Peter Aubry, a goaltender for the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team from 1998-2002, has joined coach Rick Gotkin’s staff as an assistant coach, the school announced Monday.

Aubry replaces John Rosso, who recently accepted a scouting position with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, former forward Neil Graham (2006-10) will serve as a volunteer assistant.

Aubry’s 55 wins rank second on the program’s all-time list. His 2.45 career goals-against average is the best among goaltender with a significant number of games. In 2001, he led the Lakers to the MAAC Hockey League championship and a near upset of Michigan in the NCAA Division I Tournament.

Aubry, a native of Windsor, Ontario, spent the past nine seasons playing professionally. He had stints in the ECHL, AHL and UHL as well as in Great Britain and, most recently, in France.

Graham, a native of Calgary, Alberta, finished his four-year Lakers career with 23 goals and 60 points in 137 games. He had 24 goals and 54 points in 49 games with the Augusta (Ga.) RiverHawks in the Southern Professional Hockey League last season. He also played 10 games in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays and Greenville (S.C.) Road Warriors last season.

What: Mercyhurst College (13-15-4, 11-12-2 AHA) vs. Canisius (10-16-6, 9-11-5)

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

Where: Friday at Buffalo State Sports Arena; Saturday at Mercyhurst Ice Center

On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video), WMCE (radio)*

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (11-12-3 record, 2.88 goals-against average, .919 save percentage, 2 shutouts), Sr. F Scott Pitt (15-18-33), So. F Paul Chiasson (16-14-31), Fr. F Taylor Holstrom (8-21-29), Sr. F Mike Gurtler (7-16-23)

Canisius – Sr. F Cory Conacher (19-13-32), Sr. F Vincent Scarsella (10-16-26), Fr. D Ben Danford (2-20-22), Sr. F Eric Rex (7-14-21), Jr. G Dan Morrison (7-13-4, 3.50, .903, 1 SO)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1), will clinch the fifth spot in the Atlantic Hockey Association’s West pod with a win in the regular season-ending series with the sixth-place Golden Griffins. … The Lakers will begin the playoffs on the road against the West pod’s third or fourth seed. … Redshirt sophomore F Phil Ginand (upper-body injury) is out for the season. … Senior F Steve Cameron (lower body) could miss the rest of the season. … Freshman F Nick Jones (upper body) will miss this weekend’s games. But coach Rick Gotkin hopes he will be cleared to play for the playoffs. … Junior D Patrick Goebel (upper body) rejoins the lineup after missing the past two weekends. …The school will honor seniors Cameron, Gurtler, Pitt, Zapolski, Jeff Terminesi, Ryan Raven and Jesse Echternach before Saturday’s game. … The Lakers lost 5-2 to Canisius in October, but they lead the all-time series 34-22-9. … Gurtler needs nine points to become the 15^th player in the program’s NCAA Division I history to reach 100 career points and the third this season (Pitt and Cameron). Gurtler also needs two short-handed goals to equal the program’s Division I career record of 10 set by Louis Goulet (1998-2002), now an assistant coach with the women’s team. … Zapolski, an Erie native, has 46 career wins, four shy of being the Lakers’ first goaltender to reach 50 since Peter Aubry in 2002. … The Lakers are tied for ninth nationally in scoring offense (3.53 goals per game), one spot ahead of Air Force (3.56).

Canisius – The Golden Griffins snapped a three-game losing streak (all by shutout) with a 6-3 win at Niagara on Saturday. … They were shut out in three straight games for the first time in the program’s 31-year history. … Conacher is the Division I program’s all-time leading scorer (132 points). … Danford has set a new program record for points by a rookie defenseman. … Fairview native Rex’s 21 points are eight more than his first three seasons combined. … The Golden Griffins have won four straight against the Lakers and five in a row at MIC.

Up next: at Atlantic Hockey Association tournament – first round (TBA)

* Radio broadcast – home game only

– Victor Fernandes

What: Air Force (12-11-6, 10-7-6 AHA) at Mercyhurst College (13-13-4, 11-10-2)

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

Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center

On the air: Image Sports Network (TV), www.americaone.com (Internet video)*

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (10-10-3 record, 2.70 goals-against average, .924 save percentage, 2 shutouts), Sr. F Scott Pitt (14-17-31), So. F Paul Chiasson (14-13-27), Fr. F Taylor Holstrom (8-17-25), Sr. F Ryan Raven (8-13-21)

Air Force – Sr. F Jacques Lamoureux (15-17-32), Sr. F Derrick Burnett (7-20-27), Jr. D Scott Mathis (7-16-23), So. F Kyle De Laurell (8-14-22), Fr. G Jason Torf (9-8-4, 3.02, .905)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers are sixth in the Atlantic Hockey Association. They trail the fifth-place Falcons by two points and are five points out of second with four games left. … The Lakers won 6-2 at Air Force Nov. 5 to extend their unbeaten streak in the series to three straight games (2-0-1). … They are 6-2-2 in the last eight meetings with the Falcons to even the series at 13-13-4. … They are unbeaten in six straight home games (5-0-1). … Redshirt sophomore forward Phil Ginand (upper-body injury) senior forward Steve Cameron (lower body) could miss extended time, coach Rick Gotkin said. … Junior D Patrick Goebel (upper body) will miss his second straight weekend. … Senior F Mike Gurtler (6-15-21) needs nine points to become the 15^th player in the program’s NCAA Division I history to reach 100 career points and the third this season (Pitt and Cameron). Gurtler also needs two short-handed goals to equal the program’s Division I career record of 10 set by Louis Goulet (1998-2002), now an assistant coach with the women’s team. … Pitt has points in eight of his last 10 games. … Zapolski, an Erie native, has 46 career wins, four shy of being the Lakers’ first goaltender to reach 50 since Peter Aubry in 2002. … Chiasson and Holstrom had nine-game point streaks snapped last Friday night at Robert Morris. … Ticket revenue from both games, as well as donations placed in donation boxes at the rink, will benefit the Kimball Family Foundation as part of the school’s Pink Zone week. Fundraisers also will be held at the basketball teams’ doubleheader Saturday. … The Lakers rank 10^th nationally in scoring offense (3.53 goals per game), one spot ahead of Air Force (3.52).

Air Force – The Falcons’ last nine games have been decided by a goal or finished in a tie (3-3-3). Nine of their 12 wins have been by a goal. … They haven’t won consecutive games since a three-game streak in December. … The Falcons are second nationally on the power play (24.7 percent). … They rank near the bottom nationally in scoring defense (3.24 goals per game). … Lamoureux needs one goal to set a new career record for goals in AHA games. He’s tied with Army’s Owen Meyer (55 from 2006-10). His twin sisters, Monique and Jocelyne, won silver with Team USA at the Vancouver Olympics.

Up next: at Canisius (Feb. 25, 7:05 p.m.), vs. Canisius (Feb. 26, 7:05 p.m.)

* TV broadcast tonight only

– Victor Fernandes