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 Sam Poyton became the first WSU women's hockey player to score 20 goals in a season. |
Feb. 10, 2006
DETROIT, Mich. - A pair of third-period goals by Mercyhurst helped put an end to Wayne State's four-game winning streak, as the Warriors fell, 4-2, to the sixth-ranked Lakers on "Skate For The Cure" Night at City Sports Center Arena on Friday.
Mercyhurst got on the board first, as Robyn Law fed a pass of the boards to Kristen Erickson, who skated from inside MC's blue line to the offensive zone and fired a shot off the left pad of Warrior goaltender Tiffany Thompson (Dryden, Ont./Thunder Bay Queens). Erickson followed in down low and snuck her own rebound in behind Thompson to put MC ahead 1-0 at the 5:44 mark.
Wayne State answered 63 seconds later, as Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) became the first women's hockey player in WSU history to score 20 goals in a season. The scoring play began when Amanda Hungle (Regina, Sask./Regina Wild) dug the puck away from two MC skaters and sent Poyton ahead. Poyton, one-on-one with a defender, made a nice move to get past her and beat Laker goalie Laura Hosier on a backhand to tie the game.
Exactly 20 minutes after the Warrior goal, Mercyhurst scored its second to regain the lead. Julia Colizza took the puck in the left corner and passed it behind the net to Samantha Shirley. The Laker captain came around the near post and put it past Thompson, who had turned the opposite way expecting a wrap-around. For Shirley, it marks her seventh goal of the season and the 57th of her career.
The Warriors continued to battle, however, and tied the game again at the 12:32 mark of the second period on a power play. Danielle Wilson (Gravenhurst, Ont./Toronto Aeros) sent a pass across the point to Peyton Patterson (Brampton, Ont./Toronto Sting), who got a shot through traffic in on a diving Hosier. Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) was waiting on the right side for the rebound and shot the puck in above Hosier, who could not recover in time, for her 13th goal of the season.
Despite the even score, Mercyhurst held a 26-13 advantage in shots on goal through 40 minutes of play.
Stefanie Bourbeau netted the game-winner for the Lakers at 5:06 in the third period, as she took a pass from Law around the net and in low on the right side to put Mercyhurst ahead, 3-2.
Freshman Valerie Chouinard scored her 18th goal of the season at 18:28 to put the game away, as she rattled one off the right post and in past Thompson. Stephanie Jones and Emily Berzins earned assists on the play.
Wayne State had five power-play opportunities in the third period, including a 5-on-3 situation, but could not capitalize, managing just two shots on goal with an extra skater. The Warriors had one power-play goal in eight chances overall, while the Lakers were scoreless in four power-play opportunities.
Wayne State and Mercyhurst will meet again at City Sports Center Arena on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
