The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey team needed a spark to gain control of a tight game Saturday against American International.
Daniel Bahntge provided it. The sophomore forward recorded his second collegiate hat trick, including the tiebreaking goal, in a 7-2 Atlantic Hockey Association win in front of 625 fans at Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers rebounded from a 7-3 loss to AIC Friday.
Bahntge began his three-goal outing by snapping a 1-1 tie 8 minutes, 29 seconds into the second period. His goal sparked a stretch of six straight goals – four in the decisive second period – that opened a 7-1 lead. He capped the onslaught with his final two goals in the third.
Chris Bodo scored two goals for the Lakers (6-6-1, 6-3-0 AHA), while Matthew Zay had three assists. Max Strang made 26 saves to earn the win in net. Mercyhurst outshot the Yellow Jackets (4-8-3, 1-6-3) by a 38-28 count. The Lakers return to action next Saturday with a non-conference game at Clarkson, followed by an AHA home game Dec. 18 against Canisius.

ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University men’s hockey team recently held its annual postseason team banquet and head coach Rick Gotkin presented eight postseason team awards to members of the 2011-12 roster.

The Lakers finished the 2011-12 season with a 20-16-4 overall record and advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Association semifinals for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The team’s 20 victories was also the most by a Mercyhurst team since winning 22 games during the 2008-09 campaign.

Redshirt junior goaltender Max Strang was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, while freshman Daniel Bahntge was the only player to winning multiple awards, finishing as the team’s Top Forward and as the Freshman of the Year.

The Top Defenseman award was given to sophomore Nick Jones, while the Top Defensive Forward went to sophomore Daniel O’Donoghue. Sophomore Randy Cure was named the team’s Most Improved Player and freshman Edward DeWald was given the team’s Hustle Award. Freshman Grant Gettinger earned the final honor of the evening, picking up the team’s Scholar Athlete Award.

Most Valuable Player – Max Strang
Strang, who will be returning for a fifth season in 2012-13, posted remarkable numbers in his first year as the starting goaltender. The native of Gilbertsville, Pa. had started just seven games in three years entering the season, but finished the campaign with a 16-14-3 overall record with a 2.68 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. His numbers were even better in the conference, as he helped lead Mercyhurst to a tie for third place in the standings and a first round bye in the postseason. He went 12-6-3 against conference opponents and sported a 2.25 goals against average and a .939 save percentage.

In the quarterfinals against Holy Cross, Strang stopped 111-of-115 Crusader shots (.965) to lead the Lakers to the best-of-three series victory and to advance to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals for the first time in four years. In 14 of his 33 starts, he stopped at least 38 shots and in 17 of his starts, he allowed two goals or fewer.

Freshman Of The Year / Top Forward – Daniel Bahntge
A native of Westlake, Ohio, Bahntge led Mercyhurst in scoring as a freshman, recording 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points. He was named to the Atlantic Hockey Association’s All-Rookie Team, finishing third in points by a rookie in the conference behind Bentley’s Alex Grieve and Brett Switzer, who had 34 and 33 points respectively. Earlier in the season, Bahntge was named the conference’s Rookie of the Week on January 9 and was also the conference’s Rookie of the Month in November. He had his first collegiate hat trick against Sacred Heart on January 6 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center, and then scored both of the Lakers’ goals in last Friday’s game one victory over Holy Cross.

Top Defenseman – Nick Jones
Jones was the only non-freshman from Mercyhurst to be named to an All-Conference team, earning a Third Team nod as a defenseman. A native of Cranberry Township, Pa., Jones led all Laker defensemen in scoring with 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points this season. His ten goals is the most goals by a Laker defenseman since Jamie Hunt scored 12 during the 2005-06 season. Hunt went on to become the first Laker to play in the National Hockey League, skating for the Washington Capitals. In fact, Jones’ ten goals is the tied for third-most by a Mercyhurst defenseman since the 1999-2000 season. T.J. Kemp scored 11 in 2002-03 and then scored 10 during the 2004-05 season.

Jones finished in a tie for third among Atlantic Hockey defensemen with his 24 points this season, trailing only Air Force’s Tim Kirby (28) and Connecticut’s Alex Gerke (25). He was tied with Air Force’s Scott Mathis.

Top Defensive Forward – Daniel O’Donoghue
A native of Port Jefferson Station, New York, O’Donoghue earned the Top Defensive Forward award after posting eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points this season. O’Donoghue was one of the Lakers’ best penalty killers all season and was usually on the team’s top unit when called upon to kill a penalty. The sophomore scored Mercyhurst’s first shorthanded goal of the season against Sacred Heart on January 6 and he was named the Atlantic Hockey Co-Player of the Week on January 23 after posting two goals and two assists in a series at Holy Cross.

Most Improved Player – Randy Cure
Hailing from Bloomington, Minnesota, Cure worked his way into the lineup on a regular basis this past season after being in-and-out of the lineup as a freshman. Although he only posted one assist in 34 games this season, Cure played a valuable role on the Mercyhurst blueline and was also regularly on the team’s penalty killing unit. Primarily a defenseman this past season, Cure was also pressed into services as a third- or fourth-line winger when injuries or illnesses came about. His only point was an assist on the team’s final regular season game of the season against Canisius.

Hustle Award – Edward DeWald
A native of Southampton, Pa., DeWald always gave 100% whether in practice or when he cracked the Mercyhurst lineup. Appearing in 19 games as a freshman, the winger posted one assist on the season – a helper against Niagara University on December 10. Mercyhurst was one game over .500 (9-8-2) when DeWald was in the lineup this season.

Scholar Athlete Award – Grant Gettinger
A native of North Olmsted, Ohio, Gettinger was honored with the Scholar Athlete Award by posting the best numbers in the classroom during the season. Gettinger was also a mainstay on the Mercyhurst blueline in his rookie season, appearing in all but one game and finishing the season with three assists. He earned assists against Alaska, RIT, and Canisius this season and also finished the year as a +1.

- From Mercyhurst news release

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Sophomore defenseman Nick Jones, freshman forward Daniel Bahntge, and freshman defenseman Tyler Shiplo of the Mercyhurst men’s hockey team were honored with postseason honors by the Atlantic Hockey Association on Thursday night at the conference banquet in Rochester, N.Y.

Jones was named an All-Conference Third Team selection, while Bahntge and Shiplo earned All-Rookie Team accolades.

A native of Cranberry Township, Pa, Jones currently leads all Laker defensemen in scoring with 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points this season. His ten goals is the most goals by a Laker defenseman since Jamie Hunt scored 12 during the 2005-06 season. Hunt went on to become the first Laker to play in the National Hockey League, skating for the Washington Capitals. In fact, Jones’ ten goals is the tied for third-most by a Mercyhurst defenseman since the 1999-2000 season. T.J. Kemp scored 11 in 2002-
03 and then scored 10 during the 2004-05 season.

Jones ranks third among Atlantic Hockey defensemen with his 24 points this season, trailing only Air Force’s Tim Kirby (27) and Connecticut’s Alex Gerke (25). Kirby was named the conference’s Defenseman of the Year and Player of the Year on Thursday night.

Bahntge, a native of Westlake, Ohio, leads Mercyhurst in scoring this season with 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points. Earlier this season, the freshman was named the conference’s Rookie of the Week on January 9 and was also the conference’s Rookie of the Month in November. He had his first collegiate hat trick against Sacred Heart on January 6 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center, and then scored both of the Lakers’ goals in last Friday’s game one victory over Holy Cross.

He ranks third in the conference among freshmen in scoring with 31 points, trailing Bentley’s Alex Grieve (34) and Brett Switzer (33).

Shiplo, a native of Oakville, Ontario, ranks third on the team in points by a defenseman with four goals and 15 assists for 19 points. The freshman had a goal and an assist last weekend against Holy Cross and registered four two-point contests this season, including a pair of assists in a 5-4 win at nationally-ranked Cornell on October 29.

He ranks tenth among conference defensemen in scoring and tied for 12th among conference freshmen.

- From Mercyhurst news release

Mercyhurst men’s hockey coach Rick Gotkin called Friday night’s intense battle with Holy Cross the easiest game of the weekend.

If that’s the case, expect an all-out war tonight. The Crusaders “are not going to go quietly,” Gotkin said.

Mercyhurst and Holy Cross fought for start to finish in the Lakers’ 2-1 win in Game 1 of their best-of-three Atlantic Hockey Association quarterfinal series, played in front of 1,125 at Mercyhurst Ice Center.

“Nothing has been easy with us playing against Holy Cross,” said Gotkin, whose team posted a win and tie – both in overtime – in Worcester, Mass., in late January. On this night, his Lakers (19-14-4) didn’t have many offensive chances. They also had to overcome a relentless attack from the Crusaders.

Mercyhurst had two shots on goal in the first period. But freshman forward Daniel Bahntge’s stellar effort 4 minutes, 59 seconds into the game allowed the Lakers to salvage a 1-1 heading into the second.

“I had an opportunity to take it to the net,” Bahntge said. “I drove hard, shot it and I got lucky.”

The Lakers had a few more shots in that period – eight in all. But they needed only one – Bahntge’s goal from in front – to take the lead at 2-1 at the 1:27 mark of the second. Fourth-seeded Mercyhurst held on to take a 1-0 lead over the fifth-seeded Crusaders in the series into Game 2 today at 7:05 p.m. at MIC.

* News and notes: Holy Cross outshot the Lakers by a combined 85-51 in their two regular-season meetings. … Sophomore forward Daniel O’Donoghue left the ice late in the second after being speared in the midsection by Crusaders forward Jay Silvia. O’Donoghue returned for the third. Silvia received a major penalty and game misconduct. … Junior forward Grant Blakey had an assist on Bahntge’s first goal in his return to the lineup. Blakey missed the final previous games with a lower-body injury. … Lakers senior Patrick Goebel and Crusaders senior Matt Clune exchanged words in the handshake line after the game.

- Victor Fernandes

Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament scoreboard

Game 1 – Friday

No. 4 Mercyhurst 2, No. 5 Holy Cross 1

No. 6 Bentley 4, No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology 1

No. 2 Niagara 3, No. 7 Robert Morris 0

No. 8 Connecticut at No. 1 Air Force (n)

Game 2 – Today

No. 5 Holy Cross (19-14-4) at No. 4 Mercyhurst (19-14-4), 7:05 p.m.

No. 6 Bentley (16-14-8) at No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology (17-12-6), 7:05 p.m.

No. 7 Robert Morris (17-16-5) at No. 2 Niagara (16-10-9), 7:05 p.m.

No. 8 Connecticut (15-17-4) at No. 1 Air Force (17-9-7), 9:05 p.m.

Note: Game 3, if necessary, will be on Sunday at same locations and times.

SUMMARY

Mercyhurst 2, Holy Cross 1

Holy Cross  1  0  0  —  1

Mercyhurst  1  1  0  —  2

1^st Period — 1. Holy Cross, Erik Vos 13 (Stockton, Silvia), 2:25 (pp). 2. Mercyhurst, Daniel Bahntge 9 (Nagtzaam, Blakey), 4:59. Penalties — Gettinger (M) holding, :54; Linsmayer (H) slashing, 14:12; Elliott (M) interference, 15:22.

2^nd Period — 3. Mercyhurst, Bahntge 10 (Shiplo, Noble), 1:27. Penalties — Fletcher (H) interference, 9:30; Silvia (H) 5-min. spearing (served by McNamara), 17:08; Silvia (H) game misconduct, 17:08; Bodo (M) interference, 19:28; Goebel (M) roughing, 19:51.

3^rd Period — None. Penalties — Nagtzaam (M) hooking, 2:46; O’Donoghue (M) high sticking, 10:06; Misiak (M) roughing, 12:36; Linsmayer (H) tripping, 14:52.

Shots on goal — Holy Cross, 12-9-9—30; Mercyhurst, 2-8-7—17.

Goaltenders — Holy Cross, Matt Ginn 16-7-2 (17 shots, 15 saves); Mercyhurst, Max Strang 15-12-3 (30 shots, 29 saves).

Power plays — Holy Cross (1-6), Mercyhurst (0-5).

Attendance — 1,125.

Sacred Heart (1-16-1, 0-10-1 AHA) at Mercyhurst College (10-8-2, 7-2-2)

When: Friday and Saturday, 7:05 p.m.

Where: Mercyhurst Ice Center

On the air: www.b2livetv.com (live stream), WMCE-FM/88.5 & 104.9 (radio), www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)

Up next: at American International (Jan. 13-14, 7:05 p.m.)

Fast facts: The Lakers (16 points) are tied for second with Robert Morris and Rochester Institute of Technology in the Atlantic Hockey Association standings, one point behind Air Force. … They snapped a six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2) in conference play with a 4-3 loss to Niagara Dec. 10 at Mercyhurst Ice Center. … The Lakers face a one-win team for the second straight weekend. They swept a two-game non-conference series at Alabama-Huntsville 5-1 and 4-3 last weekend. … Freshmen lead the Lakers in points (Nardo Nagtzaam 13) and assists (Daniel Bahntge and Tyler Shiplo 9 apiece). Freshman Chris Bodo’s 6 goals ranks second to senior Derek Elliott (7) in goals. … Sophomore F Kyle Just has a goal and two points in his first two games of the season. Just and sophomore G Jordan Tibbett, who didn’t dress for either game last weekend, were acquitted of sexual assault and other charges in November. … Redshirt junior G Max Strang has a 7-2-2 record, 2.06 goals-against average and .947 save percentage in 11 AHA games. … The Pioneers posted their lone win, 7-6, against then-No. 8 Yale Nov. 22. They recorded their lone point in the AHA standings with a 4-4 tie against Niagara Nov. 27.

- Victor Fernandes

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Freshman goaltender Jimmy Sarjeant stopped 23-of-26 shots in his college debut to lead the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team to a 4-3 win against Alabama-Huntsville in front of 1,062 at Propst Arena on Saturday.

The Lakers swept a two-game series from UHA for the second straight year.

Sarjeant allowed two goals on six shots in the opening period. But his teammates responded with goals from senior Derek Elliott and freshmen Chris Bodo and Daniel Bahntge to take a 3-2 lead.

Sarjeant settled down after that, allowing only one goal on his final 20 shots. UAH (1-21-1) tied the score at 3 on Graeme Strukoff’s goal 8 minutes, 34 seconds into the second period. But freshman Ryan Misiak scored 3:43 into the third to hand the Lakers (10-8-2) a 4-3 lead. The Lakers were outshot 26-22.

Bodo led the Lakers with a goal and two assists. Misiak had a goal and assist. Mercyhurst returns to Atlantic Hockey Association play on Friday and Saturday with a pair of 7:05 p.m. games against Sacred Heart at Mercyhurst Ice Center.

OMAHA, Neb. – The Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team is still searching for offense.

The Lakers were held to one goal for the second straight game in a 2-1 loss to Robert Morris in the consolation game of the Mutual of Omaha Stampede at CenturyLink Center Omaha on Saturday.

These Atlantic Hockey Association rivals played to a scoreless tie until RMU’s Zach Hervato scored 9 minutes, 55 seconds into the second period. RMU’s Adam Brace scored the eventual winning goal 59 seconds into the third. Trent Frey sliced Mercyhurst’s deficit in half to 2-1 with 6:40 left. Freshman Daniel Bahntge had the assist on the goal for his first career point.

But RMU goaltender Eric Levine held the Lakers (0-2-0) off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Max Strang made 23 saves in a losing effort for the Lakers. RMU improved to 1-1-0. Mercyhurst, which lost to No. 14 Nebraska Omaha in Friday’s opening round, heads to Fairbanks, Alaska next weekend to face Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage in the Brice Alaska Gold Rush.

SUMMARY

Colonials 2, Lakers 1

Robert Morris  0  1  1  —  2

Mercyhurst  0  0  1  —  1

1^st Period — None. Penalties — South (R) hooking, 11:01.

2^nd Period — 1. RMU, Zach Hervato 1 (Lewis), 9:55. Penalties — Noble (M) holding, 11:49; Shiplo (M) interference, 18:56.

3^rd Period — 2. RMU, Adam Brace 1 (Cramer, Jamison), :59. 3. Mercyhurst, Trent Frey 1 (Bahntge), 13:20. Penalties — Cartier (R) slashing, 14:11.

Shots on goal — RMU, 8-6-11—25; Mercyhurst, 11-9-10—30.

Goaltenders — RMU, Eric Levine 1-0-0 (30 shots, 29 saves); Mercyhurst, Max Strang 0-2-0 (25 shots, 23 saves).

Power plays — RMU (0-2), Mercyhurst (0-2).