Box Score

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Senior defenseman Nick Jones' goal with 34 seconds left in regulation lifted the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team to a 3-2 victory at Merrimack College on Friday night in front of nearly 2,000 fans at the Lawler Arena in North Andover, Massachusetts. The victory was the first of the year for the Lakers, who improved to 1-3 overall on the young season. The Warriors, meanwhile, remained winless with an 0-3 mark.

In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the game seemed destined for overtime. However, Jones and the Lakers had other ideas.

With Mercyhurst maintaining pressure inside the Merrimack zone, senior Daniel O'Donoghue took a pass from junior Matthew Zay and then found Jones' with a backdoor pass as the senior defenseman pinched in from the right point. Jones beat Warrior goaltender Sam Marotta for his first goal of the season to break the 2-2 tie. The Warriors were able to pull Marotta with just 11 seconds left, but could muster no pressure on the Lakers with the extra attacker and Mercyhurst took game one of the weekend series.

Junior goaltender Jimmy Sarjeant earned his second consecutive start on Friday night after suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss against Ferris State on Tuesday. Sarjeant was brilliant, turning aside 33-of-35 Merrimack shots to even his record at 1-1 on the season. It marked the first time in Sarjeant's career that he started back-to-back contests. In fact, it was just the Aurora, Ontario native's fourth career start.

With the victory, Mercyhurst improved to 2-15-1 lifetime against teams from the Hockey East. However, the Lakers have won their last two games opposed by Hockey East foes. In the final non-conference game of the regular season last year, Mercyhurst defeated Maine on the road by a 5-2 final.

The Lakers struck first at the 8:50 mark of the opening period on a power play tally by junior Ryan Misiak. With Merrimack's Tom McCarthy serving an interference minor, Misiak scored just 23 seconds after the Warrior entered the penalty box. Misiak's first goal of the season was assisted by junior Chris Bodo and freshman Philippe Drouin. It was the first collegiate point for Drouin.

Merrimack tied the game at 1-1 at the 13:40 mark of the first period on a goal by Justin Hussar, who beat Sarjeant for not only his first goal of the season, but also the Warrior's first tally of the year. Merrimack suffered back-to-back shutouts in its opening weekend last Friday and Saturday at Denver. Dan Kolomatis and Rhett Bly had the assists.

Shots favored Merrimack in the opening period by a 12-7 margin.

Mercyhurst recaptured its one-goal lead at the 7:30 mark of the second period when O'Donoghue recorded his first goal of the season. Senior Randy Cure took a shot from the point that was well wide of the Merrimack cage. But, the puck took a hard carom off the end wall and found O'Donoghue camped right on the doorstep. The senior assistant captain tucked it past Marotta for his 31st career goal. Drouin had the other helper - his second assist of the night.

The lead, however, would be short-lived as Merrimack again tied the game just 1:25 later on a goal by Josh Myers. The Merrimack forward outskated a Mercyhurst defender to waive off an icing call and then beat Sarjeant for his first goal of the season. Kolomatis and Clayton Jardine had the assists.

Merrimack outshot Mercyhurst 13-9 in the second stanza.

The third period was relatively quiet until Mercyhurst freshman Jack Riley was sent to the penalty box with 4:05 left in regulation, sending the Warriors on their fourth power play of the night. Sarjeant and the Laker penalty killing unit was able to kill off the minor penalty setting up Jones' game-winner roughly 90 seconds after Riley's penalty expired.

The Warriors outshot the Lakers 11-5 in the third period and 35-21 for the contest, but the difference proved to be the goaltending. Sarjeant made 33 saves in the win while Marotta stopped just 18-of-21 Laker shots to drop to 0-3 on the season. The teams combined for just seven minor penalties on the night - four to Mercyhurst. Merrimack was 0-for-4 on the power while Mercyhurst went 1-for-3. The Lakers have now killed off the last 10 opponent power play opportunities.

Mercyhurst will look for the weekend sweep on Saturday night from the Lawler Arena. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.