June 16, 2007

Erie, Pa. - GALLERY

Improvements to the Mercyhurst Ice Center have been completed and the facility is set to reopen for business this week. The College paid $175,000 to a Minnesota company for new dasher boards, glass, protective netting, player benches, and penalty boxes.

The facelift was the first in those areas since the Ice Center opened its doors in December of 1991. Work began on Tuesday, May 29. New 8-foot panes of glass surround three sides of the ice while new 4-foot panes are locxated on the players' benches side.

Both hockey teams have been very successful over the years. The men's team began playing in 1987-88 and has made six trips to the NCAA playoffs in its first twenty years. Three of those appearances came after the Lakers moved to Division I in 1999, the first in 2001 and the other two in 2003 and 2005.

The women's team has won 195 games since its inception in 1999 and has made three successive trips to postseason play.