ERIE, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Men's Hockey team is set to take on RIT in the quarterfinal round of the AHA playoffs. The team travels to Rochester, N.Y. for a best of three series with the Tigers beginning on Friday. Games one and two are scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop, and if necessary, game three is on Sunday at 5 p.m.
 
Last Time Out
 
Mercyhurst split a series with Niagara grabbing a 3-2 OT win at home before dropping Saturday's game at Niagara 5-3.  
 
Gueorgui Feduolov called game after snagging the puck at center ice and dangling around a defenseman to find the back of the net at the 0:43 mark in OT. 
 
12 different Lakers posted at least one point in the series with Eric Esposito collecting two goals.
 
Short-Handed Heroes
 
Mercyhurst is tied for sixth in the nation in short-handed goals with six. Garrett Dahm is T-2 individually posting three this year. 
 
Side by Side
 
The Lakers come into the series with a 9-14-3 conference record. Their 35 points put them in the eighth and final playoff spot in the AHA. 
 
RIT has dominated the conference this season collecting 57 points besting second place AIC by ten points. The Tigers are receiving votes in multiple national polls as they have a 22-11-1 overall record. 
 
Head-to-Head
 
RIT has the advantage in the all-time series, 30-18-6. The last time the teams saw each other was in January as the Lakers travelled to Rochester. Mercyhurst got the extra point in the first game winning in a shootout. RIT responded on Saturday with a 1-0 win. 
 
The last time the teams met in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs was during the 2015-16 season with RIT winning two straight to take the series. The prior year RIT topped the Lakers in the AHA championship game 5-1. The teams first playoff matchup was in 2009 where Mercyhurst took a 5-4 OT win. 
 
Exemplary Esposito

Esposito's two goals last weekend put him at a team high 15. The West Haven, CT native also leads the Lakers in points (30) and assists (15). He ranks third in the conference in goals and seventh in points.
 
Hats Off for Harmon
 
Grad transfer Tyler Harmon has been consistently good for the Lakers posting a .915 save percentage in 23 games this season. He has five 40+ save games this year and had 61 in the two games against Niagara.