ERIE, Pa. - The top-ranked Mercyhurst College women's hockey team opens the 2010 home portion of its schedule this weekend with a two-game series against fourth-ranked and ECAC Hockey foe Clarkson on Friday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
In their biggest series of the year, the Lakers put their No. 1 national ranking on the line when the Golden Knights pay a visit to Erie for the first time since the 2006-07 season. Mercyhurst enters the weekend on an 11-game unbeaten streak (9-0-2) and boasts the best record in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey, standing at 16-1-2 on the season.
The Lakers have been a juggernaut on both sides of the puck, averaging nearly five goals a game (4.74) while allowing just under two to opponents (1.74). The Laker offense has ranked in the top-5 all season due to the production of several players. Junior captain
Vicki Bendus leads the team and the country in points with 35, and also ranks tops in short-handed goals, tickling the twine five times with a skater in the penalty box. Classmate and Preseason College Hockey America Player of the Year
Jesse Scanzano has played in only 16 games but ranks first in the country in points per game (2.12) and second on the team in scoring (34). Sophomore
Bailey Bram leads the team and places second in the nation with 16 goals, just two behind leader Felicia Nelson of St. Cloud State.
In net, sophomore
Hillary Pattenden has guided the team's seventh-ranked defense through all 19 games this season. Her 16-1-2 record ranks first among goalies playing an active Division I schedule, while her 1.62 goals against average puts her ninth in the standings.
Clarkson, meanwhile, comes into the series on an unbeaten streak of its own, going 3-0-1 since being swept at Minnesota in early December. The Golden Knights have experienced great success in accumulating a 15-4-2 record and ranking as high as second this season. CU has six wins over top-15 opponents, including a 6-2 victory over then-No. 3 New Hampshire. On the other side of the coin, three of its losses have come at the hands of top-10 foes.
As a team, CU averages 2.67 goals per game and allows 1.29 goals per game on defense. On offense, Connecticut transfer Dominque Thibault leads the team with 12 goals and 23 points, followed by Britney Selina with six goals and 21 points and Melissa Waldie with 10 goals and 18 points. Third-year netminder Laura Dahm has played every minute and holds a .946 save percentage and a 1.23 goals against average through 21 games (15-4-2).
This weekend will be 11th and 12th meetings in the all-time series, which Mercyhurst leads 5-3-2. Clarkson, however, is 3-0-2 in the last five, with a two-game sweep last season and a 1-0-1 outing the year before that.
Following this weekend, the Lakers jump into CHA play with a two-game set at No. 10 Syracuse, beginning on Friday, Jan. 22 at the Tennity Ice Pavilion. Game time on Friday is set for 7 p.m. and can be viewed on USCHO.com as the website's game of the week.
