Pham Tallies Four Points at Mercyhurst
Lakers Defeat Black Knights in Offensive Shootout
Erie, Pa. – Rookie Tyler Pham tallied a career-high four points with two goals and two assists, but three unanswered goals by Mercyhurst in the third period gave the Lakers a 7-5 win in Atlantic Hockey action on Saturday night.
The Black Knights (2-6-1, 2-5-1 AHA) also got two-point nights from rookie Nick DeCenzo and first-year defensemen Blake Box tallied his first collegiate goal. Parker Gahagen got the start in net for Army and pushed aside 28 shots.
Mercyhurst (5-3-0, 3-1-0 AHA) saw Chris Bodo put up three points with two goals and an assist. Ryan Misiak also had a three-point outing with two helpers and a goal, while Jonathan Charbonneau recorded two points on a goal and an assist. Jimmy Sarjeant earned the start between the pipes and stopped 13 before Spencer Bacon relieved him for the third and he stopped 12 shots and got the win.
Army took the first lead of the game with Blake Box scoring his first collegiate goal with 12:44left in the opening frame. Rookies Nick DeCenzo and Pham combined on the two assists. The Lakers fired back with 5:05 remaining in the frame with Charbonneau tying the game at 1-1.
The game opened up in the second frame with a total of six goals being scored. Each team had three goals in the stanza and the game was tied 4-4 going into the final period. Pham got the Black Knights back in the lead at 2-1 with the first of two on the night, which came on a penalty shot. The goal came just over five minutes into the period and Maurice Alvarez increased the lead to two goals for Army. It was his third power play tally of the season. DeCenzo and Pham were credited for the assists and finished the game with two assists.
The Lakers responded with three unanswered goals in a span of six minutes to earn their first lead of the game at 4-3. Bodo had two of the three goals, while Kyle Just netted the second of the three tallies. Musiak and Alec Shields recorded two assist each during the three-goal run.
Less than two minutes after Mercyhurst took its first lead of the game, Josh Richards tied the game for the third time with his second of the year with 2:45 remaining in the frame. Mike Preston and Joe Llaurado were awarded helpers on the goal and the teams went into the second intermission at 4-4.
Army regained the advantage for the third time in the game at 5-4 with Pham netting his second of the day and first on the power play, 37 seconds into the third. The rookie finished the night with a career-high four points and leads the team with eight points on four goals and four assists.
The lead lasted just under three minutes with Kyle Dutra tying the game for the fourth time and then the Lakers potted the final two goals of the game to skate off the ice with a 7-5 win on Saturday night.
The Black Knights are back in action next weekend at Tate Rink against Holy Cross.
Game Notes: This was the 46th meeting between Mercyhurst and Army … the Lakers were victorious for the 33rd time in the series … Pham is now tied for the league lead in points among rookies with eight and is even with RMU’s Brady Ferguson for the most goals with four … Box became the 11th skater to score a goal this season.
