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SETTING THE SCENE: Tonight's non-conference match-up is between the host Union College Dutchmen and the visiting Yellow Jackets of American International College.

ABOUT AIC: AIC enters tonight's contest with a record of 4-11-0 for the season and are 4-9-0 in Atlantic Hockey play after losing both games in a weekend series with Mercyhurst. The Yellow Jackets had their three-game home winning streak snapped when they were beaten 6-3 in the first game. Then the team received their worst loss since the college joined Division I 10 years ago as they lost 11-1 in the final game of the weekend. In their 6-3 loss on Friday night, AIC got out to a 1-0 lead when junior Frankie DeAngelis found the back of the net for the second time this season with assists from senior Chad Richardson and freshman Nielsson Arcibal. The lead did not last long as sophomore Brandon Coccimiglio put the Lakers on the scoreboard when he netted his fourth goal of the season just 3:39 later. Freshman Luciano Primiani gave the Yellow Jackets their lead back as he scored at the 13:34 mark of the opening period. Sophomore Steve McLeod and junior Chris Campanale dished out the assists on Primiani's goal. But AIC's lead was again short-lived as senior Matt Pierce recorded his seventh goal of the season for Mercyhurst making the score 2-2. The Lakers then came out in the second period and scored three unanswered goals in the period. Sophomore Mike Gurtler, freshman Phil Ginand, and Pierce each tallied goals in the period putting Mercyhurst on top 5-2 heading into the game's final period. Sophomore Tom Mele attempted to get the Yellow Jackets back into the game as he found the back of the net 8:15 into the period with assists from senior Keith Rodger and McLeod, but Pierce capped off the Lakers victory as he scored his third goal of the game to make the final score 6-3. Sophomore Dan Ramirez made 20 saves before he was replaced by freshman Jake Anderson. Anderson made one stop in his first-ever collegiate appearance. Sophomore Ryan Zapolski stopped 33 shots in the victory for Mercyhurst. In the 11-1 loss on Saturday night, McLeod netted AIC's only goal with assists from Campanale and freshman Rob Blanchette. Pierce led the Lakers assault as he found the back of the net three times, for his second hat-trick of the weekend, and also dished out two assists, while linemate, sophomore Steve Cameron tallied two goals and four assists for six points on the night. Classmate Scott Pitt was tied with Cameron in points on the evening with six including his one goal and five assists. Ginand scored twice, while Coccimiglio, sophomore Dan Bremner, and senior Kirk Medernach each recorded one goal. All three Yellow Jacket netminders saw action in the loss as Ramirez started the game and made 13 saves before he was pulled early in the second period in favor of senior Tom Fenton, who made 11 stops. Anderson started the third period and finished the game making eight saves. Senior Matt Lundin stopped 28 shots in the victory for the Lakers. The loss was AIC's worst since Mercyhurst beat them 9-0 exactly five years ago to the day.

ABOUT Union: Union comes into tonight's contest with a record of 7-5-1 overall and are 2-4-0 in the ECAC after going 1-1-0 over the weekend. The Dutchmen lost to Brown 5-4 in the first game and then beat Yale 5-2 on Saturday. In their loss to the Bears, Union jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 1:13 into the opening period when senior Brendan Milnamow scored on a power-play with assists from freshman Kelly Zajac and sophomore John Simpson. After Brown scored twice to go up 2-1, the Dutchmen tied the game when Zajac found the back of the net at 17:07 with assists from Milnamow and junior Mike Schreiber. Senior Lane Caffaro gave Union a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission as he netted a goal just 30-seconds after Zajac. Classmate Matt Cook dished out the assist to Caffaro. After the second period, the Dutchmen entered the third down 4-3. The Bears tacked on another goal early in the final period to push their lead to 5-3. Schreiber found the back of the net for Union but it was not enough as Brown took a 5-4 victory. Sophomore Corey Milan made 18 saves in the loss. On Saturday, the Dutchmen went down 2-0 in the first period to the Bulldogs. Sophomore Adam Presizniuk netted the only goal of the second period for Union making the game 2-1 with assists from Milnamow and sophomore Stephane Boileau. The Dutchmen came out in the final period and scored four unanswered goals to win 5-2. Boileau, sophomore Justin Pallos, freshman Randy Hanagan, and senior Chris Potts each tallied a goal in the third period. Milan stopped 35 of 37 shots by Yale.

UNION LEADERS: Presizniuk and Boileau lead Union in scoring with 11 points each as they have six goals and five assists, and five goals and six assists respectively. Zajac is in third with four goals and six assists for 10 points, while Caffaro (5g, 3a), Milnamow (4g, 4a), and juniors Jason Waters (3g, 5a) and Mario Valery-Trabucco (2g, 6a) are all tied with eight points each.

AIC LEADERS: McLeod leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring with nine points as he has three goals and six assists, while freshman Michael Penny (5g, 3a), Arcibal (2g, 6a), and Campanale (2g, 6a) are tied for second with eight points each. Richardson has four goals and three assists for seven points, while Mele and Primiani are tied with six points as they have five goals and one assist and two goals and six assists respectively.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET: Union recorded a 6-3 win over AIC on October 19, 2003. The Dutchmen jumped out to a 2-0 at the end of the first period as they received two goals from Joel Beal. The Yellow Jackets tied the score at 2-2 early in the second period as Jeremy Leroux and Andy Walbert each scored. Union regained the lead when Scott Seney found the back of the net at the 8:34 mark of the period. Brian Kerr netted a goal early in the third to put the Dutchmen up 4-2 just 1:17 into the third period. Leroux tallied his second of the game to attempt the comeback for AIC but Union added two more goals late in the final period as Matt Vagvolgyi and Jon Poirier each scored to cap off the Union victory.

SERIES WITH Union: The two teams have only met eight times and the Dutchmen lead the overall series with a 7-1-0 record against the Yellow Jackets. Union has outscored AIC by a combined score of 45-27. The Yellow Jackets first played the Dutchmen during the 1980-81 season, a game in which Union recorded a 1-0 victory.

NEXT UP: AIC travels to the University of Massachusetts Amherst for a non-conference contest with the Minutemen on Friday at 7 p.m. The game will mark the first time the two teams have met since January 25, 1994.