ITHACA, N.Y. – No. 3 Cornell took care of then-No. 5 Boston University with two wins at home last weekend. This weekend, the challenge is different but also strong: two road games against No. 6 Mercyhurst, a perennial Frozen Four competitor currently on a nine-game winning streak that has made the NCAA Tournament for the last seven years.

GAME INFORMATION
GAME #11: No. 3 Cornell at No. 6 Mercyhurst
GAME TIME: Friday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m.
GAME SITE: Mercyhurst Rink (Erie, Pa.)
SERIES RECORD: Mercyhurst leads 12-2-1
LAST MEETING: Cornell won 3-0 on Jan. 18, 2011
2011 RECORDS: Cornell (9-1, 6-1 ECAC Hockey); Mercyhurst (10-2, 0-0 College Hockey America)
LIVE STATS: Mercyhurst Athletics
LIVE VIDEO: Mercyhurst Video (subscription required)

GAME #12: No. 3 Cornell at No. 6 Mercyhurst
GAME TIME: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.
GAME SITE: Mercyhurst Rink (Erie, Pa.)
SERIES RECORD: Mercyhurst leads 12-2-1
LAST MEETING: Cornell won 3-0 on Jan. 18, 2011 *
2011 RECORDS: Cornell (9-1, 6-1 ECAC Hockey); Mercyhurst (10-2, 0-0 College Hockey America)*
LIVE STATS: Mercyhurst Athletics
LIVE VIDEO: Mercyhurst Video (subscription required)
* Records before game on Dec. 2

ABOUT THE BIG RED
In the last two years, Cornell has evolved into one of the country's top teams. The 2010 season saw the Big Red advance to the NCAA championship game before losing in triple overtime to Minnesota-Duluth, and the team returned to the Frozen Four last year. With the core returning this season, hopes and expectations are again high for the Big Red. Last year's team went 31-3-1 and won its second consecutive ECAC Hockey tournament.

After starting the season 4-0, the Big Red now stand at 9-1 and has outscored its opponents 62-16 through those 10 games. The team is coming off two huge wins against then-No. 5 Boston University, the team that knocked it out of the NCAA Tournament last year.

HEAD COACH DOUG DERRAUGH
Now in his seventh season directing the Cornell women's hockey program, Doug Derraugh has quickly brought the Big Red women to their place among the nation's elite. Taking a program that won just four games in the season prior to his arrival, Derraugh guided the Big Red to the national title game in his fifth season and back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances in 2010 and 2011, completely turning around the culture of the women's hockey program at Cornell. Derraugh, a 1991 graduate of Cornell, was the last Big Red men's hockey player to score 30 goals in a season.

ABOUT MERCYHURST
The Lakers, based in Erie, Pa., have a terrific 10-2 record as they prepare for this weekend's games against Cornell. Mercyhurst is currently the No. 6 team in the country and has only lost to Minnesota State and Quinnipiac. The Lakers are coming off a weekend sweep of St. Lawrence, who they outscored 9-4. Mercyhust has the best power play, second-best scoring offense and second-best scoring defense in the country. Senior forward Bailey Bram leads the nation in points per game with 16 goals and 16 assists, and Christine Bestland isn't far behind with 11 and 14.

The Lakers are coached by Michael Sisti who has been the program's leader since its inception in 1999. Sisti graduated from Canisius in 1990.

THE SERIES WITH MERCYHURST
Cornell and Mercyhurst have met 15 times in program history, with the Lakers holding a large 12-2-1 advantage. Mercyhurst won 11 of the programs' first 12 meetings, but Cornell has won two of the last three, including a 3-0 win last year and a 3-2 overtime victory in the 2010 Frozen Four. Karlee Overguard scored two goals for the Big Red in the last game with Catherine White adding the third as Lauren Slebodnick earned the shutout.

TWO WINS AGAINST MERCYHURST WOULD…
…extend the Big Red's winning streak over Mercyhurst to three games…keep Cornell undefeated against ranked opposition this year (5-0)…put Cornell's out-of-conference record at 5-0…extend Cornell's non-Ivy League record to 6-0…begin the season at 11-1 for the second consecutive year and the second time in team history…be the 99th and 100th career wins for Doug Derraugh.

GOALS, PERIOD.
Cornell has played 30 periods of hockey this season and has scored in 29. The only period where the Big Red came up short was the first 20 minutes against Princeton on Nov. 18.

GAME SCORING
The Big Red have scored at least three goals in every game this season, making it the first time in team history that the Big Red has scored at least three goals in the first 10 games of a year. The 2010 team went 16 consecutive games scoring at least three goals in the middle of the year, but this season's is the best streak to begin a year ever.

OUTRANKING THE COMPETITION
In its last 13 games against ranked opponents from the start of the 2009-10 season until now, the Big Red holds a 9-4 record. The team won two games against then-No. 5 Boston University last weekend.

STANDING ON GUARD
Four Cornell women's ice hockey players spent part of early November competing for Canada's National Women's Team in the 4 Nations Cup in Nykoping, Sweden. Junior defensemen Laura Fortino and Lauriane Rougeau, sophomore forward Brianne Jenner and senior forward Rebecca Johnston all made the trip for the six-day tournament from and won the silver medal, falling to Team USA in a shootout in the gold medal game. Big Red head coach Doug Derraugh has was also present as an assistant coach.

NATIONAL PRIDE
Six members of the Cornell women's hockey team have also been named to Hockey Canada's Under-22 national team. Goalkeeper Amanda Mazzotta, forwards Chelsea Karpenko, Catherine White, Jessica Campbell and Jillian Saulnier and defenseman Hayleigh Cudmore will represent their home country at the 2012 Meco Cup in Füssen, Germany from Jan. 3-8. There, they will compete against national teams from Germany, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Switzerland.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
For her two wins against then-No. 5 Boston University last weekend, senior netminder Amanda Mazzotta has been named ECAC Hockey's Goaltender of the Week for the eighth time in her career. Mazzotta saved 40 of 42 shots she faced against a team that was averaging three goals per game entering the weekend.

This award is nothing new for the senior, who won it four different times last season. The weeks of Nov. 2, Nov. 9, Nov. 23 and March 8 all saw Mazzotta named ECAC Hockey's Goaltender of the Week. Mazzotta also took home this prize three times during her sophomore year.

ROOKIES OF THE WEEK
Freshman Emily Fulton was named ECAC Hockey's Rookie of the Week last Tuesday for her three-point effort over the weekend against Princeton and Quinnipiac. Fulton became the third Rookie of the Week winner for the Big Red this year.

Freshman Jillian Saulnier won the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week Award the first two weeks of Cornell's season after starting her career with a terrific 15 points in four games. In one game last week against Syracuse, Saulnier scored two goals and had three assists. That was enough to give her the award for the second consecutive week.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For her 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in three games in the Big Red's opening weekend, center Brianne Jenner was named ECAC Hockey's Player of the Week on Nov. 1. Jenner has since scored three more points and sits in second on the team behind Saulnier.

NATIONAL POLLS
The Big Red held steady at No. 3 in this week's USCHO.com national poll, though it narrowed the gap on No. 2 Minnesota by three points. Wisconsin remains the nation's top team.

LOFTY NUMBERS
Through 10 games this year, the Big Red's strong offensive and defensive numbers have placed it near the top of national statistical categories. Through last weekend's games, forwards Brianne Jenner and Rebecca Johnston are tied for third in the nation in points per game (2.50), with freshman Jillian Saulnier not far behind in fifth (2.40). Saulnier, who had topped that category nationally for the first three weeks for Cornell's season, still leads the country in goals per game (1.50) and points per game among freshmen. Jenner is tops in the nation at assists per game (1.75), while Lauriane Rougeau and Laura Fortino are No. 1 and 3 in points per game for defensemen (1.38 and 1.25, respectively). Goalkeeper Lauren Slebodnick's 1.25 goals against average puts her at fourth in the country, and her 4-0 record has her leading in winning percentage.

As a team, Cornell has the country's best offense (6.20 goals per game) and scoring margin (4.60 goals) to go along with the best power play (33.9 percent), fifth-best scoring defense (1.60 goals per game) and fourth-best penalty kill (88.7 percent).

GREAT GOALIES
Calling senior Amanda Mazzotta and sophomore Lauren Slebodnick the best goaltending tandem in the country last season is not a stretch. They had the stats to back it up. Mazzotta, during her fantastic junior campaign, recorded the country's lowest goals against average of 1.12. Right behind her? Slebodnick, who rocketed onto the scene as a freshman with a 1.15 goals against average. Both are back this year, and Cornell should have a solid netminder every night.

Slebodnick earned a shutout in her first start against Brown and has a 1.25 goals against average that is fourth-best in the country. Mazzotta has five wins on the year, a shutout, and a .833 winning percentage.

LAST TIME OUT
Cornell passed its toughest test so far this season with flying colors, knocking off then-No. 5 Boston University in consecutive games last weekend. A close 3-1 win on Friday where Rebecca Johnston scored two goals and had an assist was followed by a 7-1 blowout where Jillian Saulnier racked up five points. Amanda Mazzotta played goal in both games, saving 40 shots.

CAREER NUMBERS WATCH
Against Boston University:
• Emily Fulton earned her 10th career point.
• Brianne Jenner notched her 40th career assist and 70th point.
• Jillian Saulnier scored her 10th career assist.
• Catherine White got assist No. 90.
• Amanda Young played in her 100th game and scored her 40th point.

Approaching career numbers:
• Head coach Doug Derraugh is two wins away from his 100th.
• Catherine White is now one point shy of 150 in her career.
• Jillian Saulnier is one point away from her 25th.
• Laura Fortino will reach her 75th game played on Friday.
• Brianne Jenner is one goal short of her 30th career.
• Rebecca Johnston needs one more goal for her 75th, two more assists for her 75th, and three more points for her 150th.

UP NEXT
The Big Red has the rest of December off before returning to action on Jan. 2 in an exhibition against St. Lawrence in Akwesasne. The team's next regular-season contests will be on the weekend of Jan. 6-7 at Union and Rensselaer.