Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - In front of the largest crowd ever at the Mercyhurst Ice Center including fans who came to see not only a battle for first place in the Atlantic Hockey Association, but also the most recognized and revered trophy in all of professional sports - The Stanley Cup - the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team did not disappoint the standing-room only crowd on Saturday night, defeating second-place Bentley 4-1 to extend its lead to four points in the AHA standings with eight games remaining. 1,817 fans witnessed Mercyhurst improve to 15-10-5 overall and 13-2-4 against league opponents. Meanwhile, the Falcons dropped to 13-9-4 overall and 11-4-4 in conference play.

Redshirt junior goaltender Jordan Tibbett stopped 37-of-38 Bentley shots including all 17 he faced in the third period and the line of sophomore Kyle Cook, junior Nardo Nagtzaam, and freshman Kyle Dutra combined for three goals and five assists as the Lakers took three-of-four points in the first-place weekend showdown.

Tibbett earned his first victory since March 22, 2013 in last season's Atlantic Hockey Association semifinals against Connecticut. He improved to 1-6-1 overall on the season, lowering his goals against average from 6.16, at the start of the weekend, to 4.75 and upping his save percentage from .851 to .880 in posting a 1-0-1 record in place of injured goaltender Jimmy Sarjeant. Over the course of the two games, Tibbett allowed three goals on 72 shots.

After a scoreless first period, Mercyhurst struck first when Cook beat Bentley goaltender Branden Komm for a 1-0 lead at the 4:33 mark of the second period. The Lakers developed a two-on-one opportunity after a turnover in the neutral zone. Nagtzaam skated down the right wing and centered a pass to Cook who one-timed it past Komm for his sixth goal of the season. Dutra added the secondary assist.

The lead, however, would be short-lived. The high-scoring trio of Alex Grieve, Brett Switzer, and Brett Gensler manufactured a goal to tie the game at 1-1 just 40 seconds later. Grieve was the beneficiary, picking up his 17th goal of the season, with the assists going to Switzer and Gensler.

With the game tied at one early in the third period, Nagtzaam tallied his fourth goal of the season at the 4:33 mark to give the Lakers a 2-1 advantage - a lead they would never relinquish. Senior Nick Jones sent a wrister towards the Bentley goal from the right point and Nagtzaam was there to redirect it past Komm for his first goal since November 29. Dutra had the other assist.

Then, with Bentley's Matt Maher in the penalty box, the Lakers took a 3-1 lead courtesy of junior Matthew Zay's 16th goal of the season. Zay, who was held off the scoresheet on Friday night for just the fifth time all season, sniped a shot from the left wing circle that Komm had no chance to stop. The puck went over the glove hand, hit off the corner of the crossbar, and went in the back of the net for a two-goal Laker lead. Jones and junior Daniel Bahntge had the assists on Zay's fourth power play goal of the season.

Bentley pulled Komm with 2:43 left in regulation and Tibbett made some huge saves to keep the two-goal lead intact. Roughly 90 seconds later, the Lakers sealed the victory with an empty net goal by Cook at the 18:48 mark. The sophomore's second goal of the game, and seventh of the season, was assisted by Nagtzaam and Dutra.

Tibbett stopped 10 shots in each of the first two periods and then 17 in the third for his 37-save night. Komm suffered the loss with 25 saves in defeat. He dropped to 13-8-4 on the season.

Like Friday night, both teams were penalized just twice the entire night. Mercyhurst went 1-for-2 on the power play while Bentley was 0-for-2. The Lakers were able to keep Bentley's power play, which entered the weekend converting at a 35.4% rate in league play, to 0-for-4 for the weekend.

Prior to the opening faceoff, Mercyhurst athletic trainer and equipment manager Mike Folga was presented with Lord Stanley's Cup by Mike Bolt, Keeper of the Cup for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Folga was the head equipment manager for the Cup-winning New York Rangers in 1994. Folga was able to share the moment with friends and family after the conclusion of the contest. Folga, who has been with the Mercyhurst men's hockey program for 13 seasons, hoisted the Cup proudly in front of a loud, standing ovation.

The Mercyhurst community and the Erie community were able to take pictures and touch the Cup throughout the course of the day with viewings at both the Student Union prior to the game and at the Ice Center during the contest.

Mercyhurst will be on the road next Friday and Saturday for another tough weekend series against the Falcons of Air Force in Colorado Springs. Faceoffs are scheduled for 9:05 ET both nights.