Friday: Live Audio | Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes
Saturday: Live Audio | Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

Following two huge road wins over American International last weekend, the Purple Eagles hockey team returns closer to home with a two-game series against the Mercyhurst Lakers this Friday and Saturday. The Purple Eagles previously dropped two games with Mercyhurst by identical 3-2 scores, but they enter Friday's matchup on a two-game win streak. Game one of this weekend takes place Friday night at Dwyer Arena at 7:05 p.m., and the series shifts south to Erie Saturday night for another 7:05 p.m. tilt at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Friday's home game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, with David Miller and Chris Panek on the call. Jeremy White will be covering the game on 1340 AM WLVL and PurpleEagles.com/Watch Friday night, while Paul Hamilton takes over for Saturday in Erie.

Last Time Out
 

• The Purple Eagles earned a two-game sweep over the American International Yellow Jackets last weekend, starting with a 2-0 shutout victory on Feb. 5 and closing with a 4-3 win Feb. 6.
• Jackson Teichroeb backstopped the team with a 25-save shutout on Friday night, surpassing 2,000 career saves in the process.
• The game was scoreless until the final eight minutes of regulation when Niko Kovachis joined a Niagara odd-man rush late and buried a rebound of TJ Sarcona's shot.
• Nick Farmer added an insurance tally late, corralling a puck behind the net, sneaking out to the right side of the goaltender and roofing a shot under the crossbar for the 2-0 lead.
• Niagara got out to a strong early start Saturday night, as Derian Plouffe and Stanislav Dzakhov each tallied in the first period for Niagara.
• The Purple Eagles' lead grew to 3-0 early in the second period on the power play. Johnny Curran fired a slap shot home for the first goal of his collegiate career.
• Minutes after AIC got on the board with their first goal of the weekend, Matt Dineen's point shot lofted over the goaltender's glove for his first tally of the season.
• Despite two third-period goals, the Purple Eagles were able to hold on for the win. Teichroeb earned the win in net, finishing with 34 saves on 37 AIC shots.

 
Kovachis Earns Weekly Honors
 

• Niagara freshman defenseman Niko Kovachis was named the Travel Team USA Player of the Week by Atlantic Hockey on Feb. 9.
• Kovachis scored the game-winning goal in a 2-0 shutout win over AIC on Feb. 5, and chipped in a power-play assist in a 4-3 win Feb. 6.
• A native of Mississauga, Ont., Kovachis is now tied second among Niagara freshman with nine points (3+6) in 26 games.
• Kovachis enters Friday's game riding a four-game point streak (1+3).
• Kovachis also blocked two shots in the series at AIC and now ranks fourth on Niagara (first among freshmen) with 30 blocks this season.

 
Welcome Back, Scott Arnold
 

• On Thursday, Niagara announced that former Purple Eagles forward Scott Arnold (2010-12) returned to the team as director of hockey operations.
• Arnold played two seasons at Niagara, and in his freshman year he tied the Niagara program record with three shorthanded goals.
• In 67 total games with the Purple Eagles, Arnold amassed 26 goals and 14 assists for 40 points.
• On March 23, 2012, Arnold became the sixth Niagara player to sign a NHL contract when he agreed to a two-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.
• Arnold played 10 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL), scoring two assists. At the ECHL level, Arnold played 141 games from 2012 to 2015, totaling 32 goals and 31 assists for 61 points.
• The 26-year-old Arnold is also returning to the classroom to complete his Bachelor of Science in sport management.

 
Special Improvements On Special Teams
 

• Over its last 10 games, the Purple Eagles have converted at a 16.7-percent clip on the power play (6-for-42), while the penalty kill has killed off 37 of 42 chances (88.1 percent).
• The penalty kill was the second-best in Atlantic Hockey in the team's last 10 games, while the power play ranks fifth.
• In 22 conference games this season, Niagara's power play is at 13.6 percent while the penalty kill sits at 80.4 percent.

 
Scouting the Lakers
 

• The Mercyhurst Lakers, currently 12-9-1 in Atlantic Hockey and 14-13-1 overall, currently hold the last first-round bye at fifth place in the conference.
• Niagara lost each of its first two games with Mercyhurst, dropping both ends of a home-and-home by 3-2 scores on Jan. 8 and 9.
• Mercyhurst is second in Atlantic Hockey and 14th nationally with 3.21 goals for per game.
• The Lakers boast the two leading rookie scorers in Atlantic Hockey (F Derek Barach, D Lester Lancaster) and four of the top 10 (F Taylor Best - 6th, F Josh Lammon - 9th).
• Lancaster was named Travel Team USA Rookie of the Week on Feb. 9 following a four-point weekend (1+3) against Bentley.
• Mercyhurst boasts the conference's third-best power play at 19.7 percent this season.

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