Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - For the second consecutive night, the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team and the Colonials of Robert Morris played to a stalemate. In the process, the Lakers learned of their fate entering the conference tournament next weekend. 

On Saturday night, Robert Morris' Zac Lynch scored with 3:56 left in regulation as the Lakers and Colonials played to a 1-1 overtime tie in the final game of the regular season on senior night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Mercyhurst, which saw its winless streak hit eight straight games, finished the regular season with a 14-15-5 overall record and a 12-11-4 mark against Atlantic Hockey Association foes. The Colonials finish the season with an 18-12-4 overall record and a 13-11-3 conference mark.

With the draw, the Lakers enter the Atlantic Hockey Association tournament as the #6 seed and will host a first-round series next weekend against the 11th-seeded Black Knights of Army. Army last won on January 4 and has gone 0-10-3 in its final 13 games of the regular season. Mercyhurst, meanwhile, has not won since February 5 and is 0-5-3 in its last eight contests.

Robert Morris captured the #5 seed and will host #12 Sacred Heart next weekend. In the other first round matchups next weekend, #7 Canisius will host #10 Bentley and #8 RIT will host, arguably the hottest team in the league, #9 American International.

The first period was scoreless on Saturday, with Robert Morris outshooting Mercyhurst 9-6 after the opening twenty minutes.

Mercyhurst would give the home crowd something to cheer about in the second, when sophomore Ryan Misiak gave the Lakers a 1-0 advantage at the 4:01 mark of the middle stanza. The native of Shelby Township, Michigan beat Colonial netminder Eric Levine with a nifty backhander that snuck across the goal line on the short side for his 16th goal of the season. Sophomores Matthew Zay and Daniel Bahntge had the assists.

Misiak's goal tied him for the team lead with fellow sophomore Chris Bodo this season.

The Colonials outshot the Lakers by an 8-6 margin in the middle period.

However, Robert Morris would tie the contest thanks to excellent passing on the power play. With Zay in the penalty box, Lynch received a perfect centering pass from Cody Wydo, and one-timed a slapshot past senior goaltender Max Strang from the left wing circle, tying the game at 1-1. Adam Brace had the secondary helper.

Mercyhurst outshot Robert Morris by a 12-9 count in the third.

The Lakers and Colonials provided plenty of fireworks in the overtime with ten combined shots on goal. Robert Morris owned the pressure early in the extra period. Strang got some help from senior defenseman Charlie Carkin during the Colonial barrage. Strang made a stop on a slapshot from the left point, coming well out of his net to make the stop. However, the puck went off the tip of his glove and went behind him, heading for the cage. But, Carkin was there to swat it out of mid-air with his glove hand to keep the game deadlocked.

Then, Mercyhurst held the attack and junior Daniel O'Donoghue had a breakaway opportunity with under two minutes left. The Laker forward deked to the backhand, but Levine was there to stuff the attempt with the right pad.

The Lakers, playing for the win to leapfrog Robert Morris in the standings and take over the #5 seed, elected to pull Strang with 1:22 left in the overtime. Mercyhurst had a couple more opportunities, but could not get one to go past Levine an the teams played to their straight draw.

Robert Morris outshot Mercyhurst 6-4 in the overtime and held a 32-28 advantage for the contest. Strang, playing in his final regular season home game, stopped 31-of-32 shots to see his record go to 11-9-3 on the season. Levine turned aside 27-of-28 Mercyhurst shots. His record moved to 17-10-4.

The Colonials went 1-for-7 on the power play, while the Lakers went 0-for-3.

Four seniors, who were playing in their final regular season home game, were honored prior to the contest. Carkin, Strang, Grant Blakey, and Paul Chiasson were recognized prior to the opening faceoff, with Blakey taking home the annual "Bill Smith Hustle, Pride, and Desire Award," signifying the most exemplary senior student-athlete on and off the ice.

Mercyhurst will host game one of the best-of-three first round series against Army on Friday, March 8. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and will begin after the conclusion of the College Hockey America women's hockey semifinal contests earlier that day.

Please stay tuned to hurstathletics.com for complete details on the playoff hockey weekend at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.