Feb. 18, 2006

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Holy Cross rallied from a pair of two-goal third period deficits, getting the tying marker with 23 seconds left in regulation, as the Crusaders and Mercyhurst battled to a 3-3 overtime tie Saturday night before 850 fans at the Ice Center. The stalemate kept Holy Cross (21-7-2; 17-5-2) three points ahead of the Lakers (18-11-1; 16-7-1) with four games to play in the race for the Atlantic Hockey regular season crown.

Mercyhurst, which led for only 20 seconds in a 5-2 loss to Holy Cross Friday, never trailed Saturday, but couldn't put the Crusaders away.

Senior forward Dave Borrelli snapped a second period scoreless tie with his team-leading 12th power play goal at 19:43. Borrelli deflected defenseman Conrad Martin's slapshot from just inside the line past Holy Cross senior netminder Tony Quesada. Sophomore Ben Cottreau also assisted on the play. The goal was Borrelli's team-leading 23rd tally of the season.

Borrelli then scored his 24th goal, this time shorthanded, early in the third to stretch the advantage to 2-0. Freshman defenseman Bobby Phillips and Cottreau had assists. But Holy Cross capitalized on a Mercyhurst 5-minute major with a pair of goals, sandwiched around an even strength lamplighter from senior Scott Reynolds, to close within 3-2 with under six minutes to play. Junior forward Sean Nappo beat Mercyhurst freshman goalie Tyler Small at 10:27, Reynolds restored the two-goal margin with his 11th of the year just nine seconds later - and only 4 seconds after a Holy Cross penalty produced four aside - before sophomore center Cal St. Denis cashed a goal near the end of the major at 14:13.

Holy Cross was able to pull Quesada in the last minute of play, much to the dismay of Mercyhurst who argued for too many men on the ice, and got the equalizer when junior defenseman Jon Landry found the back of the net at 19:37.

The teams totaled six shots in the extra session, four by Holy Cross, but couldn't break the tie.

The emotional game produced a combined 75 shots, 41 by Holy Cross. The Lakers, who failed to connect during a Holy Cross major penalty in the first period, finished 1 of 7 with the man advantage although the last opportunity came with just a second left in overtime. Holy Cross cashed 2 of 8 chances with the extra man.

The Crusaders won the regular season series against Mercyhurst 2-1-1, but still trail the all-time series 14-7-2.

Second-place Mercyhurst will play three of its final four regular season games at the Ice Center, starting next weekend when Army visits. Holy Cross, meanwhile, will have a home-and-home next week4end with third place Sacred Heart. The Pioneers, who tied American International Saturday, have 32 points, just one behind the Lakers.