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Games 23-24
Niagara Purple Eagles (10-10-2, 9-5-2 AHC) at Mercyhurst Lakers (8-10-2, 5-7-2 AHC)
Friday, January 12 – 7:05 PM / Saturday, January 13 – 7:05 PM
Mercyhurst Ice Arena – Erie, Pa.
Broadcast: AtlanticHockey.tv
Radio: WLVL 1340 AM - Paul Hamilton
Internet: Niagara Sports Network

After going 1-1-1 in a stretch of three home games in five days, the Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team hits the road with two games against the Mercyhurst Lakers in Erie this weekend. With just 10 regular-season games remaining after this weekend, the Purple Eagles will look to pick up crucial conference points as they seek to maintain their spot at the top of Atlantic Hockey.

Niagara faces a formidable Mercyhurst team on the road this weekend; while the Lakers are just 5-7-2 in conference play, they earned splits in each of their two-game non-conference series this season, which included two matchups with Ferris State at Erie Insurance Arena as well as two-game road trips to Big Ten opponents Penn State and Wisconsin. Opening faceoff between the Purple Eagles and Lakers is set for 7:05 p.m. on both Friday, Jan. 12 and Saturday, Jan. 13, with Paul Hamilton on the play-by-play call on WLVL 1340 AM.

What to Watch For
• Niagara opened the week with a 3-1 home loss to the Robert Morris Colonials. Noah Delmas picked up the Purple Eagles' lone goal on a third-period power play.
• A sophomore defenseman, Delmas is tied for the NCAA lead and leads AHC defensemen with 22 points (2+20), and his 20 assists are third overall in the NCAA and first in the AHC.
• Two Purple Eagles earned conference honors for their efforts in Niagara's series against RIT on Jan. 5 and 6. Derian Plouffe was named Player of the Week with two goals and two assists for a conference-best four points, while Niko Kovachis tallied one goal, one assist, three blocked shots, and six shots on goal and was named Defensive Player of the Week.
• In the first game of Niagara's weekend series with RIT on Jan. 5, after trailing 3-0, Plouffe scored the first goal and the final goal of the game to bookend a run of four unanswered goals in a 4-3 Niagara victory.
• Tanner Lomsnes and Niko Kovachis put Niagara up 2-0 on Jan. 6 before the Tigers rallied to force a 2-2 tie. Plouffe recorded assists on both goals to give him back-to-back two-point games for the Purple Eagles.
• After scoring four points last weekend, Plouffe ranks fourth in Atlantic Hockey with 25 points (13+12) and is tied for the conference lead in game-winning goals (four), shorthanded goals (two), and power-play points (11).
• Plouffe and Tanner Lomsnes are tied for 10th in the nation and second in Atlantic Hockey with 13 goals each. Lomsnes had one goal and one assist last weekend in the RIT series to reach the 20-point plateau for the first time in his career.
• With Plouffe, Delmas, and Lomsnes leading the way, Niagara has a trio of 20-point scorers for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.

Scouting the Lakers
• The Mercyhurst Lakers return home to Erie to host the Purple Eagles this weekend after traveling to Air Force last weekend, picking up a 1-0 win on Jan. 5 before a 5-1 loss on Jan. 6.
• Mercyhurst sits eighth in Atlantic Hockey with a 5-7-2 conference record, but has an impressive non-conference record with three weekend splits, earning a win over Ferris State at Erie Insurance Arena in addition to road wins at Penn State and Wisconsin.
• Mercyhurst holds a slim lead in the all-time series with Niagara at 13-12-4, and the Lakers are 7-4-3 at home against the Purple Eagles.
Niagara went 1-3 in four games with Mercyhurst last season.
• Seniors Jonathan Charbonneau and Jack Riley lead the Lakers with eight goals each this season, while junior Derek Barach and sophomore Joseph Duszak are tied for the team lead at 11 assists. Junior Taylor Best paces the team at 17 points (7+10).
• Brandon Wildung has led the way between the pipes for Mercyhurst in his senior season. He has a 7-9-2 record in 18 games with a 3.13 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for hockey updates, follow Niagara hockey on Twitter and Instagram. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook.com/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.