March 4, 2006

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - A freshman took charge on "Senior Day". Center Valerie Chouinard scored a pair of early first period goals and #7 Mercyhurst went on from there to turn back valiant College Hockey America (CHA)-rival Robert Morris 5-0 Saturday at the Ice Center in the regular season finale for both teams. Mercyhurst, which ended the regular season 21-7-6 overall and unbeaten in CHA (10-0-2), will open defense of its conference championship Thursday afternoon in Detroit when it plays the #4-seeded Colonials (5-23-2; 2-9-1) in the first semifinal game at 5:05. #2 Wayne State will tangle with #3 Niagara in the other game at 8:05.

Chouinard scored her team-leading 20th and 21st goals of the season at 5:43 and 8:24 as the Lakers went to the dressing room with a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes. Mercyhurst owned a lopsided 26-3 advantage in shots.

Mercyhurst doubled its lead to 4-0 in the middle period. Junior forward Sarah Kurth notched her first of the year at 11:30 and junior defender Jill Nugent cashed her fifth at 17:23. The Lakers outshot the Colonials 24-5 in the second period.

Junior winger Stefanie Bourbeau put the finishing touches on the scoring with her 14th of the year at 11:45 of the third. The line of Chouinard, Bourbeau, and Stephanie Jones celebrated an eight-point afternoon. Chouinard had two goals and an assist, Jones had three helpers, and Bourbeau had one of each.

Mercyhurst outshot RMU 62-13 and swept the season series against the first-year program, four games to none. Both teams were whistled for five minor penalties in the game. Neither was able to take advantage of the extra skater. The Colonials had a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 in the second, but could not generate a shot.

Mercyhurst freshman Courtney Drennen improved to 8-0-1 with her second shutout of the season. Robert Morris freshman Brianne McLaughlin, who stopped a combined 110 shots in the weekend series, saw her record dip to 5-22-2.

Before the game, Mercyhurst paid tribute to its two seniors, team captain/forward Samantha Shirley and defender Danielle Lansing.