Mercyhurst earns split with 5-1 win in game two

ERIE, Pa. – Mercyhurst scored four goals in the first period and defeated Air Force, 5-1, in an Atlantic Hockey game Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, Pa. The two teams split the two-game league series.

Mercyhurst (3-6-2, 2-2-2 AHA) took an early lead when Ryan Coughlin scored on a 2-on-1 with Boris Skalos at 2:40. After a too many men on the ice penalty on the Falcons, the Lakers took a 2-0 lead on a one-timer by Phillip Waugh at 4:58. Laker winger Kyler Head scored his second goal of the series on a rebound for a 3-0 lead at 9:15. Keenan Stewart put back a shot off the back wall at 11:19 for a 4-0 lead. After the goal, senior Maiszon Balboa replaced Guy Blessing in the crease for the Falcons.

Air Force (7-7-0, 4-2-0 AHA) got on the board early in the second period. Austin Schwartz made a long outlet pass to Holt Oliphant who scored his second of the series and fifth of the season at 4:33 of the second period. The Falcons outshot the Lakers, 15-12, in the second period.

The Falcons had several chances late in the second period and throughout the third, but Laker goalie Owen Say kept the net clean. The Falcons outshot the Lakers, 13-3, in the third period. Late in the third, Skalos forced a turnover in the Falcon end and Coughlin scored his second of the game with 4:43 left in the game.

Air Force outshot the Lakers, 28-15, in the final 40 minutes and 34-27 in the game. The Lakers were 1-for-3 on the power play while the Falcons were 0-for-3. Say made 33 saves for the Lakers. Blessing made six saves in 15 minutes. Balboa stopped 16 of 17 over the final 45 minutes.

"This game was all about the first period and the first period was all about Mercyhurst," head coach Frank Serratore said. "They had a sense of urgency and they beat us in every way in that first period. We bounced back in the second and third period, but that first period killed us."

Air Force continues the four-game road swing with a pair of games at Canisius, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 24-25, in Buffalo, N.Y.

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