by Dan Scully
Published September 20th, 2021
News and Notes
- Despite being a matchup of conference opponents, Sunday’s contest will not count towards College Hockey America standings.
- The Tigers and Lakers will meet four more times this season, November 19th and 20th at the Gene Polisseni Center and February 4th and 5th in Erie, PA. All of those games will count towards CHA standings.
- The Tigers entered the game with a 6-32 record against the Lakers.
- Freshman forward Megan McCormick scored her first collegiate goal in the second period, while sophomore forward Chloe McNeil and freshman defender Bailey Kehl recorded their first collegiate points with assists on goals in the first and second periods, respectively.
The RIT Tigers started the 2021-22 campaign with a 6-3 defeat to the Mercyhurst Lakers on Sunday in Erie.
A Quick Start
The game got off to a hot start as the Tigers scored just 3:48 in. F Emma Roland took the puck away from a Laker in the neutral zone, skated up the left wing, cut to the middle and wristed it past netminder Jenna Silvonen to give RIT the lead unassisted. Less than four minutes later, D Taylor Sims entered the zone on the left side off a pass from F Chloe McNeil. Sims slid a slow shot towards the crease, which was deflected in by F Lindsay Maloney. It was McNeil’s first collegiate point. The Tigers had established a two goal lead just 7:28 into the contest, getting the monkey off their back from last season where it took them until game 13 to tally multiple markers in a single game.
The Lakers Get Moving, Turn the Game into a Barn Burner
Mercyhurst answered just 1:19 after Maloney’s goal as F Grace Nelles tipped in a shot from D Sydney Pedersen from the right point, with the secondary helper coming from F Emily Pinto. 1:20 later, Mercyhurst would tie the game as F Kristy Pidgeon cleaned up a rebound that bounced to the left side off a shot from the right side by F Liliane Perreault, with Pedersen getting credit for the second assist.
The pace didn’t slow after the teams had combined for four goals in just over half a period. After killing a body checking minor assessed shortly after the tying goal without allowing a shot, the Lakers would take the lead on a wide open shot for F Marielle Parks from the right wing, tucking it between Tiger goaltender Taylor Liotta and the far post on assists from Perreault and Pidgeon. 1:24 later, F Sydney Wegner succeeded in jamming a rebound out of a netfront scrum and into the net to put the Lakers up two, with assists credited to F Vanessa Upson and F Chantal Ste-Croix. The first period would end with the Lakers up 4-2.
The Pace Slows Down
The second period saw less action than the first, despite four power plays for the Tigers and one for the Lakers. Two shots for the Tigers in their first opportunity of the period didn’t yield a goal, nor did Mercyhurst’s lone opportunity with one shot. The Tigers could not test Silvonen on their second opportunity, seeing two Laker shots turned aside by goalie Sarah Coe in the process, who had relieved Liotta 8:25 into the second period.
The third RIT power play of the period saw both teams score. G. Nelles broke up a cross-ice pass near the blue line, leading to a 2-on-1 for herself and F Sara Boucher, with Boucher netting the puck. 1:17 later, F Megan McCormick would score her first collegiate goal with a shot from the top of the right circle through a screen. D Bailey Kehl had the lone helper, her first collegiate point.
The Lakers would regain their three goal lead just under three minutes later as Upson got the puck past Coe with help from D Jordan Mortlock and Boucher. RIT’s final power play of the period would be shortened by a too many players on the ice infraction.
A Quiet Third
The teams held each other scoreless in the third period. Neither team could convert on their multiple power plays in the third. The final score was 6-3 in favor of Mercyhurst, with Silvonen getting credit for the win having played all 60 minutes and making 19 saves on 22 shots (.864). Liotta was charged with the loss for the Tigers, playing 28:25 and making 11 saves on 15 shots (.733). Coe played the remaining ticks less 20 seconds of empty net time for a total of 31:15, making 15 saves on 17 shots (.882). RIT went 1-for-8 on the power play, while the Lakers were held without a goal on the advantage despite four opportunities.
Warning: Subjective Writing Ahead
Despite the loss, this game showed that the Tigers aren’t the same team they were last year. There were freshman mistakes, there were mistakes you might expect to see in the first game of a season, but the puck handling and movement is improved. There also seems to be significant chemistry already, despite the team having more newcomers than returners. Whatever the coaches and players have done to build those intangibles over the preseason, to my eye at least, has worked exceptionally well. There is room for improvement in this team, and I mean that in a very optimistic way. These players will only get better, especially now that the coaching staff finally has game video to work with in preparation for their next series.
Home Sweet Home-and-Home
The Tigers return to action Friday and Saturday, September 24th and 25th for a home-and-home series against #6 Colgate, first at Colgate on Friday at 5 PM, then home Saturday at 6 PM. Friday’s game will be available on ESPN+. Fans will be allowed to attend Saturday’s game at the Gene Polisseni Center; as a reminder, tickets to women’s hockey games are free to RIT students, alumni, staff, and faculty with their valid RIT ID! See RITTickets.com for further ticket details.
The All-American Eagle 
Sorry to hear they lost. Great coverage Dan.
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