ERIE, Pa. - The Lakers will have an essential conference matchup at the MIC on Feb. 10 and 11, 2023, against the Canisius Golden Griffins.
Puck drops at both 7:05 p.m. and 4:05 p.m.
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Previously on the Ice
The Lakers flew to Colorado to face the Air Force. The team put up a strong battle, but ultimately fell in both games.
Analyzing Canisius
This will be the team's first and only time meeting in the regular season.
Last season, the teams met in the 2022 AHA Quarterfinals. The Lakers were victorious, sweeping the Golden Griffins 2-1 (2OT) and 3-1.
Ryan Miotto and Daniel DiGrande have scored the most goals for the team, posing nine each. Keaton Mastrodonato and David Melaragni lead assists with 12 on the season. Miotto and Mastrodonato lead the team in overall points registering 19.
Playoff Picture
The Lakers are now tied for fifth place in the AHA with Holy Cross. The team is sitting with 29 points and a 9-9-2 conference record. A sweep is essential this weekend as it would give the Lakers 35 points and back in third place.
The top eight teams make it to the playoffs, with the four highest seeds hosting all three rounds. The quarter and semi-final rounds are best of three with the championship being a single game.
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, Marko Reifenberger, 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 Semi-finals where they fell to AIC with a close score of 4-5.
