ERIE, Pa. – Mercyhurst goaltender Sarah McDonnell earned her second win of the season and the Mercyhurst penalty kill stopped seven Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) power plays to set up a 4-1 win on Friday evening at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
The non-conference victory is the first of the season for the Lakers (3-8-2) in addition to being the Lakers’ first home win of the year.
McDonnell was named the first star of the game after she made 31 saves on 32 shots. Her play in net was also key in helping the Lakers fend off all seven of RPI’s power plays. The Engineers (4-7-4) had 18 shot attempts on their man-advantages but weren’t able to convert thanks to McDonnell and the penalty-killing unit.
The Lakers scored three of their goals in the first period, beginning with Megan Korzack’s unassisted tally at 7:56. She forced a turnover in the neutral zone and scored on a wrist shot.
Summer-Rae Dobson scored on a lucky bounce at 11:27 after lofting the puck from the blue line towards net. Engineer goaltender Lovisa Selander mishandled the puck and it trickled into the net. Molly Blasen and McDonnell earned assists on the play.
Maggie Knott extended her goal-scoring streak to three with her fourth of the season at 17:42 in the first. She finished a rebound originally shot by Blasen just as a five-on-three expired. Dobson picked up her second point of the night with the second assist.
The Lakers chased goaltender Selander after the first period and dealt with backup goaltender Kira Bombay, who stopped all 18 shots she faced in the second and third periods.
Mercyhurst killed four RPI power plays in the second period before finally giving up a score at 5:41 in the third to Marisa Raspa. Sabrina Repaci and Jaimie Grigsby had the assists on the goal, Raspa’s second of the year. The Lakers sealed the game with an empty-net goal by Vilma Tanskanen, her team-leading sixth of the season.
The Lakers look to complete the sweep with a rematch on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
