STORRS, Conn. – The Mercyhurst College men's hockey team clinched home ice for the AHA Quarterfinals with a 5-1 win Friday, Feb. 26 at UConn. Freshman
Paul Chiasson scored a pair of goals during a four-goal Mercyhurst first period.
With the win, the Lakers are now 15-17-3, 15-9-3 and in third place in the AHA. The Huskies fall to 5-25-3, including a 5-19-3 mark in AHA play. The Laker win, combined with an 8-0 Canisius loss at RIT, ensures that Mercyhurst will host an AHA Quarterfinal series.
Chiasson has now scored three goals in the last two games, and recorded his first two-goal game Friday. Senior
Cody Collins notched his second multiple-point game in a row with one goal and two assists, tying a single-game high for points. Seniors
Neil Graham and
Matt Fennell also registered two assists on the evening.
The Lakers struck early and often during the first period, as Chiasson lit the lamp just 23 seconds into the game, assisted by Collins and Graham.
Mercyhurst scored three goals in the final 5:37 of the first period to take a commanding 4-0 lead into intermission. Junior
Mike Gurtler scored his 13th goal of the season at 15:23, Chiasson tallied for the second time at 16:28, and junior
Jeff Terminesi added a power-play strike with 50 second left in the opening stanza.
The Huskies increased the offensive pressure in the second period, outshooting Mercyhurst 18-6 during the middle 20 minutes. UConn's Justin Hernandez spoiled junior
Ryan Zapolski's shutout bid, tickling the twine with nine seconds left in the second period, narrowing the margin to three goals at 4-1.
The Lakers added an empty-net goal at 19:21 of the third period, securing the final score at 5-1 as Collins rang up a goal for the third straight game.
Zapolski made 41 saves in the victory, while UConn's Jeff Larson allowed three goals on nine shots faced, suffering the loss while being pulled for Brad McInnis late in the first period.
UConn outshot Mercyhurst, 42-32. However, Mercyhurst cashed in on one of four power play opportunities, while the Huskies went scoreless on two chances with the extra man.
The Lakers and Huskeis conclude the series, and the 2009-10 regular season schedule, Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7:05 p.m.
