Feb. 11, 2006

Box Score

Detroit, Mich. - #7 Mercyhurst needed a late third period goal from freshman forward Valerie Chouinard to salvage a 2-2 overtime tie at College Hockey America rival Wayne State Saturday. The Lakers, 18-7-5 overall, are now 8-0-2 in the conference and solidly in first place. Second-place Wayne State must win its final six conference games and hope Robert Morris can sweep the Lakers in a two-game set scheduled early March at the Ice Center to tie for the top rung. Mercyhurst won the season series, however, 2-0-2. The Warriors, 0-26-2 lifetime against the Lakers, are now 10-13-5 and 2-2-2 respectively.

Mercyhurst scored first when junior defender Ashley Pendleton scored on a power play at 12:18 of the first. The lead lasted about five minutes before WSU freshman Sam Poyton tallied her 21st of the year.

The Warriors then took a 2-1 lead early in the second when freshman Melissa Boal notched her 14th of the season on a power play. Wayne State and sophomore goaltender Valery Turcotte held the advantage for nearly 34 minutes before Chouinard's heroics.

Mercyhurst held a 4-2 advantage in shots in the overtime and outshot Wayne State 35-28 overall. Sophomore Laura Hosier made 26 saves and left Detroit with an overall 11-7-5 record. Turcotte (8-10-2) made 33 stops for the Warriors.

Mercyhurst is idle next weekend before traveling to Cornell on February 24 and 25. The Lakers will close the regular season against RMU on March 3 and 4.