Complete Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst women's hockey team got goals from five different players on Tuesday night, and knocked off St. Lawrence 5-3 to earn its eighth straight victory. The Lakers improved to 9-2-0 overall, while the Saints dropped to 6-6-3 on the campaign.

Senior Bailey Bram, junior Lauren Jones, sophomores Christine Bestland and Christie Cicero, and freshman Molly Byrne all scored for Mercyhurst, who knocked off the Saints - a team that has been a thorn in Mercyhurst's side since the program's inception in 1999. Entering Tuesday night, St. Lawrence had a 13-8-2 lifetime record against the Lakers, one of just a handful of teams that have a career winning record against Mercyhurst.

St. Lawrence jumped on the board first at the 6:31 mark of the first period, with its first of three power play goals on the evening. Kayla Sullivan slid one through the five-hole of Laker goaltender Hillary Pattenden, after a great centering pass from Jessica Hon. Dayle Wilkinson had the other assist.

Mercyhurst would respond with a power-play tally of its own, courtesy of Jones, who notched her fifth goal of the season at the 15:51 mark of the opening period. Freshman Vaila Higson took the initial shot, but Jones was there to poke it in past St. Lawrence netminder Caitlyn Lahonen. Senior Jill Szandzik had the other helper.

The first period concluded with the Lakers holding a 13-8 shot advantage.

Ellie Williams put the Saints back out in front at the 1:24 mark of the second period off assists from Amanda Boulier and Mel Desrochers. But, the Lakers fought back again, as Byrne picked up her second goal of the season, snapping a shot just under the crossbar and past Lahonen at the 3:54 mark. Bestland and freshman Shelby Bram had the assists.

The Lakers took their first lead of the night on a power play goal from Cicero, her third goal of the year, with just 6.5 seconds left in the second period. Much like the Lakers' first goal of the night, the initial shot was stopped, but Cicero slid home the rebound, giving Mercyhurst a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes. Mercyhurst held a 13-5 shot advantage in the second period.

Bestland gave the Lakers a two-goal advantage just 1:08 into the third period with her ninth goal of the season. Bailey and Shelby Bram had the assists on what proved to be the game-winning tally.

St. Lawrence would not go quietly, as Williams picked up her second goal of the game just 3:28 later, banging home a rebound past Pattenden. Boulier and Vanessa Emond had the assists. The Saints pulledl Lahonen with just under two minutes left in the game, allowing Bailey Bram to put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal at the 18:37 mark. Bram's shot was released from just inside the center red line. Seniors Kelley Steadman and Szandzik had the assists.

The Saints kept Lahonen on the bench, but neither team would score from that point on. The Lakers held an 11-6 shot advantage in the third period.

Mercyhurst outshot St. Lawrence 37-19 for the contest .Both teams performed well on the power play. Mercyhurst, a team that  had allowedjust four power play goals through the first ten games of the season, allowed three against St. Lawrence on Tuesday. The Saints went 3-for-5 on the power play. Mercyhurst, which had the nation's top power play unit, was 2-of-5.

Pattenden stopped 16-of-19 St. Lawrence shots in picking up her eighth win of the season. She now has 88 career victories, which is just three shy of tying the NCAA Division I record of 91, held by former Wisconsin goaltender Jessie Vetter. Lahnonen made 32 saves in defeat for St. Lawrence.

The same two teams will square off again on Wednesday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Start time is scheduled for 3 p.m. and all fans will receive free admission to the game. Also, Santa Claus will be making an appearance at the Ice Center and the team will be raffling off an autographed jersey, signed by last year's squad.