ERIE, PA – The Mercyhurst Women's Hockey team returns to play after a month-long hiatus this Friday and Saturday with a non-conference series against Long Island University at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Against the Sharks
Friday, January 7th will be the first time in history that the Long Island and Mercyhurst University Women's Ice Hockey programs will square off against one another. This season marks the third season that the Long Island team has been in competition. The Sharks are led by third year head coach Rob Morgan who led Long Island to be the NEWHA Champions during their inaugural season back in 2019-20.
Laker Overview
The Lakers finished 2021 holding on to a 13-6-2 (4-2-0 CHA) record while being tied with the Penn State Nittany Lions for second place in the College Hockey America Conference standings. When Mercyhurst last took the ice it resulted in a series split with conference leader Syracuse. In the Lakers win back on December 3rd, it was
Jenna Silvonen who stopped a career-high 41 saves en route to her third shutout of the season in Mercyhurst 3-0 victory.
Chantal Ste-Croix,
Alexa Vasko, and
Vanessa Upson eached scored one goal apiece. The Lakers fell in the second game to the Orange by a 3-1 tally,
Liliane Perreault picked up the lone Mercyhurst goal in that contest.
Up Front
Upson will look to continue on an already impressive rookie campaign that the Stoney Creek, Ontario native has put together. The freshman forward still has the most goals and points of all freshman skaters in the nation despite not playing in over a month. Her 12 goals ranks second in the CHA while her 22 points rank third.
Joining Upson as top point scores for the Lakers in the first half of the season are Perrault,
Sara Boucher, and
Kristy Pidgeon who all have amassed 17 points in the teams first 21 games. Perrault leads the team in assists with 14 helpers while also scoring three goals. Boucher has backed up an impressive freshman season by scoring seven goals to go along with 10 helpers in the first half of her sophomore season. Pidgeon has been welcomed with open arms in her first year wearing the green and white. The transfer from powerhouse Clarkson University already has compiled more goals (7) and points (17) than she had in any of her four individual seasons at Clarkson.
On the Blueline
The top line in the first half of the season for the Lakers in
Sydney Pedersen and
K.K. Thiessen provided the production that Mercyhurst needed from their top duo going into the season. Pedersen led the defensive unit in points with 10 assists to go with her first collegiate goal on October 29th in a 4-3 win over Penn State. Her partner Thiessen contributed six assists in the teams first 21 games. Their consistency has been proven as the duo scored at least one point in six of the last eight games the Lakers played in 2021.
Last Line of Defense
The tandem of Ena Nystrøm and
Jenna Silvonen have given head coach Mike Sisti the confidence every game that whoever he puts in between the pipes will be a good option. Both have numbers at the top of the CHA statistical categories, goals allowed average, and save percentage. Nystrøm holds a 2.06 GAA and a .931 save percentage, both numbers ranking third in the conference. Silvonen's 1.62 GAA and .934 save percentage have her atop of both categories. The junior from Lohja, Finland recently had a career high 41 saves in a shutout victory over Syracuse.
Scouting LIU
The Sharks have been dominant in NEWHA conference play in the beginning portion of their season going a perfect 10-0 against conference opponents. Long Island has looked less impressive outside of the conference, only picking up one win over a non-conference opponent, the win coming against RIT on New Year's Eve, 4-3. Long Island is led by two juniors, Megan Bouveur and Carrigan Umpherville, both have been with the program since its creation. The pair have combined for 16 goals and 13 assists.
CHA 20 in 20
As part of our recognition of the CHA's 20th season this year, CHA officials have voted on the CHA's top 20 players of the league's first 20 seasons. The #CHA20in20 honorees will be revealed individually starting on Nov. 30 with two players being recognized Tuesdays and Thursdays each week from Nov. 30-Dec. 16 and Jan 4-Feb. 17.
Hilary Pattenden was the most recent Mercyhurst honoree to be revealed. Pattenden was the second three-time Goaltending Champion in CHA history, earning the title in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 for the Lakers.
The Surrey, B.C. native is one of three goaltenders in NCAA history to record 100 career wins and finished her career with a career record of 100-20-6 (.817) in 7403:08 minutes played. All three marks are CHA career records.
Up Next
The Lakers return to conference play following the series with LIU. They will be back inside the Mercyhurst Ice Center to square off with Lindenwood for the first time this season.
