Dec. 1, 2006

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Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst scored two power play gaols and two shorthanded and broke open a close game late in the second period to derail Princeton 6-1 Friday before a sellout crowd at the Ice Center. The #1-ranked Lakers improved to 13-1-1 on the season while the ninth-ranked Tigers lost their third straight contest in falling to 8-3-2.

The Lakers, skating for the first time at home in a month and for the first time with the gigantic bullseye, dodged several Princeton breakaways in the opening period before getting a shorthanded marker from sophomore Valerie Chouinard with less two minutes remaining. Chouinard was set up by freshman forward Meghan Agosta. Both teams had ten shots in the opening twenty minutes.

Agosta increased the lead to 2-0 midway in the second when she parked one behind Princeton sophomore Kristen Young with the Lakers up a skater. The Tigers cut the lead in half three minutes later when freshman winger Melanie Wallace beat Mercyhurst junior Laura Hosier, setting the stage for the late period dramatics. Chouinard cashed her own power play goal with the Tigers down two skaters at 17:40 and Agosta nailed a shorthanded strike with just nine ticks left in the frame that brought the raucous crowd to its feet and put the game out of reach. Mercyhurst scored on three of its eleven shots in the period as it owned an 11-6 advantage.

The third period featured the 6th goal of the season from assistant captain Stephanie Jones and the second of the year from junior forward Kristen Erickson at 12:21 and 17:14 respectively.

Mercyhurst outshot Princeton 31-24 overall and converted 2 of 6 power play chances. The Tigers finished 1 of 6.

Agosta led the scoring with four points while Chouinard and senior captain Julia Colizza had three each. Colizza's trifecta put her over the century mark with 101 points for her career.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series Saturday afternoon at 3.