Complete Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Despite outshooting American International 40-18 on Friday night, the Mercyhurst men's hockey team suffered a tough 3-2 loss to the Yellow Jackets at the Olympia Ice Center in Springfield, Mass. The Lakers dropped to 12-9-2 overall and 9-3-2 in Atlantic Hockey Association play. The Yellow Jackets, who have now won three straight games against Mercyhurst, improved to 4-15-2 overall and 3-9-2 against AHA foes.
The Lakers had no answer for the line of Adam Pleskach, Blake Peake, and Nielsson Arcibal, who accounted for all nine points in the victory for the Yellow Jackets.
Pleskach scored the only goal of the first period, knocking home a shot past Mercyhurst netminder
Max Strang on the power play at the 14:49 mark of the opening twenty minutes. Arcibal and Peake had the assists. Mercyhurst outshot AIC 13-4 in the opening period.
The Lakers got jump-started on an even-strength goal from junior
Paul Chiasson at the 13:48 mark of the second period. Sophomore
Kyle Just and senior
Kevin Noble had the assists on Chiasson's seventh goal of the season. Mercyhurst would take a 2-1 lead at the 17:13 mark on the first goal of the season from senior defenseman
Patrick Goebel. Senior
Derek Elliott and freshman
Chris Bodo had the helpers.
But, the Mercyhurst lead would be short-lived, as Pleskach scored his second goal of the night just 24 seconds later. Peake and Arcibal again had the assists.
The Lakers held an 18-5 shot advantage in the second period.
The trio struck again for what proved to be the game-winner just 5:43 into the third period. This time Arcibal was the beneficiary, beating Strang to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead. Peake and Pleskach had the assists.
Mercyhurst had a power play with 1:22 left, and the Lakers pulled Strang for a 6-on-4 advantage, but could get not the equalizer past AIC goaltender Ben Meisner.
Meisner picked up the victory for the Yellow Jackets, stopping 38-of-40 Mercyhurst shots on goal. Meanwhile, Strang suffered the loss, stopping just 15-of-18 AIC shots. Strang dropped to 11-9-2 overall on the season.
AIC had the only power play goal of the night, finishing 1-of-2 with the man advantage. Mercyhurst could not score on four opportunities.
The same two teams will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday night in Springfield, Mass. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
