ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Mercyhurst knocked off RIT behind an overtime goal from Chris Risi two minutes, 19 seconds into the extra session for a 5-4 victory as the Lakers advance to the Atlantic Hockey Association Championship for the second straight year.

“I thought that was a great college hockey game,” said Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin. “I would like to congratulate RIT for an absolute great season. When you get into overtime you just never know what's going to happen. We just stayed focus and found a way to win.”

Also for the second-straight year, the Lakers (22-14-3) will face Air Force, a 3-0 winner in the first semifinal, for the title and an automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs.

After rocketing two quick shots in the extra session at the Tigers (23-13-2) goalkeeper Jared Demichiel, Risi connected with the game-winner.

“It was the end of our shift and our defense did a great job,” said Risi. “I shot it and hoped for the best. It felt great.”

RIT's Cameron Burt scored his second goal of the game with 59 seconds in a hard-fought battle for the puck in front of the net and pushed in the game-tying goal with 59 seconds on the clock after it looked like the Lakers second goal by Scott Pitt 31 seconds into final period would hold.

“I just got behind the net and went with it” said Pitt. “It was a battle down the stretch and I thought we were going to hold on. We got out to a great start in overtime. It was just a matter of time really.”

Playing in front of a raucous crowd of 2,555 people, almost all decked in RIT black and orange, the Lakers quickly lowered the intensity of a raucous home crowd when Mercyhurst opened the scoring with Neil Graham's shot that found its way into the back of the net just 37 seconds into the game with help from Dan Bremner and Steve Cameron on the assists.

After the successful kill of one power-play, the Lakers were unable to escape the second RIT stint with the extra man as the Tigers Cameron Burt fired a shot from the top to beat Ryan Zapolski up high and knot the game with six minutes remaining in the opening period.

The scoreboard would read 1-1 until RIT's Alan Mazar's power-play goal just under five minutes into the second period to give the Tigers their first lead of the game. The Tigers then added another goal less than 50 seconds later to stretch their lead to 3-1 behind Anton Kharin before the Lakers would counter with a power-play goal of their own thanks to Scott Pitt, with assists from Brandon Coccimiglio and Matt Fennell.

The Lakers countered with their second power-play goal of the game after using good passing in front of the net to have Coccimiglio light up the scoreboard to knot the game at 3-3 and enter the lockers rooms for the final period.

Next up for the Lakers is the AHA Championship game, slated for a 7:05 p.m. start at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y.