Mercyhurst Game Notes

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ERIE, Pa. - The Atlantic Hockey Association-leading Mercyhurst University men's hockey team returns to the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, to take on the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University. Faceoffs are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. both nights.

Friday's faceoff marks the third annual Teddy Bear Toss - an opportunity for the Lakers to, once again, give back to the community. Fans that bring a new, or gently used, stuffed animal to the game on Friday night will receive free admission to the contest. Once the Lakers score their first goal, fans can throw their stuffed animals onto the ice with all toys collected going directly to local needy children for the Christmas holiday through the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program.

The Lakers will also be collecting monetary donations throughout the night which will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Program.

Aeropostale has generously donated 500 teddy bears for those fans who do not bring a stuffed animal with them. Also, Tim Hortons has donated coffee and hot chocolate - free to all fans participating in the event.

Mercyhurst and Sacred Heart have played 41 prior meetings in the all-time series, with the teams splitting those contests down the middle (19-19-3). The Lakers have owned the series over the last couple of seasons, winning five of the last six and seven of the last ten. The Pioneers owned play in the middle of the 2000s, going 12-3-2 against Mercyhurst from 2004 to 2007.

The Lakers (7-7-1, 5-1-0 AHA) enter the weekend in sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. After starting the season with a 1-5-1 overall record, Mercyhurst is 6-2 in its last eight games to get to the .500 mark for the first time this season. Last weekend, Mercyhurst swept America International in West Springfield, Massachusetts, winning by the scores of 6-3 and 6-1 to move into first place in the conference standings.

After scoring nine goals in the first five games of the season, the Lakers are averaging 4.4 goals per game over their last ten contests.

Junior forward Daniel Bahntge was named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week after finishing the weekend with three goals and one assist in the two games. All three of his goals came during the second period of Friday's 6-3 win, marking his third career hat trick, and his second against the Yellow Jackets. Junior Chris Bodo finished the weekend with two goals and two assists, recording both of his goals in Saturday's 6-1 victory. Junior Matthew Zay had one goal and three assists while junior Ryan Misiak had a goal and four helpers over the weekend.

Freshman Stephen Hrehoriak contributed his first collegiate multiple-point game and his first career game-winning goal on Saturday.

Junior Jimmy Sarjeant continued his torrid play between the pipes, stopping 51-of-55 shots to earn both victories. He is 7-3-1 overall and a perfect 5-0-0 in conference play this season. He has a 2.64 goals against average and a .918 save percentage in his 11 starts.

Zay leads the Lakers with seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points, entering the weekend on a 12-game point-scoring streak. He ranks seventh in the country in points per game this season (1.46). O'Donoghue is second on the team with 18 points, which includes a team-best eight goals. He is six points shy of becoming the 16th player in the Division I era at Mercyhurst to record 100 career points.

Misiak is right behind with five goals and 11 assists for 16 points.

The Pioneers (4-10-0, 3-5-0 AHA) opened the 2013-14 season with a monumental upset over then-#1 UMass-Lowell by a 2-1 final on October 11. Since then, Sacred Heart has gone 3-10-0 with two wins over last-place Army and one over Bentley. Sacred Heart averages just two goals per game on offense and allows nearly four goals per night. Freshman Justin Danforth paces the Pioneers with two goals and ten assists for 12 points. He leads the conference in points by a rookie this season. Will Rayner and Drew George lead the way with four goals apiece.

In goal, Alex Vazzano has started 11 games and is 2-8-0 with a 4.04 goals against average and an .888 save percentage. Andrew Bodnarchuk has started three contests and is 2-2-0 with a 3.46 goals against average.