Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team dropped a 2-1 decision against the Crusaders of Holy Cross, in the first game of a two-game weekend series, on Friday night in front of more than 1,000 fans at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers dropped to 9-8-1 overall and 7-4-0 in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. Holy Cross improved to 11-6-2 overall and 7-3-2 in conference play.

Holy Cross' Adam Schmidt snapped a 1-1 tie at the 8:25 mark of the third period for what proved to be the game-winning tally. Schmidt received an outlet pass from Castan Sommer and skated down the right wing into the Mercyhurst zone. He snapped a shot over the left shoulder of junior netminder Jordan Tibbett, tucking it just under the crossbar for his tenth goal of the season.

Mercyhurst was able to pull Tibbett with 55 seconds left in regulation, and had some chances in the closing seconds. However, Crusader goaltender Matt Ginn and the Holy Cross defense were able to hold off the Laker flurry to escape with the game one victory.

It was Holy Cross' second win in the last ten meetings between the two schools.

Sophomore Chris Bodo got Mercyhurst on the board first, and got the loud crowd into the game, with his team-leading tenth goal of the season at the 6:15 mark of the opening period. With Sommer in the penalty box for Holy Cross, Bodo and the Lakers capitalized. Junior Daniel O'Donoghue dug the puck free along the right wing boards, and then found sophomore Matthew Zay at the side of the goal. A cross-crease pass by Zay to Bodo gave the Lakers a 1-0 advantage.

It was Bodo's eighth power play goal of the season, which, at the moment, leads the country. He was in a tie for first entering the game with Minnesota State's Eriah Hayes. Hayes and the Mavericks were hosting Wisconsin later Friday night. Bodo's eight power play goals are the most by a Laker since Matt Pierce and Phil Ginand each had nine during the 2008-09 campaign.

Holy Cross outshot Mercyhurst 18-13 in the opening period, but it was Mercyhurst which led 1-0 after the opening twenty minutes.

The Crusaders would get the tying goal at the 10:28 mark of the second period when Jake Youso solved Tibbett for his sixth goal of the season. Shayne Stockton found Youso in the neutral zone and caught Mercyhurst defenseman Charlie Carkin trying to intercept the pass. Youso skated down the left wing and fired a shot over the shoulder of Tibbett to tie the contest at 1-1, setting the stage for the third period.

Mercyhurst held a 10-9 shot advantage in the second period.

Tibbett suffered the loss for the Lakers, dropping to 3-5-0 on the season. He stopped 36-of-38 Holy Cross shots as the Crusaders outshot Mercyhurst 38-33 for the contest. Tibbett is 1-2-0 in his last three starts, despite allowing only five goals in 118 shots over those three contests (.958 save percentage).

Ginn improved to 10-5-2 with the victory, stopping 32-of-33 Mercyhurst shots.

The Lakers, who entered the game tied for fifth in the country on the power play, went 1-for-3 with the man advantage. Holy Cross, meanwhile, went 0-for-2.

The same two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. All cub scouts who come to the game with their uniform will receive free admission to Saturday's contest.