Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Lakers Men's Ice Hockey team returns to the ice this weekend to face the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers in a non-conference series at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Both teams will be looking to find momentum in this mid-season matchup.
History
Mercyhurst and RPI have faced each other sparingly over the years, with RPI holding a slight edge in the all-time series 6-1-0. The last meeting between the two programs ended in a 3-2 overtime win for the Engineers back in 2022. The lone win in the series history for the Lakers came at home back in 2013. The Engineers are on a three-game winning streak against the Lakers.
Laker Outlook
The Lakers come into the weekend with a 2-14-2 overall record and are seeking to bounce back after a tough loss and a tie against Bentley. Dustin Geregach has been a standout for Mercyhurst this season, leading the team in points with 14 (6 goals, 8 assists). Mickey Burns and Riley Fitzgerald have also provided offensive sparks, contributing 12 and 8 points respectively.
Defensively, the Lakers will look to improve their penalty kill and limit scoring opportunities for the Engineers. Goaltenders Carter McPhail and Simon Bucheler have split time in net, with McPhail boasting a .916 save percentage through 10 games.
A Look at RPI
The Engineers enter the series with a 5-8-1 overall record, including a 1-5 mark in conference play. Offensively, they are led by Tyler Hotson, who has tallied 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists), and Will Gilson, who has 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists). RPI averages 2.9 goals per game but has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 3.8 goals per game.
In net, Noah Giesbrecht has seen the majority of action, posting a .893 save percentage over 10 starts.
What to Watch For
Next Up
After the series against RPI, the Lakers will return to action after the new year for a non-conference road series against #1 Minnesota. Puck-drop for game one is set for 7 PM in Minneapolis.
