Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Lakers Men's Ice Hockey team delivered a strong performance on Friday night, defeating the Niagara Purple Eagles 5-1 in an Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) matchup at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. A balanced offensive attack and stellar goaltending from Carter McPhail fueled the Lakers to their third win of the season. 

How It Happened: 

The Lakers opened the scoring in the first period at 6:18 when Davis Fry found the back of the net off assists from Boris Skalos and Will Margel. Just four minutes later, Skalos doubled the lead with an even-strength goal, assisted by Margel and Trent Sambrook, giving Mercyhurst a 2-0 advantage heading into the first intermission. 

In the second period, Mercyhurst extended their lead to 3-0 at 9:33 with a goal from Sean James, assisted by Steven Agriogianis and Tyler Nasca. Niagara responded with their lone goal of the game at 11:52, scored by Alex Murray and assisted by Trevor Hoskin and Jay Ahearn, cutting the deficit to 3-1. 

The Lakers dominated the third period, starting with a power-play goal by Brendan Lamb at 3:23, assisted by Jake Beaune and Margel. Matteo Disipio sealed the victory at 4:03 with an even-strength tally, assisted by Agriogianis and James. 

Notable Performances: 

• Will Margel recorded three assists and Steven Agriogianis recorded two of his own. 

• Boris Skalos contributed a goal and an assist. 

• Sean James tallied a goal and an assist, continuing his impressive form. 

• Carter McPhail was stellar in net, making 38 saves to secure the victory. 

Special Teams: 

The Lakers went 1-for-2 on the power play while holding Niagara scoreless on their lone power-play opportunity. 

Up Next: 

Mercyhurst (3-19-3, 3-12-2 AHA) will face Niagara (11-10-3, 9-5-2 AHA) again on Saturday night to conclude the two-game series. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM at Dwyer Arena in Niagara Falls, New York.