Mercyhurst University (14-9-3, 11-3-3 AHA) at Rochester Institute of Technology (14-8-2, 11-4-2)

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

Where: Ritter Arena – Rochester, N.Y.

On the air: www.b2livetv.com (live stream), www.ritathletics.com (live statistics)

Up next: vs. Niagara (Feb. 3, 7:05 p.m.), at Niagara (Feb. 4, 7:05 p.m.)

Fast facts: Mercyhurst plays its first game under the school’s new university status, which was unveiled Wednesday. … The Lakers’ two-week stay in USCHO.com’s Division I poll ended Monday. RIT stands No. 26 with seven votes. … …Mercyhurst beat RIT 2-1 Oct. 28 at Mercyhurst Ice Center. But the Tigers lead the all-time series 27-14-5. … The battle for first place in Atlantic Hockey Association features the conference’s highest-scoring team (Mercyhurst – 59 goals in 17 games) against the stingiest defense (RIT – 28 goals in 17 games). The Lakers rank 13^th in NCAA Division I at 3.19 goals scored per game (80 in 26 games). RIT ranks third at 2.04 goals against per game (49 in 24 games). … Redshirt junior G Max Strang (12-9-3 record, 2.80 goals-against average, .922 save percentage, 2 shutouts) faces a stern challenge from RIT junior G Shane Madolora, who ranks among the top five nationally in shutouts (6 – tied for first), save percentage (.935 – tied for third), winning percentage (.735 – fourth) and GAA (1.82 – fifth). … Mercyhurst freshman F Nardo Nagtzaam is tied for second among rookies nationally with 23 points. … The Lakers are unbeaten in three straight games and 8-2-2 in their last 12 games. … The Tigers have outscored teams 17-1 in a four-game winning streak. … They have allowed one goal or fewer 11 times. … Both teams have beaten ranked teams (Mercyhurst against Cornell, RIT against Ferris State and Lake Superior State). … The Lakers complete a season-high, six-game road trip. After this weekend, they finish the regular season with five of their final eight games on the road. … Senior D Patrick Goebel (lower-body injury), who missed practice time earlier in the week, will be a game-time decision. … RIT has a 31-2-6 home record against AHA teams since the start of the 2009-10 season.

- Victor Fernandes

What: Rochester Institute of Technology (6-7-2, 5-3-1 AHA) at Mercyhurst College (5-7-1, 5-5-0)

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

Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center

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

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Sr. G Ryan Zapolski (5-4-0 record, 2.36 goals-against average, .930 save percentage, 1 shutout), Fr. F Daniel O’Donoghue (5-5-10), Fr. F Taylor Holstrom (5-4-9), Sr. F Steve Cameron (3-5-8),  Sr. F Ryan Raven (5-2-7)

RIT – Sr. F Andrew Favot (4-14-18), Jr. F Cameron Burt (2-18-10), So. F Adam Hartley (7-7-14), Jr. F Tyler Brenner (10-3-13), So. G Shane Madolora (4-0-1, 2.19, .915, 1 SO)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers have lost three of four to fall into a tie for sixth in the Atlantic Hockey Association, one point behind fifth-place RIT. The Tigers and Lakers were 1-2 in the AHA’s preseason poll. …  The Lakers are winless in six straight home games against the Tigers (0-5-1). … These teams are meeting for the 43^rd and 44^th times in a series that began in 1988 at the Division III level. The Lakers have faced only one team more often (Canisius – 65 games). … The Lakers trail the all-time series 25-13-4, including a pair of one-goal losses last season. … Raven has matched his single-season high in goals set in 2008-09. … Sophomore F Paul Chiasson (4-3-7) had two goals in last Friday’s win at Sacred Heart – his first multi-goal game since Feb. 26, 2010 at Connecticut. … Sophomore F Grant Blakey (3-3-6) had a career-high three assists in last Friday’s win. … Senior F Scott Pitt (3-4-7) and Cameron need two and six points, respectively, to reach the 100 mark in their careers. … Junior D Patrick Goebel (upper-body injury) rejoined the lineup last weekend after a three-week absence. … The Lakers are 5-for-57 on the power play (8.8 percent), which is tied for 56^th among 58 NCAA Division I teams.

RIT – The defending champion Tigers, which last season were the first conference team to reach the Frozen Four, have been inconsistent this season. They haven’t won or lost more than two straight games this season. … They are 2-5 on the road. … Madolora appears to be the replacement for graduated G Jared DeMichiel. Madolora earned the AHA’s top goaltender honor last week for posting his first career shutout in a 4-0 win against American International last Friday. … That was the team’s first shutout win of the season after totaling eight last year. … The Tigers tied the program’s Division I record with five first-period goals in that game. … Burt, the team’s leading scorer last season, has points in six straight games (one goal, eight points). … The Tigers rank 51^st nationally on the penalty kill (76.7 percent). They had a streak of 17 straight successful kills snapped in Saturday’s loss to AIC.

Up next: vs. Alabama-Huntsville (Dec. 16-17, 7:05 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes