MILFORD, Conn. - The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team had a significant advantage in shots on goal on Saturday night, but the story was Sacred Heart senior goaltender Alex Vazzano, as the Pioneers knocked off the Lakers 5-1 in the series finale at the Milford Ice Pavilion. The loss dropped Mercyhurst to 12-8-4 overall and 10-5-3 in the Atlantic Hockey Conference standings. Sacred Heart improved to 7-15-4 overall and 6-10-4 in conference play.

Mercyhurst outshot Sacred Heart 39-26 for the contest - marking just the fourth time this season that the Lakers have outshot their opponent. However, the Lakers are now 1-3-0 in those four contests.

Redshirt senior Kyle Just helped Mercyhurst avoid the shutout, redirecting a centering pass from redshirt freshman Jack Riley from the right wing that got through the pads of Vazzano with 3:19 left in regulation. Just's ninth goal of the season was also assisted by junior defenseman Anthony Mastrodicasa.

Just's nine goals this season surpass his previous career-high of eight goals he scored last season.

Vazzano did the rest, stopping Mercyhurst's 38 other shots to improve to 3-8-1 on the year.

Sacred Heart jumped on the board just 34 seconds into the contest when Kory Kennedy beat freshman goaltender Brandon Wildung for his second goal of the season. Justin Danforth scored for the Pioneers twice in the second period, his second coming on the power play, to extend the home team's lead to 3-0 after forty minutes.

Danforth's second goal of the period ended the night for Wildung, who allowed three goals on 16 shots. He stopped 36-of-38 in Friday night's 2-2 overtime tie against the Pioneers.

Ben Lake made it 4-0 when he beat sophomore goaltender Spencer Bacon at 10:49. Evan Jasper sealed the Lakers' fate with an empty net goal with 16 seconds left in regulation for the final goal of the night.

Mercyhurst outshot Sacred Heart in each period - 13-9 in the first, 15-7 in the second, and 11-10 in the third. Wildung dropped to 4-3-3 on the season while Bacon stopped 8-of-9 shots he faced in more than 22 minutes of relief.

The Lakers, still occupying third place in the Atlantic Hockey Conference standings, will return home next Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, when they host fourth-place Bentley at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Falcons took three out of four points in a series against Mercyhurst back on November 14 and 15 in Waltham, Massachusetts. Faceoffs next weekend are scheduled for 7:05 p.m. both nights.