Weekend Preview: A Champion Will Be Crowned Saturday
Victor Advances To NCAA Tournament Next Week
Weekend Preview (PDF)

Four teams. Three games. Two days. One Champion.

It all comes down to this weekend in the Atlantic Hockey Association. Four clubs will converge on the Northford Ice Pavilion in Northford, Conn., for the second-annual Atlantic Hockey Tournament, hosted by top-seeded Quinnipiac. The Bobcats will play in the first game of the semifinals on Friday at 4:30 p.m., and will be followed shortly afterwards by third-seeded Mercyhurst taking on fourth-seeded Holy Cross at 7:30 p.m.

The Bobcats have been one of the hottest teams in the country as of late, winning 14 of their last 16 outings while rolling to the regular season championship in the beginning of March. Quinnipiac meets the most intriguing of Cinderella teams in the form of seventh-seeded Bentley, as it will be the fifth time this season the two teams have met on the ice. The Bobcats are 3-0-1 during 2004-05 against the Falcons, posting two shutout wins in the two previous appearances by Bentley at the Northford Ice Pavilion, however the last time the Falcons came away with a victory came at the Bobcats’ home last season. While Bentley’s record may not be as impressive as the others in the field, the Falcons cannot be taken for granted as wins over both Holy Cross and Mercyhurst earlier this season show.

Bentley’s upset of Canisius in the Quarterfinal round of the Atlantic Hockey Tournament last weekend set up one of the most anticipated rematches of the year for Friday night between Holy Cross and Mercyhurst. Two months ago, the Crusaders rode into Erie and overcame three separate deficits to defeat the host Lakers 5-4. Three weeks ago, Mercyhurst entered Worcester and returned the favor by shocking Holy Cross in the first game of the weekend, tying the contest with 75 seconds remaining and winning the game with only 11 seconds to go in the contest. The Lakers completed the weekend sweep on Feb. 26 with a 3-2 win, taking the season series. Friday will be the ultimate winner-take-all between the two, as one will advance and keep their season alive, while the other will be left to think about next season, and the next meeting between the two.

The teams that advance out of the semifinal round Friday will compete for the Atlantic Hockey Tournament Championship on Saturday at the Northford Ice Pavilion, slated for a 7:00 p.m. start. The one team that remains will be crowned the Atlantic Hockey Champion for 2005, and receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, slated to begin next weekend at one of four regional sites.