Coach Joe Battista hopes for a large and boisterous crowd this weekend as the ice hockey club hosts ICHL rival and division leader Niagara at 9 tonight and 3:30 tomorrow afternoon at the Ice Pavilion.

In fact, the crowd might be the determining factor against Niagara and its sensational goalie, Jim Darling.

"We have had great crowds this year," Battista said. "I hope, though, that we have the largest crowd of the season this weekend . . . The crowd will help break Niagara's concentration."

Despite clinching first place in the ICHL with a 3-2 victory over Conestoga on Wednesday night, Niagara coach Fred Bassi does not expect his team to let down.

"We are going to play our remaining games as if first place is at stake," Bassi said.

Battista expects these final two home games to be the best home games of the entire season. He also believes they will be the toughest. In the past the Icers and Knights have participated in some very intense, hard-hitting hockey games. In January, Niagara knocked off the Icers, 5-4, in a grueling battle.

"There will be plenty of battles along the boards," Battista said. "These will not be games for the faint-hearted."

To win either of these two games, Battista believes it will be necessary to score at least five goals against Darling. The Icers have never scored more than five goals against Darling in any of their previous confrontations with him.

The Icers are unaccustomed to facing a left-handed goalie like Darling. Battista believes this is a major factor in Darling's dominance over the Icers.

"Rebound shots and shots up high are the shots we have beaten him on in the past." Icer Ross Cowan said. "Those are the shots we will be looking for."

The line dilemma which plagued the Icers in preceding weeks seems to be a problem of the past as all of the lines have practiced exceptionally well this week. Penn State has developed new line combinations which Battista hopes will neutralize the Niagara lines.

Concentration on defense has been a major priority for Battista in this week's practices. In the last meeting with the Knights, Penn State was twice victimized by lapses in the defensive zone.

At the offensive end, Battista said it is vital for the Icers to capitalize on their opportunities, and that might simply mean taking enough shots. Last Saturday against Villanova, Battista believes his team did not finish its opportunities and often appeared gun-shy.