Mercyhurst Edges Bentley 2-1

January 9, 2004

Courtesy of Mercyhurst Sports Information Department

Gotkin Now All-Time Winningest Coach

(Erie, PA) Mercyhurst snapped a three-game non-conference losing streak and gave head coach Rick Gotkin his 286th career win, first all-time among Mercyhurst head coaches, as the Lakers edged Bentley 2-1 Friday night, January 9, before over 850 fans at the Ice Center.

Gotkin broke a tie with former baseball coach Joe Jordano, who left Mercyhurst in late 1997 following ten years to take the head job at the University of Pittsburgh. The win improved Mercyhurst’s overall record to 8-9-1 and its Atlantic Hockey mark to 5-3-0. Bentley, which came to Erie unbeaten in its last four (2-0-2), fell to 3-10-4 and 1-5-4 respectively.

Senior forward Mike Carter gave Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead with his fifth of the season late in the first period. The Lakers stretched the lead to 2-0 when junior forward David Wrigley scored his team-leading tenth of the campaign early in the second.

Bentley finally solved Mercyhurst junior netminder Andy Franck with 1:47 left in regulation when sophomore forward Ryan Mayhew scored his fourth of the year from in close. The Falcons pulled junior goaltender Simon St. Pierre with 18 seconds left, but could not get the tying marker.

Bentley outshot Mercyhurst 38-36 in the wide open contest, which featured 31 shots in the first stanza, 19 by the Falcons.

The teams combined for 15 power play chances in the game, with neither team able to score with the man advantage.

Mercyhurst, which hadn’t played a home game in nearly two months, now leads the all-time series against the teams 12-3-1. The two teams will conclude the weekend competition Saturday night at 7:30.