Holy Cross completed a weekend sweep of Mercyhurst with a 6-5 win in overtime Saturday night before over 800 fans at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Crusaders improved to 6-3-1 overall and to 6-0-1 in the Atlantic Hockey Association. The Lakers dropped to 4-3-0 and 3-2-0 respectively.
Mercyhurst was forced to play catch-up most of the night after falling behind 2-0 in the first period following HC goals by senior forward Greg Kealey and junior forward Andrew McKay less than ten minutes into the contest.
Sophomore forward Dave Borrelli cut the lead to 2-1 with a shorthanded goal at 15:51, the Lakers’ third shorthanded tally in the series, and Mercyhurst deadlocked the contest early in the second on sophomore defenseman Conrad Martin’s first goal of the campaign.
Holy Cross sophomore forward Pierre Napert-Frenette and Mercyhurst sophomore forward Scott Reynolds traded goals the rest of the period with Reynolds’ coming on a power play.
The Crusaders recaptured the lead early in the third when Napert-Frenette scored but the Lakers battled back with goals from freshman defenseman Pat Henk and a second power play tally from Reynolds to take their first lead midway in the final stanza.
Holy Cross pulled its goalie with under a minute left and, just seven seconds later, tied the game on a goal by sophomore forward Tyler McGregor.
Holy Cross then pressed the advantage in overtime and eventually got the game-winner at 1:46 from sophomore forward Andrew Weber.
Mercyhurst has a sizeable shot advantage, 35-18, converted two of four power plays and scored shorthanded — all to no avail. The Lakers still lead the all-time series against HC 10-3-1.
