Jan. 10, 2008

Erie, Pa. -

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Mercyhurst, 14-4-2 overall and ranked No. 4 nationally, returns to action for the first time in nearly a month when it travels to unranked Providence (8-8-2) this Saturday and Sunday. Mercyhurst will return to the Ice Center next weekend against Yale and Brown after playing ten of their last twelve contests out of town. The Yale and Brown games begin an eight-game homestand.

Mercyhurst hasn't competed since December 15 and 16 when it split a pair of games at Dartmouth (7-0, 4-6). Sophomore Meghan Agosta, who helped Team Canada win its sixth straight European Air Canada Cup last week in Germany, brings a 14-game scoring streak into this weekend's action. Agosta was named the tournament's Top Forward for posting five goals and seven assists in four games. Senior goaltender Laura Hosier needs one more win to set the Mercyhurst career record. Former netminder Desirae Clark and she have 63 victories apiece.

Providence has wom six of its last eight, including 3-0 and 4-0 wins at Niagara University last weekend.

Fast Facts

• Meghan Agosta has a 14-game scoring streak, two shy of her team record of 16, and an 8-game goal-scoring streak. The last time she was kept off the board was at Minnesota Duluth in a 1-1 overtime tie 10-20-07. Agosta had two goals and an assist at Dartmouth December 15 and now has 34 multiple-point game and 17 multiple-goal games in her career.

• Agosta was one of five Mercyhurst players (Valerie Chouinard, Stephanie Jones, Jesse Scanzano, and Laura Hosier) to play for Team Canada last week at the European Air Canada Cup in Germany.

• Senior Kristen Erickson scored her third goal of the season, and second in December, at Dartmouth December 15.

• Junior Natalie Payne registered assists in both Dartmouth games - the second time this season she has done that.

• Senior Jackie Jarrell had her first assist of the season December 15 at Dartmouth.

• Senior Sherilyn Fraser scored her first goal of the season and freshman Cheyenne Bojeski recorded her first career goal December 15 at Dartmouth. • Junior Valerie Chouinard had a goal and a pair of assists December 15 at Dartmouth and now has 42 multiple-point games and 17 multiple-goal games in her career. She had a five-game scoring streak snapped December 16 at Dartmouth.

• Freshman Ashley Cockell has at least one point in three of her last four games.

• Freshman Jesse Scanzano had a five-game scoring streak snapped December16. • Freshman Geena Prough scored goals in back-to-back games at Dartmouth for the first time in her career. Her two-game scoring streak is also a first.

• Senior captain Stephanie Jones had three assists December 16 at Dartmouth, her third multiple-assist game this season.

• Mercyhurst has seven shorthanded goals this season (Agosta 5). The Lakers had nine shorthanded goals in 2006-07.

• Mercyhurst has scored multiple power play goals in seven games this season. 19 of the team's 27 have come in those contests.

• Mercyhurst had 60 power play goals in 37 games last season; the Lakers have 27 in 20 games in 2007-08.

• Mercyhurst has allowed 9 power play goals in its last four contests. 17 of the 20 power play goals allowed this season have come in six games.

• Senior goalie Laura Hosier has 63 career wins and 19 shutouts. She is tied for career wins with Desi Clark and second to Clark's team record 24 shutouts.

• Mercyhurst finished last season +42 in special teams' play. The Lakers are +12 so far this season.

• Junior forward Valerie Chouinard has five power play goals this season and 29 in her career. She took over first place all-time recently from Stefanie Bourbeau, who finished her career last March with 25.

• Mercyhurst has outscored its first 20 opponents 30-7 in the first period.

• Mercyhurst and Providence have played five common opponents: Colgate, Dartmouth, Maine, Niagara, and Robert Morris. The Lakers are a combined 9-1-0 against those teams and have outscored them 51-13. Providence has a combined 3-1-2 record against them and has outscored them a combined 26-12.