In their first meeting since the Bobcats defeated the Lakers 6-4 last March in the MAAC championship game, Quinnipiac and Mercyhurst skated to a 3-3 tie Saturday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Quinnipiac had the only goal of the first period as senior defenseman Matt Erhart scored on the power play at 9:06. It was his first of the season.
The Lakers rallied to take a 2-1 lead midway through the second on a power-play goal by sophomore defenseman T.J. Kemp at 1:08 and an even-strength score by junior forward Mike Carter at 10:35. The goals were Kemp’s second and Carter’s first.
The Bobcats wasted little time in knotting the game again when Ryan Morton scored his sixth of the campaign on a power play at 12:11. The score remained deadlocked until freshman forward Aaron Ludwig scored his second of the year, shorthanded, at 5:47 of the third.
But Mercyhurst countered with an even-strength score from sophomore forward Rich Hansen at 7:40. It was Hansen’s second of the year.
Each team had chances the remainder of regulation and in overtime, but Mercyhurst junior goalie Matt Cifelli and Quinnipiac sophomore Jamie Holden stood tall. Quinnipiac outshot Mercyhurst 32-24.
Mercyhurst is now 1-2-1 overall and 1-0-1 in the conference while the Bobcats are 4-1-1 on the season and 2-0-1 in the MAAC.
