Erie, PA—The Mercyhurst Women's Hockey team came out firing as they were able to net a season high six goals in a 6-2 win over the Lindenwood Lions.
How It Happened
The Lakers were able to control play in the first period and were rewarded with a 2-1 lead as they entered the locker room.
Mercyhurst was able to get on the board just 7:06 into the game as Chantal Ste-Croix was able to net her fifth goal of her freshman season. Ste-Croix was able to find the loose puck in the crease after Liliane Perreault passed through the crease and Summer-Rae Dobson tapped it to Ste-Croix, she made no mistake from her knee as she gave the Lakers the early lead.
Fellow freshman Sara Boucher would extend the Laker lead just five minutes later as she fired a one-timed missile from the right circle. On the powerplay, the Lakers worked the puck around the zone before K.K. Thiessen took a pass from Rachel Marmen and fed Boucher for the one-timer.
Lindenwood was only able to tally two shots on goal in the first period and were outshot 13-2 in the opening frame.
The Lakers would extend their lead back to two just 3:48 into the second period as Alexa Vasko and Boucher forced a Lindenwood turnover deep in the Lion zone. Grace Nelles would pick up the loose puck and beat Annika Asplundh for the third Lakers goal of the night and her third of the season.
Lindenwood would get their second goal of the night as they were able to take advantage on the powerplay. That would be last time Jenna Silvonen would let a puck into the Laker net.
With 5:10 remaining in the middle frame Thiessen decided it was time to get her first goal of the season. Thiessen would take the pass at the point from Dobson and was able to beat Asplundh who was screened by Vasko for the second powerplay goal of the night. Marmen picked up her second assist of the night on the play as well.
The two teams would head off the ice after two periods with Mercyhurst outshooting Lindenwood 25-10 and with the Lakers leading in the faceoff circle 19-14.
Mercyhurst would extend their lead to three as Marmen was able to net her second goal of the season. Marmen took the pass from Boucher and fired it towards the net and beat Asplundh who was screened by Vasko once again. Thiessen picked up her second assist of the night and third point while Boucher recorded her second point of the night and team high 13th point of the season.
The Lakers would put the nail in the coffin as they scored their season high sixth goal of the night at the 12:34 mark of the third period. Dobson was able to get her third point of the night as Perreault took a breakout pass from Thiessen and rushed up ice. Perreault entered the Lion zone with a full head of steam and fed Dobson who made no mistake by tapping it in for her third goal of the season and 37th of her career.
Silvonen would make 10 saves on 12 shots, while the Lakers were able to outshoot the Lions 33-12.
Battle on Special Teams
Both Lindenwood and Mercyhurst came into the series with powerplays that have only scored a combined 11 goals on 99 powerplays. Both the Lakers and Lions exploded for two goals each on the powerplay tonight. Lindenwood went 2-5 on the powerplay while generating three shots while the Lakers went 2-4 and tallied four shots with the advantage.
Freshman Class vs Senior Class
The Lakers had three freshman score tonight while picking up a combined four point tonight. The senior class said not so fast and were able to score three goals themselves and tallied 10 points.
Up Next
The Lakers and Lindenwood will match up in the second of three games with each other this weekend tomorrow. Faceoff is scheduled for 2:05 PM tomorrow, the teams will have a rest day on Saturday before playing the final game of the weekend on Sunday at 2:05 PM.
