Jan. 2, 2008

Erie, Pa. -

Complete Release in PDF Format

Mercyhurst begins play in the New Year against No. 20 Michigan Tech this weekend as it steps out of conference for the final time this season. The Huskies, members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), represent the fifth nationally-ranked team the Lakers have faced this season. Both Friday night and Saturday night games are due to start at 7:05. It will be "Erie Youth Hockey Weekend" at the Ice Center. All youth hockey players and parents will be admitted free with proper identification.

The Lakers, 5-11-2 overall, ended 2007 with a three-game winning streak. The Huskies, 7-9-2, concluded 2007 play last weekend at the annual Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit and distinguished themselves very well. Michigan Tech defeated No. 5 Michigan State 4-1 last Friday before bowing 1-0 in double overtime to No. 1 Michigan in Saturday's championship contest.

Fast Facts

• Senior forward Ben Cottreau, who missed five games prior to the AIC series, had an assist in each game and now has a 3-game scoring streak.

• The Lakers have scored more than three goals in a game only four times in their first 18 contests, but twice in the last three.

• Six of the seven goals scored in the two-game sweep of America International came from freshmen.

• Freshman Steve Cameron had his first career game-winning goal in the 5-4 win over AIC on December 14.

• Freshman Brandon Coccimiglio followed suit the next night with his first-ever game-winner.

• Freshman Scott Pitt snapped a 10-game goal-scoring streak 12-15 with a power play goal against AIC. All four of his goals this season have come with the man advantage. His four power play goals tie him with Coccimiglio for the team lead.

• Freshman defenseman Jeff Terminesi played just his second and third career games in the AIC series and had an assist in each game, his first career points.

• Sophomore Neil Graham had a pair of assists against AIC 12-14, his first multiple-point game of the season.

• Mercyhurst has played four overtime games this season. They played a club-record ten last year.

• Mercyhurst has been outshot in 12 of 18 games and has won only one time (RIT) when trailing after two periods.

• Freshmen Coccimiglio and Pitt have joined Cottreau as the only multiple-point players this season.

• Mercyhurst has two former players under contract to National Hockey League teams. Defenseman Jamie Hunt is playing in the Washington Capitals organization. He made his NHL debut last fall for the Caps at Pittsburgh. Defenseman T.J. Kemp signed a one-year deal with Edmonton over the summer and made his NHL debut in September in an exhibition game at Vancouver. At the moment, the two are assigned to Hershey and Springfield respectively.

• The Lakers and Huskies split a pair of prior meetings at Tech to open the 2005-06 season. Tech won the first game 4-3, but the Lakers won the finale 5-2.

• The Lakers were picked to finish fourth this season in the 10-team Atlantic Hockey Association's pre-season coaches' poll. Michigan Tech was picked seventh in the 10-team Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

• Both teams have played Michigan State. The Huskies defeated the Spartans last weekend while the Lakers dropped a pair of games at East Lansing by identical 6-2 scores in early November.