Mercyhurst Wins Tight Battle

Mercyhurst North East's Michael Laguardia scored with 8:28 remaining to break a 7-7 tie to lift the Saints to a 8-7 victory over Alfred State in a Region III battle.  The Saints improve to 4-1 on the season while the Pioneers are 2-4.

Mercyhurst North East scored the first three goals of the game and led 3-1 after the 1st quarter.  After MNE tallied an early goal in the 2nd quarter, Alfred State put together a string of three straight goals to tie the game at 4-4 at half.  Neither offense could get much going in the 3rd until the Saints scored on an extra man opportunity with 3:35 remaining in the quarter.  MNE extended their lead to 7-4 with two early goals in the 4th but the Pioneers stormed back with three goals (two with the extra man) to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:41 remaining.  Laguardia scored the eventual game-winner after getting a pretty pass from Jay Lunz from behind the net with 8:28 remaining. 

Both teams had opportunities to get on the board in the closing minutes but neither could get anything past the goal line.  The Pioneers had the final shot in the closing seconds but Dorian Gaborek made the game clinching save with two seconds remaining and the blue & gold were unable to get another shot.

Chance Lowry (Waterloo) led the Pioneers with three goals and an assist while Mike Hart (Ajax, ONT) had two goals and an assist.  Lance Elithorpe (Shaftsbury, VT) netted two goals while Kyle Davis (Cortland/Homer) and Jordan Napierala (West Irondeqouit) both were credited with an assist.

Laguardia and Anthony Frontiera both scored twice for the Saints.

Brad Stowell (Waterloo) made 22 saves in net for the Pioneers while Gaborek made 15 for MNE.  The Saints held a 37 to 23 shot advantage.

The blue & gold continue their three-game home stand on Saturday when they host SUNY Delhi at Pioneer Stadium at 1 p.m.