WEST POINT, N.Y. – Mercyhurst scored on a 5-on-3 power play in the final minute of the second period to break a 1-1 tie and came away with the 3-1 win on Saturday night at Tate Rink.
Army (10-13-8, 7-11-8 AHA) was led by C.J. Reuschlein as he scored on the power play in the second period with assists to Nick DeCenzo and Brendan McGuire. Parker Gahagen made 35 saves in the loss, including 14 in the first period.
The Lakers (15-13-4, 13-9-4 AHA) saw Jonathan Charbonneau scored the gamewinner on the power play at the end of the second period and he sealed the win with an empty-netter coming with 1:12 remaining in the game. Tyler Enns and Derek Barach were given assists on the play. Brandon Wildung got the start and made 36 saves.
Mercyhurst took the early lead with Piacentini scoring from the point with Chris Makowski adding the assist. Piacentini fired a slapshot that got past Gahagen on the glove side.
The Black Knights responded on the power play with Reuschlein firing a shot from the right side. Nick DeCenzo got the puck in the cover and shoveled a pass out to Reuschlein and he walked it down to the dot and wristed it to the back of the net to even the score at 1-1 with 12:11 left in the frame.
The Lakers earned the 2-1 advantage right before the final minute with a 5-no-3 goals from Charbonneau after Army was called for an elbow and hitting after the whistle on the same play to create the two-man advantage. Mercyhurst moved the puck nicely on a tic-tac-toe play and Charbonneau finished it off.
Army put on the pressure in the third period with four power play chances and got 12 shots on net, but Wildung made 16 stops in the final 20 minutes to earn the win. Charbonneau added some insurance with an empty net goal from the neutral zone to put the game out of reach.
The Black Knights will be back on the ice for a home-and-home series next week against Bentley with Senior Night on Friday at Tate Rink.
Ice Shavings: Head coach Brian faced his son Jack, who is a first-line forward for Mercyhurst, for the eighth time in two years … It was the 50th meeting between Army and Mercyhurst … Gahagen made his 61st career start for the Black Knights and 26th this season … C.J. Reuschlein finished the weekend with two points on a goal and an assist.
