Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - Sophomore Matthew Zay scored 2:58 into overtime to lift the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team to a 3-2 victory over long-time rival Canisius College on Tuesday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers conclude the 2012 portion of the regular season with an 8-6-1 overall record and a 7-3-0 mark in the Atlantic Hockey Association, putting them into a tie for second place in the conference with Holy Cross. Meanwhile, the Golden Griffins dropped to 5-7-4 overall and 4-3-2 in conference play.

Just past the midway mark of the extra session, Mercyhurst got the puck inside the Canisius zone and a battle ensued along the left wing boards. Sophomores Ryan Misiak and Daniel Bahntge provided the hard work and, somehow, were able to dig it free from a couple of Canisius defenders. Zay found himself open just inside the blue line, turned, and fired a shot towards the goal that Canisius goaltender Tony Capobianco never saw. The puck ended up in the back of the net for Zay's fourth goal of the season and his first game-winner of the year. The sophomore had three game-winning goals to his credit as a rookie last season.

It was Mercyhurst's second overtime victory of the season as the Lakers improved to 2-0-1 in overtime. In fact, Mercyhurst actually won a third overtime game against Ferris State, knocking off the Bulldogs in a shootout in mid-October. However, the game officially went down as a tie for the Lakers.

Mercyhurst is now 4-0-5 in its last nine overtime games. The last overtime loss for the Lakers came in game two of the Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals against Connecticut - a 4-3 loss to the Huskies on March 12, 2011.

After a scoreless first period that saw just nine combined shots on goal (5-4 Canisius), the Golden Griffins struck first at the 2:22 mark of the second period. Defenseman Dustin McKellar took a shot from the left point that was redirected in front of the Laker goal by Braeden Rigney, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. Ryan Bohrer had the other assist on Rigney's first goal of the season.

But, the Canisius lead would be short-lived. Mercyhurst would tie the game at 1-1 just 43 seconds later, at the 3:05 mark, when junior Daniel O'Donoghue buried his third goal of the season. Sophomore defenseman Tyler Shiplo played a pass up the left-wing boards, creating a 2-on-1 opportunity for the Lakers. Senior Paul Chiasson skated up the left wing and found a wide open O'Donoghue streaking down the right-wing who then hammered a one-timer past Capobianco to even the score.

The Lakers were not done in the second period as Bahntge gave Mercyhurst a 2-1 advantage at the 6:53 mark.

Misiak intercepted a pass inside the defensive zone and then found Zay up the right wing boards. Zay gave a little touch pass to Bahntge, who used his speed to get around a Canisius defender. He snapped a shot from the right-wing circle that got past Capobianco and just inside the far post for the Lakers' first lead of the night. It was Bahntge's eighth goal of the season, tying him with sophomore Chris Bodo for the team lead in that department.

Despite the Lakers' leading 2-1 after forty minutes, Canisius held an 18-12 advantage in shots through two periods, including a 14-7 margin in the second period.

Canisius would tie the game at 2-2 with 6:32 left in regulation. Senior goaltender Max Strang made two initial saves, but the Laker defense could not clear away the rebound. Doug Beck would convert for the Golden Griffins for his fourth goal of the season. McKellar and Patrick Sullivan had the assists on the goal.

Strang would then come up big in the waning seconds of regulation. With roughly five seconds left, Preston Shupe found himself all alone on the doorstep after receiving a centering pass from behind the Laker goal. Strang was in perfect position and robbed Shupe from point-blank range with the left pad, keeping the game tied at 2-2 and setting up Zay's heroics in overtime.

Strang turned aside 37-of-39 shots to earn his fifth victory of the season against three defeats. He stopped 20 combined shots in the third period and overtime to allow the Lakers to get the game-winner. Strang improved to 5-1-0 on the season against Atlantic Hockey Association foes. Meanwhile, Capobianco, who entered as one of the nation's top goaltenders in both goals against average and save percentage, stopped 20-of-23 Mercyhurst shots. He fell to 4-7-4 on the season.

Neither team could convert with the man advantage. Mercyhurst went 0-for-5 on the power play, including an unsuccessful attempt in a 5-on-3 power play just before Canisius scored the tying goal in the third period. The Golden Griffins went 0-for-4 on the power play.

The Lakers are above the .500 mark before the Christmas holiday for the first time since going 11-6-0 before Christmas during the 2005-06 season. Mercyhurst has been exactly .500 twice over the last three seasons, including last season when the Lakers were 8-8-2 prior to Christmas.

Mercyhurst will have some time off before traveling to Maine to take on the Black Bears on Friday, January 4 and Saturday, January 5. The Lakers are 0-4-1 lifetime against the Black Bears, having been outscored 21-4 in the process. However, the two teams have not met since October 19 and 20, 2007, when Maine swept the Lakers by 4-2 and 4-1 finals. Faceoffs are scheduled for 7:07 p.m. both nights.