ERIE, Pa. -- Derek Barach scored the game-winning goal in overtime as the Mercyhurst men's ice hockey team defeated Atlantic Hockey opponent Canisius, 4-3, in front of 1,172 fans on Friday at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Barach and Jonathan Charbonneau finished with two-point nights, having one goal and one assist each. Nathan Ferriero and Wes Baker also had goals for the Lakers (4-3-2, 2-1-2). Joseph Duszak made two assists while Bryan Sienerth, Joshua Lammon, Zach Todd and Jack Riley added single assists.

Ryan Schmelzer, Matt Hoover and Dylan McLaughlin scored for Canisius (3-4-1, 3-4-0).

Barach tallied the winner 2:01 into extra time. Shortly after the Lakers killed off a penalty to Charbonneau, Riley created a turnover in the neutral zone before Charbonneau hopped on the loose puck. Charbonneau fed the puck back to Riley, whose shot toward the net deflected off the leg of Barach and into the Canisius net.

The Lakers had opened the night's scoring in the second period on a goal by Ferriero; credit Duszak and Sienerth with assists. Canisius answered just two minutes later, evening the score at 1-1, on a goal by Schmelzer during 4-on-4 action.

Baker gave the Lakers its next lead with 1:48 left in the second. Todd forced a turnover deep in the Laker zone and, then, Lammon skated the puck into the Griffin zone before feeding Baker for the score.

With Mercyhurst trying to close out the game, bad fortune struck four times in succession, beginning with a minor Laker penalty.

After killing the ensuing Canisius power play, Mercyhurst quickly went back to the penalty kill -- this time due to a five-minute major -- and that led to two Griffin goals in 39 seconds. Hoover tied the game and then McLaughlin gave the visitors their only lead.

After going on the power play, Mercyhurst had an empty net when it forced overtime on Charbonneau's goal with 1:25 remaining in regulation. Barach and Duszak assisted that goal.
 
The Lakers were 1-for-3 on the power play while the Griffin went 2-for-6.
 
Brandon Wildung earned the win in net for Mercyhurst, stopping 24 shots. Simon Hofley had 34 saves for Canisius. The Lakers outshot their visitors, 38-27.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. faceoff at the MIC.