ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Mercyhurst men's hockey team looks to continue their success when they travel to RIT on Thursday for a 5:05 p.m. faceoff.

THE SERIES
The Lakers are 6-5-1, 5-2-1 against Atlantic Hockey opponents after sweeping Robert Morris . 

RIT holds a 25-15-4 advantage in the all-time series including wins in both meetings between the two teams a year ago. 

RIT is 4-4-2 overall and 2-2-1 in conference play. The Tigers last played on Jan. 2 & 3 and dropped a pair of games to Robert Morris.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lakers swept a pair of games from Robert Morris at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Gueorgui Feduolov scored the overtime game-winner with just 34 seconds left in overtime in the opener.

Seven different Lakers scored as Jonathan Bendorf netted the game-winner on the power play.

SCORING TOUCH
Mercyhurst scored seven goals for the second time this season in the 7-5 victory over Robert Morris. The last time the Lakers scored seven or more twice in a season was 2014-15.

Austin Heidemann completed a hat trick against Air Force. It was the first hat trick for a Laker since Joe Duszak scored three times against Holy Cross on Jan. 4, 2019.

HONOR ROLL
Three Lakers were honored on Jan. 26 after the Lakers swept a pair of games from then No. 17 Robert Morris.

Austin Heidemann earned his first AHA Player of the Week award after netting four points on a goal and three assists.

Joseph Maziarz became the second Laker to win Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week honor. He tallied a goal and three assists and now leads the Mercyhurst blue line with nine points on a goal and eight assists.

Carson Briere added a second AHA Rookie of the Week honor. He posted three points in the Lakers' sweep of Robert Morris. He scored five points against Niagara on Dec. 16 & 18 to claim AHA Rookie of the Week honors the first time. He was also selected as the AHA Rookie of the Month for December.

For his effort against Niagara, junior defenseman Michael Bevilacqua was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week blocking seven shots and scoring a goal.

Freshman Dante Sheriff picked up Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week honors after recording three points on two goals and one assist against Clarkson Dec. 12 & 13.

Goalie Hank Johnson was named the Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week after stopping 86-of-90 shots against No. 16 Bowling Green on Dec. 5 & 6.

RETURN TO THE POLLS
The Lakers made their way back into the polls this week picking up seven votes in the USCHO Poll

This is the fifth week this season that the Lakers have appeared in the USCHO Poll

Mercyhurst was also receiving votes in the USA Hockey / USA Today Poll for the first time this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Mercyhurst has been strong in both halves of the special teams battle this season.

The Lakers rank 10th in the country on the power play conerting at a .263 clip (10-for-38).

On the PK, Mercyhurst has killed off 38-of-46 penalties a rate of .826 ranking 20th in the country.

Austin Heidemann has been high impact on the power play scoring four of his six goals with the man advantage including a pair against Air Force on Saturday.

FIRSTS ARE FUN
Keanan Stewart became the latest Laker to earn his first collegiate goal. He scored the opener in the Lakers 7-5 victory over Robert Morris.

Rylee St. Onge scored 17 points a season ago at Alaska Anchorage, but recorded his first career points as a Laker on Saturday night with a pair of assists against Air Force.

Also in the Saturday game with Air Force Kyle McClellan made his first collegiate start and win stopping 28 shots.

The list of firsts grew on Dec. 18, but for the first time this season the list added an upperclassman. Junior defenseman Devon Daniels scored his first collegiate goal, the eventual game-winner, in the Lakers 7-4 comeback victory over Niagara.

Austin Heidemann was the first newcomer to get on the board with his assist on the first goal of the Laker season. He added his first goal of the season on Dec. 12 against Clarkson

Noah Kane tallied the first goal of his collegiate career on Dec. 6 against Bowling Green.

Dante Sheriff didn't waste time getting on the board picking up a two point night, one goal and one assist, against Clarkson on Dec. 12.

Carson Briere tallied his first collegiate points with a pair of assists on Dec. 12 against Clarkson. He found the back of the net for the first time as a Laker on Dec. 16 vs Niagara.

Also picking up his first point on Dec. 12 was Marko Reifenberger getting a helper on the Noah Kane tally.

SHOT BLOCKING
The Lakers defensive effort has included a focus on blocking shots.

They have blocked 199 shots on the season averaging 16.6 per game.

Quinn Wichers leads all Lakers with 25 blocked shots. Michael Bevilacqua adds 24 blocks. Cade Townend and Owen Norton have also reached at least 20 in blocks with 24 and 20 respectively.

NEW YEAR, NEW FACES
As the calendar rolls over to 2021, the Lakers will welcome a trio of transfers from Alaska Anchorage to the squad.

Rylee St. Onge comes in with collegiate experience scoring 17 points last season for the Seawolves finishing second on the team. He scored his first two points as a Laker against Air Force with a pair of power play assists. 

Mercyhurst also adds a pair of freshman defenders in Devon Mussio and Wyatt Head.

Head made his Laker debut against Canisius on Jan. 2

Mussio saw his first Laker action on Jan. 19 against Robert Morris.

CONFERENCE WIN 400
Head coach Rick Gotkin is one of the winningest coaches in Division I men's hockey.

With the Laker victory over Niagara on Dec. 18, Gotkin picked up his 400th career conference win. 

Gotkin has posted 570 career victories.

NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS
Three Lakers rank in the top 40 in point per game. Dante Sheriff leads the way at 1.10 points per game to rank 27th. Carson Briere comes in at 31st with 1.08 points per game and Gueorgui Feduolov chips in 1.00 to tie for 39th.

Heideman also ranks 30th in the nation in goals per game averaging a .5 goal per contest.

Heidemann ranks 7th in the nation in power play goals scored with four.

The Lakers are also on one of the nations longest unbeaten streak at four games. Only four teams have gone unbeaten longer.