Feb. 17, 2007

Stats

Rochester, NY - Mercyhurst's roller-coaster season continued Saturday night as the Lakers dealt first-place RIT a 3-2 defeat before a partisan crowd at Ritter Arena. The Lakers improved to 9-19-5 overall and to 9-15-3 in Atlantic Hockey. The Tigers, who had a four-game winning streak snapped, dropped to 20-10-2 and 19-6-1 respectively.

Senior goaltender Mike Ella made just his second start of the season, both against RIT, and fared much better this time than at the Ice Center December 9. In that first outing, Ella was pulled after a four-goal RIT first period, but was not charged with the defeat after a Mercyhurst rally trimmed the final deficit to 6-4. This time Ella made 27 saves to pick up his first win since a 4-3 verdict at Canisius December 10 of 2005.

After being outshot 55-32 and after squandering a 4-1 second period lead Friday night, Mercyhurst never trailed in the finale of the weekend series. Junior forward Ryan Toomey put the Lakers ahead with his 11th of the season at 3:51 of the first. After the Tigers got even on a Brent Patry power play goal five minutes later, Mercyhurst took a two-goal lead thanks to second period tallies from freshman Nick Vandenbeld, his 7th of the year and second in as many games, and sophomore Matt Pierce, his 10th of the season and eventual game-winner. Vandenbeld's lamplighter came on a power play.

As it did Friday, the Tigers rallied in the third when Simon Lambert cashed his third goal of the series on a power play just 28 seconds into the period. But Ella and his teammates withstood eight more RIT shots and a late penalty to escape with the one-goal win. Mercyhurdst improved to 4-9 in one-or-two-goal games this season.

Mercyhurst outshot RIT 32-29, just the 4th time this season the Lakers have outshot an opponent. The victory also snapped a 7-game regular season dry spell at Ritter Arena. The Lakers hadn't won in Rochester since an 8-3 decision on December 4, 1992, when both teams were Division III members of the ECAC. The teams renewed acquaintances for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign last season when the Lakers prevailed 4-3 in an independent contest in Erie. The Tigers, who joined Atlantic Hockey along with Air Force this season, won three of the four regular season meetings and now lead the all-time series 19-11-3. The Tigers are not eligible for postseason play this year.

For Pierce, it was his second game-winning goal of the season and third of his career. Both teams were tagged with eight minors in the contest. The Tigers finished 2 of 5 with the man advantage; the Lakers were 1 of 6.

Mercyhurst will end the regular season next Saturday when it hosts Canisius at 7 on "Senior Night".