PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The No. 1 / 2 Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team extended its winning-streak over Robert Morris to 21 games Friday evening, defeating the Colonials 4-0 in a College Hockey America contest at the RMU Island Sports Center. With the victory, the Lakers improve to 22-2-3 on the season and 9-1-1 in CHA action.
Junior captain Vicki Bendus and sophomore Bailey Bram scored a goal and added an assist each, while sophomore Hillary Pattenden recorded her fourth shutout of the season with 20 saves.
Sophomore Kelley Steadman and freshman Samantha Watt each added a goal, and junior Cassea Schols, sophomore Pamela Zgoda and freshman Lauren Jones tallied assists.
Mercyhurst built itself a 2-0 lead through the first two periods before posting two goals in the third period.
Watt put the Lakers up 1-0 on a set play early in the first period. Off a face-off win by Bendus, Watt took the puck at the blueline and sent it through traffic past an unsuspecting Danica Butterfield with just 5:04 elasped. It was her second goal of the season and Bendus’ 28th assist of the season.
The Lakers outshot the Colonials 14-8 in the frame, but were forced to settle for the lone goal as the penalty-kill unit was put to work, killing off four RMU power plays during the final seven minutes of play.
The second period, however, would see the Mercyhurst power play go to work. The Lakers were awarded two extra-man advantages in the first seven minutes, making it a 2-0 game on the latter. Steadman scored her 14th goal of the season when she backhanded a pass from Zgoda past the RMU netminder at the 9:43 mark.
Mercyhurst capped the game with a pair of scores in the third. Bendus increased the advantage to 3-0 thanks to pass from junior Jesse Scanzano on a 2-on-1 rush at 6:31, while Bram added a power-play marker at 9:28. Both players now have 22 goals on the season.
The Lakers finished the game with a 34-20 advantage in shots and converted 2-for-6 on the power play. Robert Morris was held 0-for-8 with the extra man.
Both teams close out the season series on Saturday, Feb. 6, with a 7:05 p.m. contest at the RMU Island Sports Center.