Dec. 16, 2006

Final Stats

Portland, ME - Mercyhurst got 45 saves from senior Jordan Wakefield and an early first period goal from junior Ben Cottreau in battling #3 Maine to a 1-1 overtime tie Saturday night before a packed house at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The Lakers left Portland with a 4-10-4 record while the Black Bears concluded the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule at 10-3-2.

Cottreau's 11th goal of the season came at 3:42 of the first following a face-off. Sophomore Chris Trafford and senior Scott Champagne assisted. Maine had a total of four power play chances in the first period, however only generated six shots with the advantage. Overall in the period, Maine had an eleven to seven lead on shots.

Maine tied the game late in the second when junior forward Billy Ryan cashed his fourth of the year on a power play. Maine had a 14 to five lead on shots in the second period.

Cottreau's lamplighter was the first ever scored by the Lakers in three meetings with the Black Bears. Maine won two contests in Orono, Maine in November 2002 by scores of 5-0 and 7-0.

Wakefield (1-2-1) made his fifth appearance of the season and third start. He lost a heart-breaking 5-4 overtime decision at Sacred Heart on November 4, a game in which the Lakers owned a 4-0 lead with less than five minutes to play, before rebounding for an 8-3 success at American International on December 2. The native of Spruce Grove, Alberta, relieved in both games last weekend, 5-2 and 6-4 losses against visiting Rochester Institute of Technology.

Maine had a commanding 46-19 advantage in shots, but solved Wakefield only once. Sophomore Ben Bishop (10-3-2), one of seven Black Bears drafted by national Hockey League teams, was credited with 18 stops. The Lakers had several chances for the go-ahead goal in the third and Bishop made a key stop on senior Scott Champagne in the overtime.

Wakefield and his teammates held the Black Bears to their lowest offensive output of the season. Maine had been held to two goals on three separate occasions. The Black Bears' offense came into the game ranked 5th nationally with a 4.00 goals-per-game average. Mercyhurst also killed six of seven penalties against the country's sixth-rated power play. The Lakers finished 0 for 3 with the man advantage.

The overtime game was the sixth for Mercyhurst this season (0-2-4). The game also marked the second out-of-conference stalemate this season. The Lakers and Yale, 17th nationally at the time, played to a 4-4 draw at the Ice Center on November 21.

Mercyhurst will take some time off for Christmas before returning to action December 29 and December 30 at the Denver Tournament. The Lakers will play the #12 Pioneers Friday and will tangle with either Brown or UMass-Lowell on Saturday.