Box Score

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Juniors Ryan Misiak and Zac Frischmon had two goals apiece and senior Nick Jones had three assists as the Mercyhurst University men's hockey team remained in first place in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings with a 6-3 victory at Rochester Institute of Technology on Friday night at the Frank Ritter Arena. The Lakers improved to 16-12-5 overall and 14-4-4 in conference play while the Tigers dropped to 8-16-5 overall and 7-12-3 in the league standings.

Mercyhurst remained two points ahead of second-Bentley in the conference standings after the Falcons defeated Army on the road by a 6-1 final. The Lakers did, however, gain ground on both third-place teams - Air Force, which lost to Canisius, 4-0, and Connecticut, which dropped a 3-1 decision to Holy Cross.

Misiak scored both of his goals in the second period, including the eventual game-winner as the horn sounded to close out the middle frame. With the Lakers on the power play, it appeared that RIT was going to get out of the period down by a goal when a centering pass was blocked in front of the Tiger goal. However, junior Chris Bodo hustled behind the net and centered a pass to Misiak, who beat RIT goaltender Mike Rotolo as the horn sounded to close out the frame. The officials signaled goal on the ice and, after reviewing the goal on replay, upheld the decision for a 4-2 Mercyhurst lead. Misiak's goal officially came with six-tenths of a second left in the period – his second of the game and 11th of the season. Bodo and sophomore Anthony Mastrodicasa had the helpers.

Frischmon scored the Lakers' first goal – his first career power play goal - and their last goal of the game, a shorthanded empty-net tally. It was his second career two-goal game, both coming this season. His man-down goal gave the Lakers nine shorthanded tallies this season, which broke a tie with Maine for most in the country.

The Tigers got on the board first when freshman Caleb Cameron notched his first collegiate goal at the 6:53 mark of the opening period. Mercyhurst was unable to clear the defensive zone, as the attempt was intercepted by Dan Schuler along the right wing wall. Schuler threw the puck towards the net and Cameron, who slid in the back door, redirected the centering feed past Mercyhurst goaltender Jordan Tibbett for the first goal of the night.

Mercyhurst was able to tie the game at 1-1 at the 9:29 mark when Frischmon scored his first collegiate power play goal. Misiak hustled into the RIT zone to poke-check the puck away from Rotolo and then sent a pass to Jones at the point. Jones found Frischmon along the left wing, who then made a spin move around a Tiger defenseman and beat Rotolo inside the near post for his sixth goal of the season.

But, the hosts responded on the power play with 56 seconds left in the opening period on a goal by Ben Lynch. The Tiger forward faked a centering pass to get Tibbett out of position and then slid a shot into what was essentially an empty net for a 2-1 advantage. Greg Noyes and Brad McGowan had the assists.

Shots favored Mercyhurst by a 14-13 advantage in the opening period.

The second period belonged to Mercyhurst, as the Lakers scored three times, and outshot the Tigers 16-10, to take a 4-2 lead after forty minutes.

Misiak started and ended the period on a high-note for Mercyhurst. The junior buried his tenth goal of the season just 36 seconds into the middle frame to tie the contest at 2-2. A centering pass from Jones found Misiak stationed in front of Rotolo and he redirected it through the five-hole of the RIT goaltender. Junior Kyle Just had the secondary assist.

Junior Nardo Nagtzaam gave the Lakers their first lead of the night at the 6:07 mark with his fifth goal of the season. Nagtzaam intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, skated up the left wing, and slapped a shot over the glove hand of Rotolo and just under the crossbar. The unassisted goal was his 50th career point.

Misiak literally ended the period with his 11th goal of the season.

RIT would make it a one-goal game with 10:34 left in the third courtesy of a defensive lapse inside the Laker zone. An errant clearing attempt by Mercyhurst was intercepted by Brandon Thompson along the right wing wall. Thompson sent it towards the goa; itl was knocked down in front, but the defense could not clear it away and Danny Smith was there to bang it home past Tibbett to give the hosts some life.

But, the Lakers scored the final two goals of the night for the final margin. After a faceoff outside the RIT zone, junior Daniel Bahntge buried his 14th goal of the season, banging home a rebound for a 5-3 Laker lead with 5:59 left in regulation. Senior Randy Cure took the initial shot after the faceoff win and Rotolo could not hang on to the rebound. Jones earned his third assist of the night on the tally.

Then, with the Lakers shorthanded and Rotolo pulled for an extra attacker, Frischmon intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, turned, and sent a shot into the RIT goal just before the buzzer to close out the contest. It was Frischmon's second goal of the game and seventh of the season.

Tibbett, after a sluggish first period, was excellent over the final two periods and finished the night with 39 saves for his second victory of the season. He improved to 2-8-1 on the year. Rotolo, meanwhile, stopped 36 shots in defeat. He dropped to 5-6-3 on the year.

Mercyhurst was 2-for-7 on the power play while RIT went 1-for-7 with the man advantage.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday night. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.