Nov. 18, 2006

Final Stats

Canton, NY - Mercyhurst fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Saturday as the St. Lawrence Saints rallied from a two-goal second period deficit to edge the Lakers 3-2. SLU senior Chelsea Grills got the game-winer at 11:44 of the third. Mercyhurst, ranked #2 nationally, dropped to 10-1-1 while the Saints, 4-2 losers to the Lakers Friday, improved to 9-4-1 in gaining the weekend split

Mercyhurst took a 1-0 lead at 9:07 of the first when freshman forward Meghan Agosta, who hurt the Saints with a three-point effort on Friday, continued her success with an unassisted goal. The Canadian gold medalist took a rebound off a shot that hit the post and slid it past Saints' netminder Meaghan Guckian on the far side of the net to give the Lakers the early lead. St. Lawrence had its share of chances in the first period, with most of the prominent opportunities coming on three power-plays, but junior goalie Laura Hosier and the defense kept SLU off the board. The Lakers outshot the Saints 11-7 in the opening period.

Mercyhurst extended its lead to 2-0 a mere 2:40 into the second period when a St. Lawrence pass bounced off the boards onto the stick of Mercyhurst junior winger Stephanie Jones. Jones threaded a pass to senior Stefanie Bourbeau, who finished the play by blasting a shot past Guckian. Bourbeau, who collected her 100th career point Friday, cashed her team-leading 10th goal of the season.

Following a Mercyhurst penalty, St. Lawrence got back in the game when junior defenseman Annie Guay rifled a slap shot past a screened Hosier at 4:09 of the second. The Saints tied the game five minutes later when junior Sabrina Harbec beat Hosier from in close. The Saints had a 10-7 advantage in shots in the middle frame.

Both teams had excellent scoring chances early in the third before Grills's third of the season settled matters.

Mercyhurst desperately tried to get added pressure on Guckian in the game's final minutes, but St. Lawrence kept Hosier in the net until 39 seconds remained. But as Hosier headed for the bench, two Mercyhurst players jumped on the ice and the Lakers' hopes for a game-tying goal were hampered by the late infraction.

Guckian finished with 26 saves on the evening while collecting her seventh win of the season. Hosier took the loss, her first of the year, while making 21 stops. Mercyhurst had no power play chances in the game as St. Lawrence took only one penalty, a coincidental minor in the third period. The Saints were 1-of-7 with the extra skater.

Next weekend, the Lakers will head to New Hampshire to take on the the #10 Eagles of Boston College and the #3 Wildcats at the UNH Thanksgiving Tournament. The Lakers return to the Ice Center December 1 and 2 when they enetertain #9 Princeton.