Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team allowed three goals over the final 14:52 of regulation, including two goals in 24 seconds with under a minute left, as the Lakers suffered a 5-3 loss at the hands of the Tigers of RIT on Saturday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Mercyhurst, which is 0-3-1 in its last four games, dropped to 14-13-3 overall and 12-9-2 in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings. RIT improved to 12-13-5 overall and 10-9-4 in conference play.

After going on a four-game unbeaten streak, the Lakers are now on a four-game winless streak, with all four games played on home ice. The 0-3-1 stretch in Erie marks the worst four-game stretch at home for Mercyhurst since losing four straight home games from November 26 to December 11, 2010.

Mercyhurst, seemingly reeling from Friday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the Tigers, got off to a sluggish start on Saturday night, as RIT raced out to a 2-0 lead after the opening twenty minutes. Matt Garbowsky started the scoring for the visitors with a power play goal, redirecting a shot through the legs of senior goaltender Max Strang at the 7:37 mark for a 1-0 advantage. Mike Colavecchia had the lone assist on the goal.

Chris Saracino followed with a goal at the 15:26 mark to complete the first period scoring. The RIT defenseman picked up a loose puck inside his own side, and then skated coast-to-coast, beating Strang with a snapshot on the short side for an unassisted tally.

RIT outshot Mercyhurst 14-9 in the opening period.

But, Mercyhurst responded. Sophomore Zac Frischmon, who played another solid game for the Lakers, picked up just his second goal of the season, and fourth career goal in 67 games, at the 6:25 mark of the second period, cutting the RIT lead in half. Frischmon, along with sophomore Daniel Bahntge, provided excellent forechecking behind the RIT cage to create the goal. Bahntge stole the puck and found Frischmon at the side of the goal, who then wristed a shot that RIT goaltender Jordan Ruby got a piece of, but not enough to keep it from crossing the goal line.

Sophomore Matthew Zay followed with his 12th goal of the season at the 16:36 mark of the second period to knot the contest at 2-2. With the Lakers on the power play, sophomore Chris Bodo fired a shot towards the RIT goal that was redirected by Zay and past Ruby for his fourth power play marker of the season. Junior Kyle Just had the other assist on the goal.

The Lakers were not done. Just over two minutes later, at the 18:42 mark, Bahntge threaded a beautiful, no-look pass through the RIT goal crease to a wide open Ryan Misiak, who then deposited the puck into, what was essentially, an empty net to give the Lakers their first lead of the night. It was the sophomore's 13th goal of the season. Zay added the other helper.

Mercyhurst dominated the period, outshooting the Tigers 15-5.

But, it was the Tigers' turn to come back. Jeff Smith jammed home a rebound at the 5:08 mark of the third period, knotting the game at 3-3. Smith found himself all alone in front of the Laker net and had several whacks at the puck before finally getting it past Strang for his 12th goal of the year. Strang thought he had the puck covered, but play was not blown dead, and Smith capitalized. Ben Lynch and Josh Mitchell had the assists.

The game was destined for overtime for the second straight night. But, the Tigers had other ideas. With 54 seconds left in regulation, Brad McGowan dug the puck free deep in the right wing corner of the Mercyhurst end. McGowan found Garbowsky cutting towards the Laker net from the right half wall. Garbowsky let go of a shot from the circle that beat Strang off the near post for a 4-3 Tiger lead. Dan Schuler had the other helper.

Mercyhurst promptly took a timeout and won the ensuing faceoff to allow Strang to be pulled for an extra attacker. However, Schuler intercepted inside his own zone, cleared his end, and his clear trickled across the goal line and into the empty net to seal the Tiger victory.

The Lakers had plenty of chances and hit three posts during the game, but could not break through with a victory. Frischmon hit the crossbar just moments after he scored in the second period. Zay and Bahntge hit posts late in the third period

Ruby stopped 27 Laker shots for RIT, improving to 5-6-1 on the season. Strang dropped to 11-8-2 on the season, turning aside 29 shots in defeat. RIT went 1-for-2 on the power play while Mercyhurst went 1-for-3.

The Atlantic Hockey Association standings continue to tighten up with just two weekends of action left in the regular season. The Lakers will be in a fight over the final four games to maintain a top four spot in the standings and a corresponding first round bye in the AHA tournament. Mercyhurst, currently in third place with 26 points, now holds just a two-point lead over Holy Cross, Connecticut, and RIT, who are tied for fourth with 24 points. The Lakers are only three points ahead of seventh-place Robert Morris, and just four points ahead of Canisius and Bentley, who are tied for eighth place.

The Lakers' four-game fight to the finish begins with a home-and-home series against conference-leading Niagara next Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23. Mercyhurst will be in Niagara Falls on Friday night for a 7:05 p.m. start, before the two teams convene at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Saturday. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.