NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara men's hockey team (15-9-3, 12-7-1 AHA) let a one-goal lead slip away, as the visiting Mercyhurst Lakers (12-12-3, 10-9-1 AHA) downed the Purple Eagles 8-5 at Dwyer Arena on Friday night.

With a 5-4 lead late in the third period, Mercyhurst scored four times in a span of 4:39 to secure the 8-5 victory, with two markers on the man-advantage and two empty net markers.

"We can't have a third period like that," Head Coach Dave Burkholder said. "We got to be able to finish off teams, instead of letting them hang around."

After the Lakers took a 2-0 lead in the first, the Purple Eagles would respond in the second period. In a span of 51 seconds early in the second period, Niagara tied the game on goals by seniors Paul Zanette and David Ross.

The Lakers would strike twice more to take a 4-2 lead by the halfway mark of the period, but once again Niagara would respond. The Purple Eagles would knot the game in a span of 25 seconds, beginning with a goal by sophomore Marc Zanette and ending with freshman Ryan Rashid's first goal of the game a half a minute later. Rashid would light the lamp once more on the evening, giving Niagara a 5-4 lead after 40 minutes.

Rashid record his first multi-goal game of his career, while freshman netminder Cody Campbell made 20 saves in the loss.

"Tomorrow will be a huge road game for us," Burkholder said. "We need to play better in order to pick up two points tomorrow."

Niagara finishes it's two-game series with the Lakers in Erie, Pa. on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.