Mercyhurst at Sacred Heart
Dec. 29 (7 p.m.) and Dec. 30 (4 p.m.), 2022
Total Mortgage Arena - Bridgeport, Conn.
FloSports TV
The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team closes out the 2022 portion of its schedule with a two-game Atlantic Hockey set at home against Mercyhurst on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Friday (4 p.m.). Randy Brochu and Paul Pacelli have the call of both games, live on FloSports TV from Total Mortgage Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
Northeastern, which was receiving votes in both national polls and boasts 11 NHL draft picks, came calling at Total Mortgage Arena on Dec. 6. SHU answered the call. Second-period goals from Kevin Lombardi and Logan Britt gave the Pioneers the cushion they needed, as the hosts dealt the Huskies their fourth straight loss, 4-2. Luke Lush stopped 27 of 29 shots in the victory.
A LOOK AT THE PIOS
SHU (8-7-1, 7-4-1 AHA) snapped a five-game losing streak with back-to-back wins to close out the first half of the season. The Pioneers are currently in the midst of a six-game homestand which spans the semester break and will serve as the team's final home games at Harbor Yard, ahead of the Jan. 14 grand opening of Martire Family Arena. SHU hit the break third in the Atlantic Hockey standings, seven points in back of first-place RIT, and five points clear of fifth-place Mercyhurst. The top four AHA teams will host quarterfinal-round series to open the postseason, which ups the ante on this week's contests. Neil Shea (6-9-15) leads six Pios in double digits at the break, while Logan Britt potted the game-winner last time out, for his first goal in nearly 11 months.
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Mercyhurst (6-10-2, 5-3-2 AHA) is fifth in Atlantic Hockey, but is hot as of late, as the Lakers took victories in five of their last six games heading into the break. Mercyhurst had won five straight, before Army West Point posted a 3-2 victory at Mercyhurst Ice Center to close out the semester on Dec. 10. Rylee St. Onge (7-5-12) leads the way for the Lakers, while Kyler Head (7-3-10) is in double digits as well.
LAST MEETING
SHU took five of a possible six points from its trip out to Mercyhurst in early November. In the opener, the Pioneers used three goals in a stunning 21-second span to erase a two-goal deficit and steam ahead to a 6-3 victory. On Saturday, Kyler Head scored with just 1:41 remaining in regulation to force overtime and a 3-3 tie, but the Pios bounced back to claim the extra point in the shootout.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The two sides have been competitive throughout their long history with each other, as Mercyhurst holds a narrow, 30-27-8 edge over 65 all-time meetings, while SHU holds the advantage, 23-20-7 across 50 Atlantic Hockey meetings. The Pioneers are 13-10-3 all-time at home against Mercyhurst, but the Lakers have taken all four meetings at Harbor Yard. The Lakers are making their first trip to Bridgeport since Nov. 16-17, 2018, when they swept a weekend series, 4-3 (OT) and 3-0.
