When the ice hockey club faces off against the third-place Erie at 9 tonight and 3:30 tomorrow afternoon, it will do more than just trying to get back on the winning track. The Icers will also find out if they can play pressure hockey.

Coach Joe Battista believes that the two games will be close and that has him a bit concerned.

"A year ago at this time we were a .500 team, but we had lost many close games," Battista recalled. "This year we haven't been in too many close ones."

Coming off two difficult losses in Canada, the team had mixed emotions in practice this week. Some players felt it was a fluke that they lost and are not concerned. Other players, however, are anxious and want to make sure the catastrophe in Canada was indeed just a fluke.

"We learned a lot from this weekend," Battista said. "We do not need something to motivate us against Erie. They are a very fast, disciplined and hard-working hockey team. Their win against us earlier in the season was no fluke."

"We are looking for revenge against Erie," said Icer Ben Bouma, who chose to look at these upcoming games from a different perspective. Before last weekend Erie was the only team to have defeated the Icers.

To redeem themselves, Penn State must squelch a potent Erie top line. Randy Pfeifer, Tim Knight and Mike Pienta combined for five goals in Erie's December victory against the Icers.

In expectation of this triple threat, Penn State concentrated this week on penalty killing, the power play and coverage in the defensive zone. The coverage problem was particularly evident against Niagara as the same player scored three goals on the same play.

The Icers' power play has always perplexed Battista. Some games it is deadly, other times it is non-existent. He believes the Icers' power play "took a vacation" last weekend.

"These games mean a lot to our pride and to the standings," Battista said. "It will be a good test for us. I am glad that we sort of have our backs to the wall."

Notes: Senior Davis Mulholland will miss this weekend's action because of a knee injury. He is still questionable for next weekend's games against Rochester . . . In the absence of Mulholland, Freshman Jeff Hale is expected to get some playing time. Sophomore Donnie Pohland might see action for the first time this season . . . The Icers will play seven of their last 10 games at the Ice Pavilion.