Ticket Information for the 2012 College Hockey America Tournament

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Complete CHA Tournament Game Notes

ERIE, Pa. - To have the best record in your conference during the regular season is a difficult accomplishment in and of itself. To achieve the feat in back-to-back years is even more difficult. How about winning the regular season title 12 seasons in a row?

That is what the Mercyhurst women's hockey team was able to accomplish on Friday, February 17 at home against Robert Morris. The Lakers posted a 3-0 shutout victory over the Colonials to clinch the College Hockey America regular season title for an unprecedented 12th consecutive season. Mercyhurst is 22-6-3 overall and finished the regular season with an 8-1-3 conference mark.

What makes this year's accomplishment even more remarkable is the fact that the Lakers had a large turnover in their roster and even in their coaching staff, and the team entered the 2011-12 season with a lot of question marks – many more than in years past. Not many people associated with the team or on the outside looking in knew what to expect from a team that has established itself as a national power over the past few seasons. This, in fact, may go down as one of the best coaching jobs that head coach Michael Sisti has done during his 13 years at the helm of the program.

The Lakers lost three of the most prolific scorers in not only the school's history, but in NCAA history. The NCAA's all-time leading scorer Meghan Agosta, who finished her career with 303 points, left due to graduation. Joining her were Jesse Scanzano, who finished her career with 225 points, and Vicki Bendus, who won the school's only Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2010. Mercyhurst also lost two of the best blueliners in school history – Cassea Schols and Melissa Lacroix.

Agosta, Scanzano, and Bendus combined for 718 points and six All-American awards during their careers – an enormous amount of talent to replace.

Yes, Mercyhurst did have some proven scorers returning this year. Back were seniors Bailey Bram, Kelley Steadman, and Jess Jones, along with sophomore Christine Bestland, who scored 42 points as a rookie. Yes, Mercyhurst had its starting goaltender returning – senior Hillary Pattenden. But, the Lakers had only one regular returning on defense – senior Pamela Zgoda – and nearly half of the roster (nine of 20 players) was completely new to the program. And, due to some last minute subtractions, Mercyhurst had to compete a player short every game because of a lack of bodies.

And yet, the Lakers went about their business.

In truth, there were some growing pains to start the season. The Lakers started 1-2 after back-to-back losses to Quinnipiac and Minnesota State-Mankato and were on the ropes again at Mankato on October 8 in danger of falling to 1-3 and in danger of falling out of the national rankings for the first time since the 2004-05 campaign. But, a goal by Bestland with just over two minutes left in regulation lifted the Lakers to a 5-4 win, starting a nine-game winning streak.

As always, there were some games this year that Mercyhurst would like to have back. The Lakers lost to third-ranked Cornell at home on December 2 after giving up a late third period goal. Mercyhurst tied 1-1 at Syracuse a night after scoring eight goals on the Orange. Then, the Lakers lost at Cornell 5-1 in early February, despite entering the third period tied at 1-1. The Lakers also lost at home to Robert Morris, giving up two goals in the final 2:38 of regulation.

But, all in all, it has been a remarkable season for a team that entered with a lot of unknowns.

Bram has set career highs in assists (40) and points (66), is second in the country in points per game (2.28), and is one point shy of becoming the fourth player in Mercyhurst history to score 200 career points. Steadman has career highs in goals (32), assists (18), and points (50), and leads the nation in goals per game (1.03), power play goals (12), and shorthanded goals (4). Bestland has set new career highs in goals (22), assists (33), and points (55). Pattenden broke the NCAA record for most career wins with her 92nd win against Lindenwood on December 14. She is now just one victory shy of becoming the first goaltender at any level to reach 100 career wins.

The new faces have made some immediate contributions as well, led by conference Rookie of the Year candidate Molly Byrne, who has six goals and 27 assists for 33 points as a defenseman. Senior transfer Jill Szandzik, who came over from Wayne State, has posted career highs in goals (7) and points (21) this season. In fact, six newcomers have reached double figures in points this season.

In 12 seasons of conference play, the Lakers have a 127-6-11 record against league opponents, just another indication of the pure dominance that Mercyhurst has shown. There are some naysayers that don't think that College Hockey America has been very competitive, and doesn't give Mercyhurst enough competition, but consider this. The four other teams in the conference – Niagara, Robert Morris, Wayne State, and Syracuse – have all received votes or have been in the top ten of the national rankings at some point during Mercyhurst's run. Of course, Wayne State dropped its program after the 2010-11 season.

Mercyhurst will look for its 11th consecutive tournament championship beginning on Friday from Robert Morris' Clearview Arena. The top-seeded Lakers will take on the fourth-seed, Syracuse, in the opening semifinal game on Friday, March 2 with faceoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Robert Morris (#2) and Niagara (#3) will play the other semifinal and then winners will meet for the CHA Championship on Saturday, March 3 at 3:00 p.m.