Box Score

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team got three goals and six assists from the forward line of junior Chris Bodo, junior Ryan Misiak, and freshman Stephen Hrehoriak, and cruised to a 6-1 victory at American International on Saturday afternoon at the Olympia Ice Center. The win was Mercyhurst's sixth in its last eight games, enabling the Lakers to get to the .500 mark overall for the first time this season. Mercyhurst improved to 7-7-1 overall and 5-1-0 in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. The Yellow Jackets fell to 3-7-0 overall and 3-4-0 in conference play.

Bodo registered a pair of goals and added an assist - his first multiple-goal game since a 4-2 loss at home to Niagara on February 23, 2013. Hrehoriak recorded his first collegiate game-winning goal and added a pair of assists for his first career multiple-point game in a Mercyhurst uniform. Misiak, meanwhile, picked up a career-high three assists as Mercyhurst improved to 35-6-1 lifetime against the Yellow Jackets.

Junior netminder Jimmy Sarjeant was solid again on Saturday, stopping 25-of-26 American International shots on goal to improve to 7-3-1 overall and a perfect 5-0-0 in conference play.

The Lakers set the tone early.

After junior Daniel Bahntge was whistled for a penalty just 15 seconds into the contest, Mercyhurst scored its sixth shorthanded goal of the year, this time courtesy of senior Daniel O'Donoghue 17 seconds later into the opening period. It was the senior's team-leading eighth goal of the season and was assisted by junior Matthew Zay, who extended his point-scoring streak to a dozen consecutive games with the helper.

Mercyhurst leads the country in shorthanded goals this season with six.

Hrehoriak gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead at the 3:27 mark, which eventually became the freshman's first collegiate game-winning goal. It was Hrehoriak's third goal of the season and was assisted by linemates Misiak and Bodo.

The lead ballooned to 3-0 at the 7:36 mark of the opening period when senior defenseman Nick Jones buried his fourth goal of the season to finish the scoring in the first stanza. O'Donoghue and Bahntge, who recorded his third career hat trick on Friday night, had the assists on the goal.

The Lakers outshot AIC 15-11 in the first twenty minutes.

The visitors wasted little time in the second period to take a 4-0 lead. With the Lakers on a two-man advantage, redshirt junior Kyle Just knocked home his third goal of the season at the 1:41 mark of the middle frame. Junior Tyler Shiplo took a shot from the left point that was well wide of its mark. But, the carom off the end wall ended up on the stick of Just who buried his second power play goal of the year. Sophomore Anthony Mastrodicasa, who had a career-high three assists on Friday, added the other helper.

Bodo gave the Lakers a 5-0 lead at the 9:16 mark with his third goal of the season. Misiak sent Bodo up the left wing boards and the junior, bothered from behind, was able to roof a forehand wrister over AIC goaltender Ryan Kerpan. Hrehoriak had the other assist.

Mercyhurst, which had 27 shots in the second period on Friday, had 22 more in the second period on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers outshot the Yellow Jackets 22-8 in the middle stanza.

Bodo finished off the Laker scoring at the 3:09 mark of the third period, chasing down a loose puck on the left wing wall and throwing it towards the goal that somehow trickled across the goal line. It was Bodo's second goal of the game and fourth of the season. Misiak and Hrehoriak had the assists.

The hosts broke up Sarjeant's shutout bid just 28 seconds later, at the 3:37 mark, when Brandon Fagerheim notched his third goal of the season.

Sarjeant stopped 25 shots for his seventh win of the season. Kerpan, meanwhile, stopped 47 Mercyhurst shots as the Lakers outshot the Yellow Jackets 53-26 for the contest.

Mercyhurst went 1-for-4 on the power play while AIC was 0-for-2.

The Lakers return home to the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, when they host the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University. Faceoffs both nights are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Friday's faceoff will be the team's third annual Teddy Bear Toss.