FAIRFIELD, Conn. (January 5, 2024) – Three first-period turnovers wound up in the back of the net. The power play went 0-for-7 for the game. Marcus Joughin (Tecumseh, Ontario) and Chikara Hanzawa (Tokyo, Japan) were able to score in quick succession in the second period, but otherwise, Friday night was one to forget for the Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team. Mercyhurst reclaimed a two-goal lead before the second frame ended and then tacked on three more in the third to win going away, 7-2, in Atlantic Hockey play at Martire Family Arena.
 
The first period featured a little bit of everything, including a shorthanded tally, some 4-on-3 play and a seven-minute power play. What it did not feature was a Pioneer goal, as SHU trailed 3-0 after one, despite a 19-8 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Mercyhurst (7-9-3, 5-3-3 AHA) opened the scoring at the 4:27 mark, after Mickey Burns stripped the puck from Conner Hutchison (Hicksville, N.Y.) in the neutral zone. Burns poked it ahead to Will Margel, who picked the top-right corner from the right circle for his third of the season.
 
Burns would get one of his own, his fourth of the campaign, at 8:50. Garrett Dahm dispossessed TJ Walsh (Shrewsbury, Mass.) high in the SHU attacking zone and shoveled it ahead to Burns. The latter snapped a shot to the top-left portion of the net on the ensuing breakaway.
 
"Obviously, not the result we were hoping for, with a team like Mercyhurst who is very good in transition and has some talented guys up front," said head coach C.J. Marottolo, who was candid with his thoughts after the game. "We didn't manage the puck well in the first part of the game."
 
Sacred Heart (8-9-1, 8-4-0 AHA) had a chance to turn the tables at 10:43, after Dustin Geregach was levied a cross-checking minor, a spearing major and a game misconduct for a run-in with Kevin Lombardi (Schwenksville, Pa.) behind the Mercyhurst net. With the Lakers already on the penalty kill, the result was a seven-minute SHU power play, which began with 29 seconds of 5-on-3 time.
 
Instead, the deficit grew, as the visitors put home a shorthanded goal. After winning a puck battle in his own end, Marko Reifenberger head-manned a 2-on-1 rush the other way. From the right side, he feathered a pass to Spencer Smith, who buried his first of the year.
 
"Special teams was a big-- a big deciding factor in the game tonight, and our puck management," continued Marottolo, with an exasperated sigh for effect. "So those are two things that we're going to have to really look hard at on video and address for tomorrow's game."
 
SHU – which has been averaging just 25 shots per game – continued to generate chances in the second period, as the Pios posted a 14-6 shots advantage, en route to a 39-28 margin for the game. However, 12 of Sacred Heart's shots game via its seven power-play chances, which meant even-strength shots were much more even.
 
A pair of goals 38 seconds apart in the middle of the second frame put some life into the hockey game. First, Hunter Sansbury (Lomita, Calif.) sent a stretch pass ahead to Joughin, who wired a shot to the top-right corner from the right circle on the rush at 11:46, for his sixth of the year. At 12:24, it was Hanzawa who netted the second goal of his career, after Rylee Hlusiak (Barrie, Ontario) flipped a puck out front from the left side of the cage. Amid the resultant goalmouth scramble, Hanzawa knocked it home on the backhand.
 
Mercyhurst pushed the lead back to two before the period was out though, scoring just seconds after a power play expired. Philip Waugh set up Dahm in the right circle, and the latter sniped the top-right corner.
 
The Lakers found the dagger at 4:25 of the third, with the night's lone power-play tally, when Kyler Head found Trent Sambrook in the high slot for his second of the year. Sambrook struck again at 14:13, and Boris Skalos capped things off at 16:29, as Mercyhurst pulled away for the 7-2 win.
 
Despite facing only 28 shots, Chase Clark (Williamsville, N.Y.) seemed to be under siege for much of the night in the Pioneer crease, as he faced repeated quality chances and breakaways. He finished the game with 21 saves in the loss (8-8-0). Owen Say (6-6-3) made 37 saves against 39 shots in the win for Mercyhurst.
 
"Overall, not where we wanted to be," concluded Marottolo.
 
The two teams will wrap up the weekend series at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Martire Family Arena.