani developed a throat infection stemming from the procedure. Club officials also removed Luciani from the team’s cabins at Camp Sherwin in Fairview over concerns that other players could be infected.

“We’ve been very careful with that,” Bassin said. “We’re not upset (that Luciani can’t practice) because we don’t have to evaluate him.” Luciani led the team with 38 goals last season.

In other injury news, goaltender Ramis Sadikov (foot) missed Wednesday’s practice. He was struck with a shot on Tuesday. Center Connor Crisp (groin), a 2010 second-round pick, and free-agent winger Macaulay McDonnell (charley horse) also sat out practice.

Billy Wager (Contributed/Bill Wager)

* Wager chooses NCAA: Wager approached Ftorek after the second scrimmage on Wednesday. Wager informed Ftorek that NCAA hockey is in his future. “I just realized I really want to focus on education,” said Wager, 16, who will play for Plymouth, Mich.-based Victory Honda‘s U16 team this season.

He pointed to the Otters’ annual seminar on Tuesday night, which featured Mercyhurst College men’s coach Rick Gotkin.

“It cleared things up for me,” Wager said.

Wager’s collegiate list includes NCAA Division I Boston University (his favorite), Boston College, Canisius, Denver, Maine, Mercyhurst, Michigan State, Ohio State (his father Bill‘s alma mater) and Wisconsin. He has made unofficial visits to BC, BU and Ohio State. “I’m still trying to find out what school is right for me,” said Wager, who wants to earn degrees in business and film. “I’ve looked at hockey programs. Now it’s time to look at education programs.”

* News and notes: Veteran winger Matthew Paton has added eight pounds of muscle to his 208-pound frame. That will help his physical style of play. But he has still focused on his speed and skill. Without that, he said, “I’m useless.” … John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario, and Sudbury Arena in Sudbury, Ontario, will host the OHL’s two games in the Subway Super Series, which features a six-game series between OHL, QMJHL and WHL all-star teams against a Russian club.

- Victor Fernandes