Weekend Preview: Quarterfinals Set For Saturday Night
Army Advances From Play-In Game Over AIC
Weekend Preview (PDF)

It’s that time of year in Atlantic Hockey. Win or go home.

Four teams will advance out of this weekend’s Quarterfinal round in the pursuit of the Atlantic Hockey Tournament Championship. Army stayed alive for one more game earlier in the week with a win over American International, 5-3 on Wednesday. The Black Knights will look to keep their postseason hopes alive Saturday evening when they head to top-seed Quinnipiac Saturday night.

The Black Knights were out for revenge on Tuesday evening against AIC, after being bounced out of the Atlantic Hockey tournament last year by the Yellow Jackets. Army had to wait an extra day though, as weather conditions forced the game to be played on Wednesday. While the two squads skated into the first intermission tied at one, Army took a slim advantage after two with a goal from Aaron Anderson, and poured it on in the third with three goals for a 5-3 victory.

Quinnipiac appears to have the advantage on paper over Army, after taking all three regular season meetings, the only team in the field of eight this weekend to sweep its opponent during the season. The Black Knights won’t be a pushover by any means. Their four-game unbeaten streak may have been halted a weekend before the playoffs, but the Black Knights went toe-to-toe in a home-and home series at the end of January before succumbing to two straight Bobcat comebacks in the third - one resulting in an overtime win for Quinnipiac.

Canisius will host Bentley for the second time in three weekends, as the Golden Griffins locked up the second seed in the tournament with a pair of wins over Army. The Falcons may regret making another long trip to Buffalo for only a single game this weekend, but they also know that they came away with a weekend split the last time there. This series could go either way, and solid goaltending could be the key to coming away a winner.

A few weeks ago it looked as if Mercyhurst wouldn’t even qualify for home ice in the Quarterfinal round, sitting just on the outside of the fringe of the top five teams. The Lakers have put together an impressive run as of late though, winning seven of their last eight and only falling in overtime in the one game they lost. The team that beat them, however, is the same Connecticut squad that Mercyhurst is hosting this weekend. The Lakers took the season series, 2-1.

Probably the most interesting battle this Saturday will be when fifth-seed Sacred Heart heads to fourth-seed Holy Cross. Both teams at one point occupied first place and were vying for the regular season title, and now both teams are trying to get hot. The Pioneers have dropped their last five outings, compared to the Crusaders, who have only won once in their last five. Sacred Heart is the only lower seed in the tournament that holds the season series advantage over its host, 2-1.