Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team continued its torrid offensive streak on Friday night, getting goals from seven different players en route to a 7-1 victory over the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University in front of more than 1,200 fans at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The win was the Lakers' third straight as they moved to 8-7-1 overall and 6-1-0 in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. The Pioneers dropped to 4-11-0 overall and 3-6-0 in conference play.

The Lakers have now scored at least three goals in ten of their last 11 games and have scored at least six goals in three straight contests. After scoring just nine goals in the first five games of the season, Mercyhurst has 51 goals in the last 11 games (4.64 goals per contest). Not including the late results from Friday, Mercyhurst is now sixth in the country in scoring offense, averaging 3.75 goals per game.

Juniors Matthew Zay and Ryan Misiak each had a goal and two assists to pace the Lakers on Friday night. Sophomore Kyle Cook (one goal, one assist) and freshman Kyle Dutra (two assists) were the only other Lakers with multiple points on a balanced scoring night. Zay's goal was shorthanded, giving Mercyhurst a shorthanded goal in each of the last three games, and a nation-leading seven man-down goals this season.

In goal, junior Jimmy Sarjeant continued his torrid streak, improving to 8-3-1 overall and 6-0-0 in conference play. He turned aside 30-of-31 Sacred Heart shots, lowering his goals against average to 2.51 and increasing his save percentage to .922 on the season. His numbers are even more impressive in conference games - a 1.84 goals against average and a .943 save percentage.

Junior Daniel Bahntge got the ball rolling for the Lakers with just 15 seconds left in the opening period, allowing the large crowd to toss stuffed animals over the glass on the third annual Teddy Bear Toss. Bahntge picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated down the left wing, and floated a backhander between the legs of Sacred Heart goaltender Alex Vazzano for a 1-0 lead.

All stuffed animals that were collected on Friday night will be donated to Toys For Tots.

Mercyhurst broke the game open with four unanswered goals in the second period to take a 5-0 lead after forty minutes. Freshman Stephen Hrehoriak scored the eventual game-winning goal at the 2:28 mark of the middle stanza with his fourth goal of the season. With the Lakers on the power play, Zay and senior Randy Cure led a rush into the Pioneer end. Cure ended up with the puck behind the goal and centered it to a wide-open Hrehoriak parked in front of the goal. It was the freshman's second power play goal of the season and his second consecutive game-winner.

It became a 3-0 lead exactly nine minutes later, at 11:26, when Cook deposited his second goal of the season past Vazzano. Misiak and sophomore Mychal Monteith had the assists. Less than a minute later, at the 12:10 mark, Zay scored his shorthanded goal - his eighth goal of the season - to extend the lead to 4-0. Senior Daniel O'Donoghue and junior Tyler Shiplo had the helpers.

Junior Chris Bodo made it 5-0 at the 14:42 mark to close out the second period scoring. Dutra and Misiak had the assists on Bodo's fifth goal of the year.

The visitors broke up Sarjeant's shutout bid at the 5:33 mark of the third period when Chad Filteau beat the Laker netminder for his first goal of the season. Jeff Carroll and Will Rayner had the assists.

Mercyhurst responded with a pair of goals to close out the night. Junior Kyle Just knocked home his fourth goal of the season at the 10:08 mark with help from Cook and senior Nick Jones. Misiak finished off the scoring at 11:16 with a breakaway goal - his sixth of the year - with an assist from Dutra.

Everything clicked on Friday for Mercyhurst. Not only did the Lakers score seven times, but they killed off all seven Sacred Heart power play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 for more than a minute - a chance that carried over from the end of the second to the beginning of the third. Mercyhurst also went 1-for-3 on the power play and, as previously mentioned, scored its seventh shorthanded goal of the season which leads the country.

Vazzano stopped 26-of-33 Mercyhurst shots to drop to 2-9-0 on the season. Sarjeant stopped 30-of-31 to improve to 8-3-1.

The same two teams will close out the weekend series on Saturday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.