Canton, NY. – The Mercyhurst Lakers Women's Ice Hockey team is back on the road this weekend, heading to Canton, NY, to take on the St. Lawrence Saints in a two-game series. The Lakers come into the matchup with a 1-3 record, while St. Lawrence sits at 1-2 after three games this season. 

History 

Friday's game will be the 40th all–time meeting between these two programs, dating back to the 1999-2000 season.  The Saints lead the all-time series 20-15-4 over the Lakers.  The Lakers and Saints have played six times since 2021 with the Saints winning three of the six matchups, including having won the last three.    

Laker Outlook 

The Lakers were ranked #15 in the country this week in both the USCHO and the USA Hockey/Rink Live polls.  This is the second straight week the Lakers have been ranked at #15 in the USCHO poll and the first week they are ranked in the USA Hockey/Rink Live poll.  

The Lakers enters this week after a series against #11/#11 St. Cloud.  It was a series in which the Huskies took game one 2-1 and game two 2-0.  Regina Metzler scored her first collegiate goal in game one and Magdalena Luggin made her first collegiate start in game two, stopping 31 shots.   

Offensively, Thea Johansson leads the Lakers with two goals, while Sofia Nuutinen and Vanessa Upson have provided solid playmaking with three assists each. The Lakers' offense has generated 97 shots in four games.  In net, Jorden Mattison has been solid for the Lakers, posting a .890 save percentage with 65 saves across three starts.  

A Look at St. Lawrence 

The Saints were ranked #8 in both the USCHO and USA Hockey/Rink Live poll this week.  This is the second straight week the Saints have been ranked #8 in both polls. 

The Saints come into the series with a 1-2 record, earning their first win on the road against Vermont after dropping their opening two games. Offensively, Aly McLeod has been a standout performer for the Saints, leading the team with five points (two goals, three assists) through three games. Abby Hustler has also been an effective playmaker, tallying three assists. In net, Emma-Sofie Nordström has been a key player for St. Lawrence, boasting a .931 save percentage and allowing just 2.34 goals per game.  

What to Watch For 

• Thea Johansson's ability to break through St. Lawrence's strong defense. 

• A goaltending duel between the Lakers Jorden Mattison and the Saints Emma-Sofie Nordström, with both looking to give their teams a chance to win. 

• The offensive firepower of Aly McLeod and Abby Hustler for St. Lawrence, who will challenge Mercyhurst's defense. 

Next Up 

Following this weekend's series, the Lakers will return home for a pair of games against #6 Cornell as they continue their non-conference schedule.