Weekend Preview: February Begins With Crucial League Battles
Quinnipiac, Mercyhurst Meet, Separated by One Point
Weekend Preview (PDF)

As Atlantic Hockey heads into the stretch run, the Bobcats appear to be peaking at the right time. Winners of four straight outings, Quinnipiac will continue its quest for the top half of the Atlantic Hockey standings this weekend when Mercyhurst comes to town for two games. The Bobcats are arguably in the best position to crack the top four, sitting only one point behind the Lakers with a game in hand.

Having only won three of its last ten games and posting a 3-4-3 record in that span, Mercyhurst will look for some strong play this weekend, returning to New England a week after the Lakers split a weekend series with Bentley. The battle between the predicted favorites in Atlantic Hockey and the host Bobcats could be a precursor of things to come in March, as a three-point weekend or better for one team might send the victim on the road in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs. Mercyhurst took the first meeting of the season on January 5, 3-1, rebounding from an early deficit and sealing the contest with an empty-netter late.

While Mercyhurst and Quinnipiac trade blows in Southern Connecticut, Sacred Heart will return to league play against intrastate rival Connecticut in a home-home series slated to begin Friday night in Milford. Last weekend turned into a rough outing for the Pioneers on the road at St. Cloud State, however a return to league play this weekend may provide the boost they need.

Standing in the Pioneers way will be the Huskies, a squad that extracted some revenge in the last meeting between the two teams on January 18. After Sacred Heart bounced UConn from the Atlantic Hockey playoffs last season, Connecticut came out gunning in the first meeting of this season, sending the Pioneers away from Storrs on the short end of a 5-3 decision. Picking up points this weekend is vital for both clubs. Sacred Heart needs as many as possible to make a run at league-leading Holy Cross, which is on the road in non-conference play. Connecticut needs points to keep pace with the leaders and distance itself from idle Bentley, as both teams share sixth place.

Canisius makes a return trip to New England, this time for two against American International. The Yellow Jackets stunned the Golden Griffins the last time these two teams met, scoring the contest’s first four goals en route to a 5-2 win for AIC. Canisius can ill afford to stumble after only collecting one point at league-leading Holy Cross last weekend.

Holy Cross will watch league play from the road as the Crusaders head to the Capital Region of New York for a pair of contests against ECACHL foes. Friday Holy Cross takes on Union for the second time this season, downing the Dutchmen 3-1 on November 27 in the Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Pot in Providence, followed by the first meeting with Rensselaer in over five years Saturday evening. The Crusaders hold an 0-3-0 record against the Engineers all-time.

Also on Saturday, Army renews one of its oldest rivalries when the Black Knights host the Royal Military College out of Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The contest will be televised live from Tate Rink on CSTV beginning at 7:00 p.m.