No. 6 Mercyhurst (18-16-5) vs. No. 4 Connecticut (19-13-4)
When: Friday, 7:05 p.m.
Where: Blue Cross Arena – Rochester, N.Y.
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), WMCE-FM/88.5 & wmce.mercyhurst.edu (radio), www.atlantichockeyonline.com (live scores)
Up next: Championship game (Saturday, 7:05 p.m. at Blue Cross Arena)*
What to expect: Mercyhurst has reached the Atlantic Hockey Association semifinals for the second straight season. The Lakers lost to eventual champion Air Force 5-2 in this round a season ago. … The Lakers rebounded from an eight-game winless streak with a sweep of 11th-seeded Army at Mercyhurst Ice Center two weeks ago and a series win at No. 3 Holy Cross last weekend. … Mercyhurst hasn’t reached the title game since consecutive trips in 2008 and 2009 (lost to Air Force both times). … The Lakers haven’t won an AHA championship since beating Quinnipiac 3-2 in the 2005 title game. They also beat Quinnipiac 6-5 to capture the 2001 title, when the league was known as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. … Mercyhurst and UConn split their two-game, regular-season series in Storrs, Conn., with the Lakers losing 5-4 Jan. 18 and winning 5-0 the following night. … The Lakers lead the all-time series 32-13-3. Yet they have lost three straight and four of six games against the Huskies in the postseason, including a UConn sweep in the 2011 AHA quarterfinals. … With top-seeded and 15th-ranked Niagara (23-8-5) facing seventh-seeded Canisius (17-18-5) in the other semifinal, the conference will have a champion from a school other than Air Force and Rochester Institute of Technology for the first time since Holy Cross in 2006. Air Force, which lost to Canisius in the quarterfinals, had won five of the last six titles (2007-09, 2011-12). RIT, which lost to Niagara in the quarterfinals, won in 2010 on the way to the first NCAA Division I Frozen Four appearance for the Tigers and the AHA. … Senior F Grant Blakey has five goals and seven points in the Lakers’ five playoff games. … UConn senior G Matt Grogan has a 14-3-3 record, 1.88 goals-against average and .939 save percentage since taking over as starter midway through the season. He was the Huskies’ only player to earn all-conference honors (third team). Mercyhurst features three all-stars – junior D Nick Jones (first team), sophomore F Ryan Misiak (second) and sophomore F Matthew Zay (third). … Niagara has never reached the title game. Canisius hasn’t reached the final since 1999 (lost 4-3 to Holy Cross). … Niagara junior G Carson Chubak leads the nation with six shutouts and ranks among the top five in winning percentage (.773), goals-against average (1.81) and save percentage (.941). He’s one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which honors the nation’s top men’s hockey player. … Freshman F Ralph Cuddemi, a former Erie Otters draft pick, has two goals and seven points in 34 games for Canisius.
* If the Lakers win tonight

- Victor Fernandes

Atlantic Hockey Association final four schedule
at Blue Cross Arena – Rochester, N.Y.
Semifinals – Friday
No. 1 Niagara (23-8-5) vs. No. 7 Canisius (17-18-5), 4:05 p.m.
No. 4 Connecticut (19-13-4) vs. No. 6 Mercyhurst (18-16-5), 7:05 p.m.
Championship game – Saturday
Semifinal winners, 7:05 p.m.
Note: Champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament.

No. 9 Mercyhurst University (26-6-1) vs. Robert Morris (15-14-13)
Syracuse (19-14-1) vs. Rochester Institute of Technology (16-15-5)
When: Today, 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst begins its quest for a 10th College Hockey America tournament championship in the last 11 years with a healthy lineup. Junior F Christie Cicero (severe concussion, sprained neck) rejoined the lineup Feb. 23 against RIT. … The Lakers can capture their 12th conference title in the last 13 years, dating back to the 2000-01 season in the Great Lakes Women’s Hockey Association. … Win or lose, the Lakers learn if they will make a NCAA-record ninth straight NCAA Division I tournament appearance when the eight-team field is unveiled Sunday at 6 p.m. on NCAA.com. … Mercyhurst lost the first three regular-season meetings with defending CHA champion Robert Morris before posting a 9-1 home win Feb. 9. … The Lakers swept all four respective meetings with Syracuse and RIT. … Junior F Christine Bestland finished the regular season ranked fourth nationally with 40 assists, fifth with 66 points and ninth with 26 goals. She also tied for second with 10 power-play goals and tied for eighth with six game-winning goals. … Sophomore Ds Molly Byrne and and Vaila Higson were tied for fifth among all defensemen with 31 points apiece. … F Emily Janiga is third among all freshmen with 40 points, one spot ahead of F Jenna Dingeldein (39 points). … Senior G Stephanie Ciampa ranks second with a .944 winning percentage (17-1-0), fourth with a 1.40 goals-against average, tied for seventh with a .935 save percentage and tied for eighth with four shutouts. … RMU needed two wins last weekend over Lindenwood, including a three-overtime victory in the opener, to reach the semifinals. … RIT, which beat Penn State twice by one goal last weekend, looks for a CHA championship in its first season in the league and at the D-I level. … Syracuse reached the title game two of the last three years.

- Victor Fernandes

Rochester Institute of Technology (14-13-5, 7-6-5 CHA) at No. 9 Mercyhurst University (24-6-1, 15-3-0)
When: Friday, 3 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst enters the final weekend of the regular season already having clinched a 12th straight College Hockey America regular-season championship and top seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The Lakers and second-seeded Syracuse will have byes in next weekend’s first round, which features the other four teams in best-of-three series for the first time in CHA history. The Lakers will host the semifinals and title game March 8-9. … Mercyhurst swept a season-opening, two-game series from CHA newcomer RIT, 6-2 and 7-0, in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 28-29 behind junior F Christine Bestland‘s three goals and seven points. … RIT needs one win to secure a winning record in its first NCAA Division I season. The Tigers, which will have home-ice advantage in a first-round playoff series, need one point to earn the third seed. They lead Robert Morris and Lindenwood by four points with two games left. Penn State has clinched the sixth seed. … Bestland ranks third nationally with 39 assists and fifth with 63 points. She’s also tied for second with nine power-play goals and tied for sixth with six game-winning goals. … Sophomore D Molly Byrne is tied for fourth among all defensemen with 30 points. Sophomore D Vaila Higson has moved into the top 10 with 27 points. … F Emily Janiga is third among all freshmen with 39 points, one spot ahead of F Jenna Dingeldein (35 points). … Senior G Stephanie Ciampa ranks second with a .938 winning percentage, fifth with a 1.39 goals-against average, seventh with a .935 save percentage and tied for sixth with four shutouts.

- Victor Fernandes

Rochester Institute of Technology (10-13-5, 8-9-4 AHA) at Mercyhurst University (14-11-3, 12-7-2)
When: Fridayand Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst remains second in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings despite a loss and tie at home against third-place Air Force last weekend. The Lakers, who have six games left in the regular season, are one point ahead of the Falcons and four points ahead of Canisius, Connecticut and Holy Cross, who are in a three-way tie for fourth. RIT is another two points back in eighth. Eight points separate the Lakers and 10th-place Army. … Lakers coach Rick Gotkin needs two wins to become the 26th college coach to reach 450 career wins. … Sophomore F Ryan Misiak earned AHA player of the week honors for the second straight time. He has four goals and 10 points in his last six games. … Fifth-year senior G Max Strang has made eight straight starts while junior G Jordan Tibbett has been out with a lower-body injury. … The Lakers also have been without junior D Randy Cure (upper body) and sophomore F Nardo Nagtzaam (lower body). … Mercyhurst has risen to fourth in NCAA Division I with 3.39 goals scored per game (95 goals in 28 games) and a 22.8 power-play percentage (26-for-114). RIT has the nation’s top power play at 25.9 percent (28-for-108) and 11th-best scoring offense (3.25 goals per game). … In contrast, Mercyhurst is tied for 29th nationally in scoring defense (2.71 goals allowed per game), while RIT is tied for 55th out of 59 teams at 3.50 per game. … Misiak (31 points) and RIT junior F Michael Colavecchia (24 points) rank among the top 25 nationally in scoring. … Colavecchia and Lakers sophomore F Chris Bodo are tied for third with eight power-play goals. … RIT junior D Greg Noyes is eighth among all defensemen with 22 points. … RIT reached the AHA title game the past three years (won in 2010).

- Victor Fernandes

American International (3-7-3, 0-5-3 AHA) at Mercyhurst (5-5-1, 5-2-0)
When: Today, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, 4:05 p.m.
Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center
On the air: www.americasports.com (live stream), www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst plays its first home games after completing a season-opening stretch of 11 straight road games with a 5-4 win at Air Force last Friday. … The Lakers were 11-4-1 at home a season ago. … They have lost three of the last four meetings with AIC, including two losses at home two seasons ago. They split two games in Springfield, Mass., a season ago. … The Lakers are tied for fourth in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings, eight points behind frontrunning Niagara, which has opened the conference season with a 9-0-0 record. AIC stands 11th in the 12-team conference. … The Lakers hold their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” tonight to benefit the United States Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Program. Fans can attend the game for free by donating a new or gently used stuffed animal and then tossing them onto the ice for the team’s first goal. … AIC has finished 10th or worst in the AHA standings every season since the conference began in 2003, including eight consecutive last-place finishes from 2003-11. … AIC, which continues a season-high, eight-game road trip, are winless in five straight games (0-3-2). … The Yellow Jackets have scored two goals or fewer in nine of 13 games. … They gained their only points in the AHA standings with ties against Canisius, Rochester Institute of Technology and Sacred Heart. … But they have a non-conference win against Quinnipiac, which stands 13th in the USCHO.com Division I poll.
Upcoming schedule: Dec. 15 at Clarkson, 7 p.m.; Dec. 18 vs. Canisius, 7:05 p.m.

- Victor Fernandes

No. 5 Mercyhurst (8-1-1, 2-0-0 CHA) at Lindenwood (0-6-0, 0-0-0)
When: Today, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: Lindenwood Ice Arena – Wentzville, Mo.
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.lindenwoodlions.com (live audio and statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst returns to College Hockey America action after playing eight straight non-conference games. … The Lakers posted 6-2 and 7-0 wins against CHA newcomer Rochester Institute of Technology Sept. 28-29. Now they face Lindenwood, which plays in its first-ever CHA games. … Mercyhurst won all four non-conference meetings with the Lions a season ago by a combined 37-3 score. … Lindenwood lost their first six games – two apiece against Minnesota State, Ohio State and Wisconsin from the WCHA – by a combined 34-6 score. The Lions finished 8-21-0 a season ago as a first-year NCAA independent team, but they were 0-18 against D-I opponents. … The Lions face their seventh and eighth games of the season against a team that has been nationally ranked this season. … Mercyhurst plays six of the next eight games on the road. … Lakers junior F Christine Bestland leads NCAA Division I with 18 assists and ranks third with 28 points. … Freshman F Emily Janiga (nine goals, 18 points) ranks fifth in scoring.

- Victor Fernandes

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.

The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team gained one spot in the latest USCHO.com Division I poll, which was released Monday. The Lakers (2-0-0), which swept a season-opening series with College Hockey America newcomer Rochester Institute of Technology this past weekend, passed Northeastern (0-0-0) for the ninth spot with 34 voting points.
Defending national champion Minnesota (2-0-0) retained the No. 1 spot after sweeping Colgate by a combined 18-0 score this past weekend. Cornell (0-0-0) and Boston College (0-0-0) moved up one spot to second and third, respectively, despite not playing any games. Wisconsin fell to fourth from second after a win and tie against unranked Minnesota State-Mankato. North Dakota (0-0-0), Boston University (0-0-0), St. Lawrence (0-0-0) and Minnesota Duluth (0-0-0) rounded out the top 10.
Quinnipiac (0-0-0), which hosts Mercyhurst Friday and Saturday, made the honorable mention list with two points.

College Hockey America officials handed out the first player of the week awards of the season Monday. The Mercyhurst University women’s team captured all three honors.
Junior forward Christine Bestland was named player of the week, while senior Stephanie Ciampa and freshman forward Emily Janiga earned goaltender and rookie of the week, respectively.
Bestland had three goals and four assists in a season-opening sweep of CHA newcomer Rochester Institute of Technology, which put her over the 100-point mark in her career. Ciampa recorded her first career shutout in a 17-save effort against the Tigers Saturday. It was her first start since a 7-2 win against Lindenwood on Dec. 15, 2011. Janiga had the first three goals and two assists of her career, as well as her first hat trick, in those two games.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team didn’t start fast this time around.
The 10th-ranked Lakers didn’t score in the first period after scoring twice in the opening 18 seconds in Friday’s season opener.
But the Lakers responded strong in the final two periods of a 7-0 College Hockey America win against Rochester Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in front of 630 at James Ritter Memorial Ice Arena. Mercyhurst (2-0-0, 2-0-0 CHA) swept the season-opening series from the Tigers (0-2-0, 0-2-0), which are in their first season as a NCAA Division I program.
Freshman Emily Janiga provided the offensive spark with the first three goals and four points of her collegiate career. She snapped a scoreless tie 8 minutes, 15 seconds into the second period, and scored again 5 minutes later. She also assisted on Shelby Bram‘s goal that opened a 3-0 lead with 1:13 left in the period.
Janiga capped her first career hat trick 6:31 into the third. Christine Bestland scored twice in the period – her second and third goals of the season – and added two assists for a four-point outing. Kelsey Welch, one of three transfers from Niagara, scored her first goal as a Laker. Fellow transfers Jenna Hendrikx and Kaleigh Chippy had an assist apiece. Molly Byrne and Vaila Higson each had two assists for the Lakers, which went 3-for-9 on the power play after failing on all eight chances Friday.
Senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa stopped all 17 shots she faced for her first career shutout in her sixth career start. The Lakers head to Hamden, Conn., next weekend for a two-game non-conference series at Quinnipiac.