ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst scored three quick goals in the second period for a 6-3 victory over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey game Saturday.

Air Force (0-8-1, 0-8-1 AHA) opened the scoring 94 seconds into the game as freshman Will Gavin scored with a wrister from the slot on the rush. Luke Robinson poked a puck free in the neutral zone and Blake Bride set up Gavin at the blue line. Mercyhurst (4-5-1, 3-2-1 AHA) answered when Michael Bevilacqua tied it at 6:55. The Falcons regained the lead on the power play. Gavin’s shot from the left point was tipped in by Shawn Knowlton with 10:10 left in the opening period. Willie Reim also assisted on the play. The Lakers tied the game on the power play as Austin Heidemann put in a rebound at 14:31.

The Lakers erupted for three goals in a span of four minutes in the second period. Heidemann scored with a wrister from the left circle at 10:52. The Lakers then scored power-play goals from Jonathan Bendorf at 13:31 and Heidemann completed a hat trick at 14:52.

Mercyhurst took a 6-2 lead in the third period as Dante Spagnuolo scored. Late in the period, Robinson drew a five-minute major on Heidemann and the Falcons capitalized. Knowlton netted his second of the game as he tipped in a shot by Reim with 3:02 left. Gavin also assisted as he collected a career-best three points in the game.

“We are young and thin,” coach Frank Serratore said. “We just need to stick together and keep improving. We are learning every night and striving to become the team that we want to be in February and March. Big series coming up for us this weekend as Army comes to town.”