Box Score ERIE, Pa. – Justin Danforth's first career hat trick and four-point night led the Sacred Heart men's hockey team to a 6-4 win Saturday night over the Mercyhurst Lakers at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Danforth became the first Pioneer to record a hat trick since Matt Gingera on March 3, 2012 at Bentley. He's also the first Pioneer since Drew George on February 10, 2012 to have four points in a game. Sacred Heart's win at Mercyhurst was its first in Erie since November 23, 2007 and earned a split of the weekend series.
It less than four minutes for Sacred Heart (9-11-3, 8-8-2 AHC) to get on the scoreboard. Jordan Minello took a Liam Clare pass at the right circle and fired a shot past Mercyhurst (11-11-0, 9-7-0 AHC) goaltender Adam Carlson to give the Pioneers a 1-0 lead 3:54 into the game. The Pioneers held the Lakers to just two shots in the first 10 minutes, but Mercyhurst tied the game with 1:17 remaining in the period. Kyle Dutra scored a power play goal from Lester Lancaster.
Danforth put Sacred Heart ahead 2-1 with 5:40 to play in the second period. With the Pioneers on the power play, Danforth fired a Mitch Nylen pass into the net to give SHU the lead. Forty seconds later, the Lakers made the score 2-2 as Jonathan Charbonneau scored a power play goal with the backhand. The Pioneers took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission as Nick Lotito scored his first goal of the season with a shot right through Carlson's legs.
Danforth scored his second goal of the night 1:01 into the third period, finishing off a shorthanded breakaway with Evan Jasper to make the score 4-2. The Lakers scored on their power play 0:27 later when Dutra scored on a one-timer from Anthony Mastrodicasa. Zach Luczyk put the Pioneers back up by two, 5-3, when he redirected a Mitch Nylen shot past Carlson with 9:08 left. Mercyhurst closed to within one with 3:10 remaining on a Taylor Best power play goal, but Danforth finished off his hat trick with an empty net goal in the final minute to make the final score 6-4.
Mercyhurst outshot Sacred Heart 32-22. Brett Magnus made 28 saves for his ninth win of the season. The Lakers were 3-for-8 on the power play as the Pioneers went 1-for-4.
The Pioneers return to Milford Ice Pavilion next weekend for a series against RIT. The series opens on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7:05 p.m.
FIRST PERIOD
- Minello's goal was his eighth of the season and sixth in his last nine games.
- Sacred Heart is now 5-6 when scoring the first goal.
SECOND PERIOD
- Danforth's power play goal was his 10th of the season, making him the first Pioneer to reach double-figure goals. It was SHU's first power play goal in five games.
- Lotito scored his first goal since February 7, 2014 – a stretch of 43 games.
THIRD PERIOD
- Danforth completed his hat trick with his first two shorthanded goals of the season.
- Luczyk's goal was his fifth of the season and first in five games. Kory Kennedy had an assist on the tally, his first point since Nov. 28.
