Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – Senior Grant Blakey's goal at the 7:17 mark of the third period gave the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team its first lead of the night, and gave the Lakers a 3-2 victory over the Crusaders of Holy Cross in game one of the Atlantic Hockey Association quarterfinals on Friday night from the Hart Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Lakers lead the best-of-three series one game to none and can earn a trip back to the AHA Final Four in Rochester, N.Y., with a victory on Saturday night.

The Lakers improved to 17-15-5 overall on the season while the Crusaders dropped to 19-13-3 on the year. The win also gave Mercyhurst a five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2), which marks the team's longest streak of the year.

Blakey's goal silenced the crowd of 1,765, who jammed themselves into the Hart Center on Friday night. A mad scramble in front of Holy Cross netminder Matt Ginn resulted in the puck ending up on the stick of the senior from Canton, Michigan. Blakey ripped a shot from between the circles that beat Ginn to the glove side, giving the Lakers their first lead of the night. Sophomores Chris Bodo and Grant Gettinger earned the assists on the goal.

It was Blakey's fourth game-winning goal of the season. Four of his 11 goals have won the game for the Lakers.

From that point on, the Laker defense clamped down on Holy Cross, allowing just one real flurry inside the Mercyhurst zone over the last 12 minutes. The Crusaders were able to pull Ginn with 1:40 left in regulation, but the Laker defense held Holy Cross at bay.

Shayne Stockton started the scoring, putting the hosts ahead 1-0 at the 10:31 mark of the opening period. Stockton picked up a loose puck in front of Laker goaltender Jordan Tibbett that Mercyhurst defenders were unable to clear away. Stockton deposited the puck into what essentially was an empty net for his 12th goal of the season. Adam Schmidt and Brandon Nunn had the assists.

Mercyhurst outshot Holy Cross 8-7 in the opening period.

The Lakers would finally solve Ginn at the 16:07 mark of the second period on a power play goal from sophomore Tyler Shiplo. With Mercyhurst on a 5-on-3 power play, Shiplo blasted a one-timer from the left point that beat Ginn, tying the score at 1-1. Juniors Kyle Just and Daniel O'Donoghue had the helpers.

The goal by Shiplo set up a wild finish to the second period.

Holy Cross would reclaim the lead with 1:40 left in the second when Mike McNamara redirected a shot from Jake Youso through the five-hole of Tibbett. Karl Beckman had the other assist. But, just nine seconds later, sophomore Daniel Bahntge intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and led a 3-on-1 break into the Holy Cross zone. Bahntge elected to take the shot and beat Ginn to the blocker side, tying the game at 2-2.

Mercyhurst outshot Holy Cross 16-10 in the middle stanza.

Both goaltenders had to make some huge saves throughout the course of the contest. Ginn stopped senior Paul Chiasson on a breakaway attempt early in the second period, while Tibbett did the same to Schmidt during one of three Mercyhurst power plays.

All told, Mercyhurst outshot Holy Cross 29-26. Tibbett stopped 24-of-26 to win his second consecutive start. He improved to 5-6-1 on the season. Ginn took the loss with a 26-save performance. He dropped to 18-12-3.

There were three power play attempts during the contest with the Lakers earning all three opportunities during a 2:46 stretch in the second. Mercyhurst had two 5-on-3 opportunities, and converted on one of those with Shiplo's goal. The Lakers were not assessed a penalty the entire game.

Mercyhurst has a chance to close out the series, on the road, when the teams meet for game two at the Hart Center on Saturday night. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.