Jan. 7, 2006

Box Score

West Point, N.Y. - Army sophomore forward Chris Bilec scored 64 seconds into overtime and senior netminder Brad Roberts made 34 saves as the Black Knights concluded a two-game sweep of Mercyhurst with a 3-2 victory Saturday night before 1,538 fans at Tate Rink. Army improved to 6-11-3 overall and 4-6-3 in Atlantic hockey while the Lakers, who had their four-game winning streak severed in a 5-0 defeat Friday night, dropped to 11-8-0 and 10-4-0 respectively.

Sophomore forward Robb Ross gave Army the early lead with his first goal of the season, a power play goal at 2:03 of the first period. The score remained that way until the teams combined for three goals in a three-and-a-half minute span early in the third. Mercyhurst junior forward Scott Champagne notched his 11th goal of the season at 6:06 to get the Lakers even. But Army recaptured the lead a minute later when sophomore forward Aaron Anderson beat Mercyhurst freshman goalie Tyler Small. It was Anderson's second goal of the season and second in as many nights. Mercyhurst junior defenseman Jamie Hunt, who entered 2006 second nationally in points-per-game, tied it at 9:27 on a Lakers' power play opportunity. The teams played scoreless hockey the rest of the period, setting the stage for Bilec's dramatics.

Both teams had 36 shots in the game as Small finished the game with 33 saves. Bilec's goal was the lone shot by either team in the overtime. Army cashed 1 of 9 power play chances in the contest while the Lakers ended 1 of 3.

Mercyhurst, which concluded 2005 with the #1 offense in Division I (4.65), the #2 power play (24.4%), and three of the nation's top scorers (defenseman Jamie Hunt and forwards Scott Champagne and Dave Borrelli), had gone 110:44 without hitting the back of the net until Champagne solved Roberts early in the third.

After scoring a season-high five goals Friday night, Army mustered only three Saturday, but its defense, anchored by Roberts, held the high-scoring Lakers to just a pair of goals in the weekend series. Roberts even helped himself with an assist on Bilec's game-winner. Mercyhurst hadn't been swept in an Atlantic Hockey weekend series since ex-member Quinnipiac saddled Mercyhurst with 4-3 and 7-2 defeats last February. The Lakers hope the twin setbacks to the Black Knights are a good omen since, after the twin losses to the Bobcats eleven months ago, they went 10-1 the rest of the way, culminating with 7-4, 4-3 and 3-2 wins over UConn, Holy Cross, and Quinnipiac to capture the Atlantic Hockey Association title.

The Black Knights, who entered the weekend series with a 2-13 lifetime mark and a 6-game losing streak against Mercyhurst, improved to 4-5 at Tate Rink against the Lakers and now own a two-game streak of their own. Mercyhurst will look for revenge when Army visits the Ice Center in late February in the nest-to-last weekend of the regular season.

Mercyhurst will continue its conference road trip next weekend when it travels to UConn for Friday and Saturday night games. The Lakers defeated the Huskies 5-2 and 5-3 in late October at the Ice Center.