Complete Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - Junior defender Laura Fortino's goal late in the third period gave the #3-ranked Cornell Big Red, a Frozen Four participant in 2011, a hard-fought 5-4 victory over #6 Mercyhurst Friday night before a large and noisy crowd at the Ice Center. The Big Red, down two goals on two different occasions in the contest, extended their winning streak to six straight as they improved to 10-1 on the season. Mercyhurst had a nine-game winning streak snapped in falling to 10-3. 

Mercyhurst scored twice in the first six-and-a-half minutes of the opening period to take a 2-0 lead. Senior forward Bailey Bram, who leads the country in points per game, tallied on a breakaway just 53 seconds into the game. Bram's seventeenth goal of the season was assisted by sophomore linemate Christine Bestland and senior defender Pamela Zgoda.

Senior winger Jess Jones then scored on a rebound at 6:20 of the period. Her seventh marker of the year was helped by junior linemate Lauren Jones and senior defender Jill Szandzik. Both goals came at the expense of Cornell sophomore netminder Lauren Slebodnick, who came in with a 4-0 mark and glossy credentials of a 1.25 goals-against-average and a .938 save percentage. Slebodnick had blanked Mercyhurst 3-0 at the Ice Center last January, stopping all 24 Lakers' shots in the process.

But, aided by a Mercyhurst penalty late in the period, the only infraction whistled in the first twenty minutes, Cornell cut the lead in half at 19:09 on a goal by senior Catherine White. Her eighth goal of the season came just 22 seconds following the penalty. Cornell had a 10-7 advantage in first period shots.

The Big Red opted to make a goaltending change to start the second period, replacing Slebodnick with senior Amanda Mazzotta (5-1, .896, and 1.85 entering play). The move appeared to backfire when senior forward Kelley Steadman scored her eleventh of the campaign just 4:58 into the middle frame. Steadman was helped by freshman defender Molly Byrne and Bestland.

But, Cornell regrouped and scored three times in the final 15 minutes of the stanza to take a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. Senior forward Rebecca Johnston scored her eighth of the year, even strength, at 6:09 before senior winger Chelsea Karpenko scored back-to-back lamplighters at 10:22 and 16:37 to give the Big Red the lead at 4-3. Karpenko's first came with the Big Red up a skater while the go-ahead goal came at even strength. Mercyhurst owned a 12-10 advantage in second period shots.

The Lakers tied the game at 4-4 early in the third when Bram scored her second of the game, and 18th of the season, on a power play at 3:24. It was her nation's-leading ninth power play goal of the year. Jess Jones and Bestland helped on the marker, which came just 25 seconds after Cornell's second penalty of the game. Cornell kept up the pressure throughout the period, however, culminating with Fortino's goal with just 2:30 left in regulation. Mercyhurst pulled senior goalie Hillary Pattenden with 63 seconds left but couldn't get the equalizer. The Big Red outshot the Lakers 12-4 in the third and 32-23 for the entire 60 minutes.

Cornell and Mercyhurst entered play with identical .339 power play percentages. The Big Red finished 2-of-4 with the skater advantage while the Lakers were 1-of-2. Mazzotta picked up her 6th win of the season by stopping 14 of 16 Mercyhurst shots over 40 minutes. Pattenden had an eight-game winning streak snapped in stopping 27 of 32 Cornell shots.

Cornell has now won three of the last four meetings between the two teams, including two straight at the Ice Center, although the Lakers continue to lead the all-time series 12-3-1. The two teams will finish the weekend series Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

Mercyhurst will then take to the highway the following weekend for a pair of games at #4 Boston College. The Eagles bowed to eventual champs Wisconsin in the 2011 Frozen Four semifinals.