HAVERHILL, Mass. - Sophomore forward Christine Bestland and freshman forward Hailey Browne have been honored by College Hockey America on Monday afternoon for their performances against Syracuse this past weekend. The Lakers went 1-0-1 to open up conference play, winning 8-4 on Friday, before playing to a 1-1 overtime tie on Saturday.

Bestland earned her third CHA Player of the Week award of the season, while Browne earned her first-ever weekly award, as she was named the CHA's Rookie of the Week.

A native of Brunkild, Manitoba, Bestland had a four-point weekend against the Orange. Bestland had a goal and two assists in Friday's 8-4 victory, and then scored the game-tying goal just 1:16 into the second period in Saturday's 1-1 overtime tie. In the process, Bestland extended her scoring streak to five consecutive games, with both of her goals over the weekend coming on the power play. She is second on the team in scoring with 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points, already surpassing the 42 points she scored as a freshman a year ago.

Meanwhile, Browne, who hails from Oakville, Ontario, stepped up this weekend, as the Lakers were looking for some offense to replace the nation's leading scorer - senior Bailey Bram and her freshman sister Shelby Bram. Browne had her first career multi-point and multi-goal game on Friday night. She entered the weekend with one goal and two assists through the first 18 games of the season. She scored her first goal of the game, and second goal of the season late in the first period, putting Mercyhurst ahead for good. She then tacked on her second goal of the game late in the second period, which also proved to be her first career game-winning goal. She had four shots on goal and was a +1 for the weekend and now has three goals and two assists on the season.

Mercyhurst (15-4-1, 1-0-1 CHA) will play a home-and-home series with the Purple Eagles of Niagara (7-9-5, 0-0-0 CHA) this Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14. Niagara is the last team to defeat the Lakers in a conference game, defeating Mercyhurst 2-1 back on January 30, 2010. The Lakers are 24-0-1 in their last 25 conference games. The teams will play in Erie on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and then will convene in Niagara Falls on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Lakers are 37-6-3 lifetime against Niagara.