ERIE, Pa. – Junior
Brandon Coccimiglio scored a natural hat trick and added an assist to lead the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team past American International, 7-2, in an Atlantic Hockey contest Friday evening at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. With the victory, the Lakers snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 10-9-2 on the season and 10-5-2 in league play.
Coccimiglio’s second career hat trick helped the Lakers to their highest goal total at home this season and marked the first Mercyhurst natural hat trick since junior
Steve Cameron’s against Sacred Heart Jan. 17, 2009. It was also the first time since a 7-4 win over Connecticut Feb. 14, 2009 that the Lakers scored more than six goals in the confines of the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Along with Coccimiglio, 11 other players got on the stat sheet, including five with multi-point performances. Junior
Jeff Terminesi dished out a career-high three assists for three points, Cameron and freshman
Paul Chiasson both found the back of the net and tallied an assist, and junior
Scott Pitt and freshman
Grant Blakey tacked on two helpers apiece.
Senior
Neil Graham and junior
Mike Gurtler added goals, while seniors
Chris Risi and
Matt Fennell, sophomore
Patrick Goebel and freshman
Charlie Carkin registered assists.
Despite getting outshot 35-31 for the game, Mercyhurst made the most of its attempts. After taking a 1-0 lead on Graham’s fourth goal of the season in the first period, the Lakers exploded for four in the second. Coccimiglio single-handedly expanded the lead to 4-0 with three even-strength scores over a nine minute and 44 second span at 1:39, 8:05 and 11:55. Less than five minutes later, Chiasson added his fourth of the year to take a 5-0 lead into the third.
Following intermission both teams traded goals to close out the game. Cameron added the team’s sixth of the game just 2:54 into the frame on the power play while, following an AIC goal at the 3:26 mark, Gurtler tickled the twine with his sixth of the season at 9:09. American International’s Charles LaChance cut the deficit to five with 4:56 remaining.
Junior
Ryan Zapolski fended off a pesky Yellowjacket squad with 33 saves to improve to 10-9-2 on the season and 10-4-2 against Atlantic Hockey competition. On special teams, Mercyhurst finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play and went 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
Mercyhurst and American International close out the two-game series on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 7:05 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.