ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University Men's Hockey team will host the Sacred Heart University Pioneers in the second Atlantic Hockey series of the campaign.

The Lakers (1-8-1) and the Pioneers (5-2-0) will play on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:05 p.m. and wrap up the series on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 4:05 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

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Previously on the Ice

The Lakers competed in their first conference tilts against Niagara University on both Oct. 28 and 29. Both teams had a chance to compete on their ice in a home-and-home series.

Friday was an intense and high-scoring game as the Lakers tied the game 4-4. 

Saturday, Niagara took the win, 2-3. Cade Townend and Rylee St. Onge lit the lamp for the Lakers. 
 

Analyzing Sacred Heart

The Pioneers are 5-2-0 on the campaign. The team started its season with a 1-6 loss to Providence College. As the team started AHA play, the Pioneers swept the series against Holy Cross and Canisius. They found themselves splitting with Niagara (4-6, 5-1). 

Blake Humphrey leads the team in points (8), tallying four goals and assists. 
 

Preseason Poll  

The Lakers were picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) Coaches' Preseason Poll. 

MU received 37 points while AIC was at the helm with 88 points. 
 

Preseason Recognition  

Junior, Carson Briere, received votes to be on the Preseason All-Atlantic Hockey Team.
 

2022-23 Captains  

Rylee St. Onge and Joseph Maziarz will wear the "C" on their sweaters this season. Alternate Captains, Owen Norton, and Cade Townend will represent the Lakers as well. 
 

A Look at the Roster

29 players represent the Lakers in the 2022-23 season. They are broken down into five graduate students, seven seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores, and six freshmen. 

The team has athletes from both the United States and Canada. 
 

35 Years with Coach Gotkin  

Head Coach Rick Gotkin is on his 35th campaign with the Lakers. Since coming to Erie in 1988, Gotkin has spent more than three decades instilling a winning tradition in the men's hockey program. Gotkin, the only coach in NCAA history to take a team to the NCAA Tournament at all three levels, has guided the Lakers to over 500 wins, six NCAA tournament appearances, and five league championships. Overall, he has accumulated a 564-448-95 record. His teams have averaged 18 wins a season and have made the postseason in 31 of the 33 years he has been at Mercyhurst.
 

2021-22 Season  

MU finished the 2021-22 season with a 16-19-4 record. The team made it to the AHA Semifinals where they fell to AIC with a close score of 4-5.