Mercyhurst Routes Bentley, 7-1

February 28, 2004

Courtesy of Bentley Sports Information Department

WATERTOWN, Mass. --- Freshman Jamie Hunt (Calgary, Alb.) scored a goal and added two assists and senior Mike Carter (Cambridge, Ont.) recorded three assists as the Mercyhurst College Lakers defeated Bentley College 7-1 in Atlantic Hockey action Saturday afternoon at the John A. Ryan Arena.

The Falcons dropped their third game in a row and fell to 7-18-4 overall and 5-13-4 in conference play. Mercyhurst swept the season series with Bentley, 3-0, and improved to 17-13-2 overall and 14-7-1 in Atlantic Hockey.

Mercyhurst jumped on the scoreboard first late in the opening period with a power play tally from junior forward Rich Hansen (Northport, N.Y.). Hansen was positioned in front of the Bentley net and was able to tip in a shot taken by Hunt from the point. The shot ricocheted off of Hansen's stick and into the net.

The Lakers increased their cushion to three with a pair of power play scores in the second period, courtesy of Adam Tackaberry (Nepean, Ont.) and Hansen's second PP score of the night. Tackaberry, who also added an assist later in the game, was able to pounce on a rebound from a shot taken by T.J Kemp (Pickering, Ont.) when Mercyhurst was on a five-on-three power play. The visitors struck again, this time with the five-on-four advantage, when Carter threaded a backdoor pass to Hansen for the goal.

Bentley was able to get one back midway through the second frame, when freshman Kyle Larman (Canton, Mich./Plymouth-Canton HS) sent a shot from just inside the blue line, that found its way through traffic and into the back of the Mercyhurst net.

Up 3-1 heading into the final frame, Mercyhurst poured it on in the final 20 minutes, tallying four scores to balloon the lead to six. Hunt led the charge, and freshman Jon Asseltine (Barrie, Ont.), Kyle Gourgon (Stittsville, Ont.) and Pat Henk (Mentor, Ohio) all got in the mix.

Bentley goalie Simon St. Pierre (Montreal, Que./College Bourget) made 31 stops in his first action in six games. Mercyhurst goalie Jordan Wakefield (Spruce Grove, Alb.) made 27 stops for the victors.

Bentley hits the road to play Army, Friday March 5. Game time is 7:00.

At Watertown, Mass.

MERCYHURST 7, BENTLEY 1

Mercyhurst (17-13-2, 14-7-1 AHA) 1 2 4 -- 7

Bentley (7-18-4, 5-13-4 AHA) 0 1 0 -- 1

1st Period: M, Rich Hansen (T.J. Kemp, Jamie Hunt) 18:09

2nd Period: M, Adam Tackaberry (Kemp, Kyle Gourgon) 8:47; M, Hansen (Mike Carter) 9:15; B, Kyle Larman (Seth Vinocur, Joe Lovell) 12:42

3rd Period: M, Hunt (Dave Borrelli, Scott Reynolds) 8:52; M, Jon Asseltine (Tackaberry, Carter) 11:45; Gourgon (Hunt, Denis Kirstein) 17:52; M, Pat Henk (Carter, Reynolds) 19:54

Saves: B, Simon St. Pierre 31; M, Jordan Wakefield 27

Shots: B 28, M 28

Penalties: B 8/16, M 8/16

Power Play: B 0/7, M 5/7