Box Score ERIE, Pa.— The Sacred Heart men's hockey team used a late goal by senior Justin Danforth at the 17:25 mark in regulation to tie Mercyhurst 2-2 on Friday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Pioneers (9-14-4, 7-12-2 AHA) picked up a point in the Atlantic Hockey standings as the regular season begins to wind down.
After a slow start by both teams for much of the first period, Mercyhurst (11-13-4, 10-9-4 AHA) netted the game's first goal at 16:14 as Jack Riley tipped in the deflection from Derek Barach. Mercyhurst looked to extend their lead early in the second period on the power play, but a turnover in the Sacred Heart zone led to a breakaway for freshman Zach Tsekos, who drove all the way to the net for the shorthanded goal to tie it up at 1-1. Meryhurst nearly answered with a shorthanded goal of their own as Tommaso Bucci had a wide open breakaway attempt denied by sophomore Brett Magnus on the SHU power play at 9:00 in the second. Both teams continued to battle the rest of the second period before Taylor Best gave the Lakers the 2-1 advantage as he deked past a SHU defender and slipped the puck past Magnus at 19:00 in the second.
Sacred Heart looked to rally in the third, outshooting Mercyhurst 13 to seven in the period. SHU finally broke through as Danforth put in the feed from sophomore Liam Clare and senior Mitch Nylen at 17:25 to tie the game 2-2. Danforth has continued his strong play, scoring in back to back contests and in five of his last six. Magnus made five big stops to hold Mercyhurst from securing a game winner in overtime.
Both teams were even with shots on goal at 34-34. The Lakers went 0-for-5 on the power play and yielded the Pioneers fifth shorthanded goal of the season. Sacred Heart went 0-for-4 on the man advantage. Magnus recorded 32 saves on the night as did Brandon Wildung in goal for the Lakers.
The Pioneers close their season series with the Lakers tomorrow night at 7:05pm.
First Period
- Magnus a pad save on a two-on-one rush shot by Taylor Best, early in the first period.
- Danforth ripped a shot from left circle but is denied by Wildung at 11:35 in the first period.
- Pioneers were outshot 13-7 in the first period.
Second Period
- Magnus with the big sliding stop on a snipe by Les Lancaster in the first minute of action in the second.
- Tsekos picked up his first career shorthanded goal with the clean breakaway at 5:14.
- Magnus with two huge saves on breakaway attempt by Bucci and Wes Baker halfway through the period.
- Danforth with the feed to a wide-open Stephen Hladin in the slot but Wildung was able to make the at 16:34 in the second.
Third Period
- Wildung made a strong pad save on a snipe by Zach De Concilys at 5:09 in the third period.
- Danforth tied it up with his eighth goal of the year on the feed from Clare at 17:25 in the third.
- SHU outshot Mercyhurst 25-16 in the second and third period.
Overtime
- Magnus with a big stop on a wide-open shot by Charbonneau in the first minute of overtime.
