Nov. 17, 2007

Stats

Rochester, NY - Senior forward Simon Lambert's third goal of the weekend, 3:11 into overtime, gave RIT a hard-fought 3-2 win over Mercyhurst in Atlantic Hockey Association action Saturday night at Frank Ritter Arena. The Tigers, 6-3 losers Friday, gained a split of the weekend set and improved to 4-5-0 overall and to 3-3-0 in the conference. The Lakers left town with 2-9-1 and 2-3-1 marks respectively.

Lambert's goal ruined another brilliant performance by Mercyhurst junior netminder Matt Lundin (1-2-0), who turned aside 51 Tigers' scoring attempts.

The Tigers opened a 2-0 lead with two 4-on-4 goals by junior defenseman Bobby Raymond at 19:43 of the first and sophomore winger Matt Crowell at 36 seconds of the middle period. But the Lakers fought back on the first career goal by freshman forward and Rochester native Mike Gurtler at 7:39 of the second and junior defenseman Bobby Phillips. Phillips' goal, his third career and second in as many nights, came with about three minutes left in regulations. Senior Kerry Bowman and sophomore Cullen Eddy helped on Gurtler's lamplighter and sophomore Nick Vandenbeld and freshman Scott Pitt assisted on Phillips' tying marker. That set the stage for Lambert's heroics.

RIT sophomore goalie Louis Menard, victimized by the Lakers Friday, got his fourth win of the season in eight decisions by stopping 37 shots. Both teams were blanked in four power play efforts. Mercyhurst had scored at least one power play goal in its last seven contests.

The Tigers, who now lead the all-time series 20-12-3, hadn't won an overtime game at home since March of 1997 and were 0-8-7 in extra sessions at Ritter Arena over the last ten years.

After playing tern of their first twelve on the road, the Lakers will play nine of their next ten at the Ice Center starting next weekend when conference-rival Sacred Heart visits for Friday and Saturday night games at 7:05.