Last year
Mercyhurst enjoyed a fabulous regular season, only to see the
year end in disappointment when Quinnipiac upset the Lakers in
the MAAC Tournament title game.
Things might
not have been as easy for head coach Rick Gotkin's club during
this season – they trailed in the MAAC standings by as many
as 12 points before making a late surge to the title – but
thanks to Sunday's 4-3 win over Quinnipiac in the MAAC championship
game, the end result was all the more more satisfying.
The Lakers
earn the MAAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they
will make their second appearance in three seasons. They are the
first MAAC team in the five-year history of the conference to
win the tournament title twice.
Mercyhurst
4,
Quinnipiac 3
Team
Goal
Str
Time
Assists
First
Period
1-Q
John
Kelly (6)
EV
6:18
D.
Ennis, D. Rossi
1-M
Rich
Hansen (15)
EV
8:19
M.
Chambers
2-Q
Chris
White (10)
EV
13:26
T.
Morrison, A. Ludwig
Second
Period
2-M
David
Wrigley (16)
EV
1:11
M.
Muldoon
3-M
Mike
Carter (10)
EV
13:56
S.
Reynolds, J. King
Third
Period
3-Q
Tim
Morrison (3)
EV
4:10
A.
Ludwig, C. White
4-M
T.J.
Kemp (11)
PP
8:45
D.
Wrigley, A. Tackaberry
Goaltending
Q:
Jamie Holden, 59:04, 30 saves, 4 GA
M:
Andy Franck, 60:00, 27 saves, 3 GA
Penalties:
Q 5/10; M 6/12
Power
Plays: Q 0-5; M 1-4
Attendance:
1,445
All-Tournament
Team
G:
Andy Franck, Mercyhurst
D: T.J. Kemp, Mercyhurst
D: Mike Muldoon, Mercyhurst
F: Dave Borrelli, Mercyhurst
F: David Wrigley, Mercyhurst (MVP)
F: Matt Craig, Quinnipiac
As they have
all year, Mercyhurst employed a balanced attack in the title game.
Four players accounted for the Lakers' four goals, with sophomore
defenseman T.J. Kemp netting the game-winner with 11:15 remaining
in the third period.
Forwards from
three different lines scored the other three Laker goals. Mercyhurst
scored 14 goals in the semifinals and championship, but no individual
had more than two goals. David Wrigley earned tournament MVP honors
after posting one goal and one assist in the title game (two goals,
three assists on the weekend).
Quinnipiac
held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period, as the Bobcats
tested freshman Laker goaltender Andy Franck early with 12 shots
in the period. John Kelly and Chris White scored for the Bobcats,
sandwiched around a Rich Hansen tally for Mercyhurst.
The Lakers
roared back in the second , scoring twice to take a 3-2 lead into
the third period.
But freshman
Tim Morrison answered for Quinnipiac, and Mercyhurst's 14-0-0
record when leading after two periods appeared to be in jeopardy.
The Lakers righted the ship, however, and Kemp scored on a power
play. Franck and his teammates held on to the lead.
Franck finished
with 27 saves while his counterpart, Jamie Holden, made 30 for
Quinnipiac. Mercyhurst killed off all five of Quinnipiac's power-play
opportunities.
WHAT'S
NEXT
As the final
game before the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, Mercyhurst rounds
out the field. The Lakers – who gave Michigan a scare two
years ago before losing, 4-3 – will be a fourth seed, likely
facing Cornell or Colorado College in Worcester or Ann Arbor,
respectively. They could also meet Minnesota, if the tournament's
fourth seeds be the Lakers, Wayne State and two WCHA clubs. Selections
are announced Sunday night at 6 p.m. on ESPN (or ESPNews if ESPN
is covering college basketball).