Feb. 2, 2008

Stats

Worcester, Mass. - Mercyhurst got second period special teams' goals from freshman Mike Gurtler and sophomore Neil Graham and held on to turn back Holy Cross 2-1 Saturday night to compolete a weekend sweep. The Lakers, 6-3 winners Friday, improved to 9-14-5 overall and to 9-6-5 in the Atlantic Hockey Association. The Crusaders fell to 8-12-6 and 7-10-3 respectively.

Neither team scored in the first period, one in which Mercyhurst owned a 11-8 advantage in shots. The Crusaders had the period's lone penalty.

Holy Cross took a 1-0 lead early in the second when sophomore forward Brodie Sheahan beat Mercyhurst junior Matt Lundin. But the Lakers rallied for two scores later in the period and those markers would prove decisive. Freshman forward Mike Gurtler scored his second goal of the series, and first career power play, at 14:27 to tie the contest. Gurtler had help from senior captain Ben Cottreau, who snapped a three-game dry spell. Sophomore Neil Graham collected the clinching goal when he lit the lamp at 18:18 with the Lakers down a man. It was Graham's first career shorthanded goal and second game-winner of the season. Sophomore Chris Risi and Lundin assisted. For Lundin (7-7-4), it was his first career assist. The Lakers outshot the Crusaders 17-9 in the second period.

Holy Cross fired 13 shots in the third, had a pair of power play chances, and was able to pull goaltender Adam Roy (6-9-3) for over a minute late in the game, but couldn't get the tying score.

Mercyhurst was outshot 13-7 in the exciting third period, but had a 35-30 advantage in shots overall. The Lakers finished 1 for 3 on the power play and were a combined 3 for 8 with the extra man in the weekend series. Holy Cross finished 0 for 4 in the game and was 0 for 6 in the two games.

Mercyhurst ended a critical six-game road trip 2-1-3 and won the season series against Holy Cross 2-1-1. The sweep gives Mercyhurst 23 conference points, just three back of first-place RIT, which defeated AIC 5-2 Saturday.. The Lakers, however, have two games in hand.

Mercyhurst has eight conference games left in the regular season and five of them will be at home starting next weekend when Air Force visits for 7:35 and 7:05 games Friday and Saturday nights. The teams split a pair of games last November in Colorado. Mercyhurst won 5-3 before the Falcons rebounded for a 6-2 win the next night.