Junior Crystal Connors scored on the power-play just 55 seconds into overtime to lift No.1 St. Lawrence (4-0-0, 0-0-0) to a 3-2 win over No.8 Mercyhurst (3-4-0, 0-0-0) Saturday afternoon. St. Lawrence is off to its best start the 1999-2000 season, when the Saints opened at 4-0-0.
Mercyhurst controlled the entire third period, tallying its second goal and limiting St. Lawrence to only eight shots. Senior Samantha Shirley tied the game on an even-strength goal on a rebound from junior Ashley Pendleton. The goal, Shirley’s fourth, came at the 12:29 mark. The session ended with a penalty on freshman Courtney Unruh for obstruction-interference, with just 26 seconds remaining.
The first period of play was one of missed opportunity for both teams, as the each team had opportunities to score on five-on-three advantages. St. Lawrence was whistled for three penalties early in the period, and the favor would be returned one-up for Mercyhurst when it was whistled for four straight later in the frame. Mercyhurst held a one-man advantage for over four minutes during the first period, including almost two and a half minutes of two-man advantage. The period ended with no goals, each goalie stopping ten shots.
Where the opening period was scoreless, the floodgates began to open in the middle session. St. Lawrence got on the board early with a marker at 5:31 of the second period. Looking to capitalize on a Laker penalty, the Saints cashed in with only five seconds left on the power-play. Sophomore Sabrina Harbec beat Hosier in the upper left hand corner to break the scoreless tie. Harbec’s goal, her second, was assisted by Alison Domenico and Carson Duggan.
Mercyhurst surrendered an even-strength goal at 17:03 of the same period when Duggan beat Hosier on a 2-on-2 breakaway. Duggan had a forward on her left, but chose to shoot herself from the right side and beat Hosier in the top of the net. The Lakers were able to pull back to within one when Pendleton took a rebound and snuck it past St. Lawrence senior goalie Jessica Moffat on a five-on-three advantage for the Lakers. Junior Julia Colizza took the initial shot on the play and was followed by with a shot by freshman Valarie Chouinard before her rebound came down right in front of Pendleton.
Moffat finished with a season-high 39 saves for her fourth win of the season. Hosier posted 29 saves in the loss for Mercyhurst. The Saints were 2-of-7 on the power-play, while the Lakers were 1-of-8. The two teams are back in action tomorrow, October 30, with the puck dropping at 1 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
