ERIE, Pa. - Senior forward Daniel Bahntge had a career game and the Mercyhurst University version of the "Life of Riley" continued Friday night as the Lakers trounced visiting Sacred Heart 7-2 in an Atlantic Hockey Conference (AHC)  contest at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers improved to 9-6-3 overall and to 7-3-2 in the conference. The Pioneers' record fell to 6-12-3 overall and to 5-7-3 in the conference.

Bahntge had a career-high five-point game, scoring two goals and adding three assists while Riley, recently named both the Hockey Commissioners' Association and the AHC Rookie of the Month for December, added four on a goal and three helpers. Their new linemate, freshman Kane Elliot, recorded his first collegiate multiple-point game with three assists.

The Lakers erupted for three goals in a four-minute span early in the first period. Senior forward Ryan Misiak got Mercyhurst on the board with a blast from the point at 4:31, capitalizing on the period's only power play opportunity. Misiak's sixth of the year was helped by senior defenseman Tyler Shiplo and freshman forward Jonathan Charbonneau. Red-hot freshman Riley made it 2-0 about two minutes later when he collected his sixth of the season, beating Sacred Heart goaltender Andrew Bodnarchuk on a wraparound, with help from Bahntge and Elliot. The Lakers stretched the lead to 3-0 at 8:26 when Bahntge scored his seventh of the season. Riley and Elliot picked up the assists.

Mercyhurst outshot Sacred Heart 9-8 in the first period.

The Pioneers trimmed the lead to two when senior forward Drew George redirected a shot from the point past Laker goaltender Brandon Wildung and scored on the power play at 9:35 of the second. David Iacono and Zach Sabatini had the assists.

But the Lakers retaliated quickly when sophomore defenseman Philippe Drouin notched his second of the season and second of his career when he jammed a rebound past Bodnarchuk (4-6-3) at 10:09. Riley and Bahntge had the helpers. Bahntge ballooned the lead to four with his second of the game, from Riley and Elliot, at 12:13 to force a Sacred Heart goaltending change. Senior forward Kyle Just greeted senior Alex Vazzano rudely when he got into the act at 18:24, registering the Lakers' second power play goal of the night, from junior defenseman Anthony Mastrodicasa and Bahntge.

Sacred Heart outshot Mercyhurst 12-10 in the middle period and, despite trailing by five goals, had a 20-19 shot margin through forty minutes.

Sacred Heart scored its second power play goal of the game at 6:59 of the third when junior Jacob Brightbill ripped a shot past Wildung (2-1-2). Sophomores Jordan Minello and Mitch Nylen assisted on Brightbill's second lamplighter of the season. Mercyhurst team captain, senior Matthew Zay, ended the scoring with his fourth of the year at 11:15, capitalizing on a brilliant 2-on-1 rush with Just. Junior forward Kyle Cook also helped.

The Pioneers outshot Mercyhurst 15-4 in the third and 35-23 over sixty minutes.

Wildung stopped 33 shots for the Lakers while Bodnarchuk, who entered the game with a 3.02 goals-against-average, turned aside just 9-of-14 shots in just over 32 minutes. Vazzano allowed one goal on five shots in 7:47 while freshman Sammy Bernard played the third period and allowed one goal on four shots.

Both teams struggled killing penalties. The Lakers finished 2 of 2 while the Pioneers were successful twice in three chances.

The teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Notes: Bahntge has now scored at least one goal against Sacred Heart in all seven career meetings and has totaled 17 points on 11 goals and six assists against the Pioneers…Bahntge's prior high was four points (3g, 1a) in a 9-1 win over Sacred Heart on January 6, 2012, at the Ice Center…Bahntge's two goals marked the second time this season he's accomplished the feat (November 22 at Canisius) and his game-winner tied him for the team lead (Kyle Just) with three…Riley had his second four-point game of the season. He collected two goals and two assists at Army December 6…Riley stretched his scoring streak to six games while Misiak extended his to seven…Zay's goal was his first since December 6 at Army…Freshman goaltender Brandon Wildung made back-to-back starts for the first time in his young career…Prior to Friday's win, the Lakers were just 2-5-1 this season in the first game of a weekend pair, but 6-1-1 in the nightcap…The Lakers' seven goals equal their one-game high this season (7-5 at home over Army Saturday, November 8… Mercyhurst now leads the all-time series against Sacred Heart, 22-19-3. The Lakers have won the last seven meetings, eight of the last nine, and eleven of the last fourteen… Mercyhurst is 14-7-1 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center against Sacred Heart and has not lost to the Pioneers on home ice since a 3-2 overtime loss on November 23, 2007…Sacred Heart is now 1-6-1 in its last eight games