Hockey Visits #19 Lowell Friday; Returns Home for Providence Saturday
MERRIMACK COLLEGE HOCKEY
Game #20 at #19 UMass Lowell, Tsongas Arena, 7 p.m. / Listen Live / Game
Notes (.pdf) / Live
Stats
Game #21 vs. Providence, Lawler Arena, 7 p.m. / Promotional
Information / $5 ticket
offer / Buy
Tickets Online / Watch Live / Game
Notes (.pdf) / Live
Stats / Purchase a
Replica Merrimack Home Jersey
Friday's Matchup: Merrimack concludes a
season-long seven-game, 49-day roadtrip at UMass Lowell Friday
night. The Warriors, still looking for their first road win, begin
a stretch of seven straight weekends of two games to conclude the
regular season.
Lifetime vs. UMass Lowell: The
Warriors are 33-64-8 lifetime against the River Hawks. They have
lost the last six meetings and are 1-14-1 in the last 16 games,
with the last win being a 3-1 victory at Lowell on November 1,
2007.
Coach Dennehy vs. the River Hawks: Coach Dennehy
is 1-11-1 against UML.
This Season vs. UMass Lowell (Lowell leads series
1-0-0):
(11/21/09 @ UML, UML, W 6-3): Chris Auger had two goals and three
assists as #4 Lowell netted five unanswered goals in a 6-3 win.
Justin Bonitatibus, J.C. Robitaille, and Jeff Velleca scored for
Merrimack, as MC outshot UML 33-26.
Saturday's Matchup: Merrimack finally
returns to Lawler Arena for its first home game since December 4 to
battle Providence. The Warriors are 7-1 at home this season.
Providence is the only Hockey East team Merrimack has not played
this season.
TV Note: The remainder of
Merrimack's home games will be televised on Andover TV on
tape delay. This game re-airs on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Lifetime vs. Providence: The Warriors are 25-73-7
lifetime against the Friars, 3-1-2 in the last six meetings.
Coach Dennehy vs. the Friars: Coach Dennehy is 5-5-2 as
head coach of the
Warriors against Providence.
Last Season vs. Providence (Series tied
1-1-1):
(01/31/09 - PC W, 5-3): Despite scoring three times in a 3:37
span, the Warriors were defeated 5-3 by the Friars. The goals were
scored by Francois Ouimet, Rob Ricci and Jesse Todd, but the Friars
scored the game's first four goals and hung on for the
win.
(2/21/09 @ MC, T 1-1): Chris Barton scored for Merrimack, while
Joe Cannata stopped 32 shots in a 1-1 tie.
(2/22/09 @ PC, W, 5-1): Joe Cucci scored two of Merrimack's
three power-play goals, while Cannata stopped 38 shots in a 5-1
victory over the Friars.
Long Road Trip Comes to an End
Tonight is the final game of a seven-game road trip spanning 49
days. In 2007-08, Merrimack embarked on a 5-game, 47-day road trip
and went 0-4-1. The Warriors are 0-11 on the road this year and 7-1
at home.
BU Season Recap
The Warriors scored 14 goals in three games this year against BU,
the most they've netted against the Terriers since 1995-96.
Merrimack snapped a 15-game losing skid that dated back to February
12, 2004 by beating the Terriers 5-3 on November 1.
43 Shots on the Terriers
Merrimack outshot BU 43-27 on Saturday, marking the most shots on
goal they've had in a game since getting 45 against UConn on
December 31, 2004.
Barton Continues to Tally Points vs. the
Terriers
Chris Barton registered his first three-point game of the season
and the second of his career. Barton has nine points and three
multi-point games in nine games against the Terriers.
Two-Game Weekends From Here on Out
Beginning this weekend, Merrimack will play two games every
weekend for the remainder of the regular season. The Warriors have
played just 12 games, fewest in HEA.
Lowell Struggles
Merrimack has not beaten Lowell since November 1, 2007, its
longest active
winless drought among any Hockey East team.
Power Play Ranked Second in the Country
The Merrimack power play, which scored in 12 straight from 10/16
to 12/5, is second nationally and in Hockey East, scoring at a
25.0% clip, led by four goals from Da Costa.
Goals, Goals, Goals
With 63 goals already this season, the Warriors, ranked fifth in
Hockey East in goals, are just nine goals shy of last year's
output of 72.
Statistical Oddities
Incredibly, the Warriors are 1-4 when they score four goals.
Fit to be Tied, Or Not
The Warriors have not tied a game this season, nor have they gone
to overtime. In 2001-02, Merrimack did not tie a game until its
20th game (tonight is game #20). Merrimack has never gone deeper
into a season without an OT appearance or a tie.
Three Defensemen Factor in on PP
Goal
Merrimack's power play scored in each of its full two-minute
opportunities at Maine on January 9. Its first goal came from
Justin Bonitatibus, who appeared as a defenseman for the first time
this year, and was assisted by two other blueliners, Fraser Allan
and Pat Bowen. Bonitatibus played defense in eight games last year
due to injuries.
Da Costa 3-for-3 with Hockey East Rookie of the Month
Honors
Stephane Da Costa was named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie
of the Month for the third straight month. In December, he netted
three points in three games.
Da Costa's 11-Game Point Streak Snapped
Da Costa had his 11-game point streak, tops in Hockey East this
year and the longest in school history since Merrimack joined HEA
in 1989, snapped against Ferris State. Da Costa, who scored five
goals in his second game, leads the country in points per game
among rookies (1.35) and leads HEA rookies with 23 points. He is
8th in the conference and 11th nationally in points.
Record-Setting Crowd
The attendance of 13,962 at Wisconsin was the biggest crowd to
watch a MC game in program history. The Warriors had not played in
front of 11,603 fans or more since the HEA Semis on March 20,
1998.
Non-Conference Wrap Up
The Warriors, who finished last year 4-2-1 against non-conference
teams, went 3-4 this season. They are 13-6-2 in their last 21
non-conference games and 8-0 in the last eight home games.
Exter Gets the Gold
Former Merrimack goalie Joe Exter won a gold medal with Team USA
at the World Junior Championships as an assistant coach.
Merrimack 7-1 at Home This Season
After starting 6-0 at home, Merrimack suffered its first home loss
of the season on November 28, falling to UNH 5-4 before rebounding
against the Huskies. Dating back to last season, the Warriors are
10-3-1 in their last 14 home games.
Cucci Among Leaders in Assists, Power Play
Points
Joe Cucci, who has points in eight of his last 12 games and is
third on the team in points with 16, is tied for tenth in HEA in
assists with 13 and fifth in power-play points with 13.
Fifth in Hockey East in Scoring, 13th
Nationally
Merrimack is fifth in Hockey East and 13th in the country,
averaging 3.32 goals per game. A team that hadn't scored six
times in one game since 2004, they have accomplished the feat twice
this season. They netted at least three goals in 11 straight games
from 10/16 to 12/4. The Warriors have finished last in HEA in goals
since 2002-03 and ranked among the bottom two since 1998-99.
Penalty Kill Ranks Third in Hockey
East
Not to be overlooked, Merrimack's penalty kill is third in
Hockey East with a success rate of 82.6%.
Combined Special Teams Second in Country
Combining Merrimack's special teams, the Warriors rank
second in the country at 57.0% behind Cornell at 58.0%.
15-Game Skid Against Terriers Snapped
With the 6-3 victory over BU, Merrimack snapped a 15-game losing
skid against the Terriers that dated back to February 12, 2004. The
win was also Coach Dennehy's first ever against BU. Merrimack
last won a season-series vs. BU in 2000-01.
Back-to-Back Sellout Crowds
Merrimack sold out two straight home games (11/13 vs. BU, 11/28 vs
UNH) (2,990 fans), after not selling out for 121 straight home
games, dating back to February 9, 2002.
One-Goal Struggles Continue
After losing 14 games by one goal last year, tops in the country
and in school history, Merrimack is 0-5 this year in one-goal
games.
Recapping the Badger Hockey Showdown
Playing in the final Bagder Hockey Showdown, Merrimack lost to #7
Wisconsin 5-4 before falling to #11 Ferris State 5-1 in the
consolation game. Chris Barton, Karl Stollery and Stephane Da Costa
each registered a goal and an assist in the tournament.
Bonitatibus' First Multi-Point Game Leads to 3-1 NU
Win
Senior Justin Bonitatibus registered his first multi-point game
in his 83-game collegiate career, leading the Warriors to a 3-1
victory over Northeastern. Bonitatibus, who entered the 2009-10
season with three goals in 76 games, has six goals and seven points
in 11 games this season.
Lawler Becomes a Home Ice Advantage
Merrimack started 6-0 at home for the first time since the 1988-89
season, its last season as a ECAC member before joining Hockey
East. The Warriors are 7-1 overall at home this year.
Best Hockey East Start Since 1990
The Warriors started 3-1 in Hockey East for the first time since
the 1990-91 season.
Barton, Da Costa Among Goal
Leaders
Stephane Da Costa is tied for six in Hockey East with 11 goals,
while Chris Barton is tied for ninth with ten.
Warriors Snap 22-Game Skid Against Eagles
With the 5-3 win over BC, Merrimack snapped a 22-game winless
streak (0-18-4) dating back to February 15, 2003. The win was BC
alum and Head Coach Mark Dennehy's first over the Eagles.
Alternating Goaltenders in First 11 Games
After alternating between goaltenders Joe Cannata and Andrew
Braithwaite in the first 11 games, the run ended on November 28
against UNH when Cannata made his second straight start.
Bowen Among Defensemen Leaders
Senior captain Pat Bowen is tied for sixth among Hockey East
defensemen with 11 assists. Bowen had points in seven straight
games, which is a career-high.
Earning National Votes
Merrimack earned votes in the USCHO National Poll for five
straight weeks. Prior to this season, they last received national
votes in November of 2007 when they swept Maine.
Defensemen Showing Offensive Talent
Merrimack's seven defensemen have combined for 49 points
this season, led by 12 from Pat Bowen and 10 from Karl
Stollery.
Four in a Row
Merrimack won four straight, defeating Holy Cross, Army, Vermont
and Connecticut, for the first time since 2002-03.
Hockey East Opener a Success
Merrimack won its conference opener against UVM for the first time
under Mark Dennehy and for the first time since 2002-03.
Highest Scoring Output in the Dennehy Era
The six goals scored against Army were the most scored in the 140
games coached by Mark Dennehy at Merrimack and the most since
December 23, 2004.
Strong on Opening Night
Merrimack is now 6-1-2 in its last nine home openers.
A Magical Night for Da Costa
In only his second career game, Stephane Da Costa netted five
goals, including three power play goals and a natural hat trick,
leading Merrimack to a 6-3 win over Army.
Recapping a Historical Night: Merrimack
Records
5 Goals: Da Costa is the second Merrimack player ever to score
five goals in a game (Bob Magnuson scored six in March of 1980). He
is the first Warrior to net five in Division I.
5 Points: Most points scored in a game by a Warrior since Ryan
Cordeiro vs. Maine in February 2002.
11 Shots on Goal: First Warrior to record 11 shots on goal in a
game since Merrimack went Division I in 1988.
3 Power -Play Goals: First Warrior to net three power-play goals
in a game since joining Division I, 21 years ago.
Natural Hat Trick: First Merrimack freshman ever to have a natural
hat trick. Da Costa scored his three goals in exactly 10 minutes in
the first period. The last Merrimack player to record a natural hat
trick was Andy Heinze in the Hockey East Quarterfinals against
Boston College on March 4, 1990.
Recapping a Historical Night: Lawler Arena
Records
The freshman scored the most goals in a game at Lawler Arena in
the 37-year history of the building.
Recapping a Historical Night: Hockey East
Records
The Paris, France native is the first Hockey East player to score
five goals since Brian Gionta of Boston College in 2001. His three
power-play goals are the most since Ben Walter of UML scored three
on October 24, 2003. He is the first freshman in HEA history to
score five times in a game and is the first player to score five
goals and get a natural hat trick as part of his first collegiate
goal in Hockey East history. The last natural hat trick in Hockey
East was Mike Sislo (UNH) on December 11, 2008.
Recapping a Historical Night: Hat Trick Notes
The last Merrimack player to get a hat trick was Matt Johnson
against RPI on October 29, 2005. The last Warrior to get a hat
trick at home was Marco Rosa vs. BC on February 15, 2003. Alex
Sikatchev was the last player to net four goals in a game (vs.
Colgate, November, 23, 2001). As previously noted, the last
Merrimack player to record a natural hat trick was Andy Heinze in
the Hockey East Quarterfinals against Boston College on March 4,
1990.
Recapping a Historical Night: NCAA Records
Da Costa set at least two NCAA records. He is the first freshman
in NCAA history to score a natural hat trick and get five goals in
the same game, let alone in his second career game. He is also the
first player to score five goals and get a natural hat trick as
part of his first collegiate goal. His three power-play goals are
tied for the second most in NCAA Division I history and are the
most since November 6, 2005.
Non-Conference Home Winning Streak at Eight
Since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, the Warriors are 8-0 at
Lawler Arena against non-conference teams. Merrimack finished this
season 3-0 against non-conference teams at home.
One-Goal Struggles Set a School Record
Despite finishing with a 9-21-4 record, the Warriors were in
virtually every game last year, as they lost 14 games by one goal,
most in the country and most in school history.
Warriors See Two Selected in NHL Entry
Draft
For the first time since 2002, Merrimack had two players selected
in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Freshman Kyle Bigos was picked in the
fourth round (99th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers, while sophomore
Joe Cannata was picked in the sixth round (173rd overall) by the
Vancouver Canucks.
Perfect Attendance for Barton
Chris Barton is the only active player at Merrimack to have played
in every game since arriving at school, playing in 87 straight
games.
Cannata in the Record Books
Joe Cannata saw his shutout streak end at 101:09 to start last
season when he gave up a third-period goal at Canisius on October
26, 2008. Cannata stopped the first 55 shots he faced, setting a
Merrimack record, and turned aside 66 of his first 67 shots. He was
the first goaltender in school history to register a shutout in his
first start. His 2.35 goals-against-average as a freshman is the
second-best in school history for a single season.
Merrimack in 40+ Save Performances
Incredibly, over the last two seasons, Merrimack is 3-0-2 when its
goaltender stops 40 or more shots. Joe Cannata became the first
goaltender to stop 40+ shots last season with his 44-save effort at
Army. In the 2007-08 season, Andrew Braithwaite did the deed three
times with Merrimack going 2-0-1 in those games.
Warriors Welcome Six Newcomers
Merrimack welcomes six freshmen to the squad, highlighted by
defenseman Kyle Bigos and forward Stephane Da Costa. Two newcomers,
Brandon Brodhag and Rob Morton hail from New York, while Nick Drew
and John Heffernan are local products.
Captains
Senior defenseman Pat Bowen and junior forward Chris Barton will
serve as captains for the 2009-10 season. Junior defenseman Adam
Ross will be an assistant captain.
Scouting the Schedule
Twenty-seven Hockey East games and first-ever trips to North
Dakota and Wisconsin highlight a challenging 2009-10 schedule. The
Warriors open its season with four-straight non-conference games,
including two straight on the road against #6/8 North Dakota and
home games against Holy Cross and Army. Merrimack plays a total of
seven non-conference games this year, five of them in the first 16
days of the season. The Warriors will host 13 conference games
while traveling to fourteen conference road contests, all against
tough Division I competitors. Conference play kicks off at home
against Vermont on October 23. Merrimack's longest road trip
is a seven-game excursion from December 5 - January 22. The
Warriors close out their 2009-10 slate with two home games against
Maine and a home-and-home with Providence.
Camrose Connection
Chris Barton, Karl Stollery, and Jesse Todd all played junior
hockey with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL. Barton, who was a
sophomore while Stollery and Todd were freshmen, helped Camrose to
two straight AJHL and Doyle Cup Championships in 2006-07 and
2007-08.
The Alberta Pipeline
Seven players are from Alberta on this year's Merrimack
squad, tied with Massachusetts for the most from one province or
state. Besides the Camrose trio, Carter Madsen, Elliott Sheen,
Brandon Sadlowski, and Adam Ross hail from Alberta.
Warriors on 1400 AM, Internet
All Merrimack home games will be webcast online at
www.merrimackathletics.com courtesy of B2 Networks (pay-per-view
video and free audio). All road games can be heard live online for
free at www.merrimackathletics.com. All Merrimack games can be
heard live on 1400 AM.
2009-10 Hockey East Preseason Coaches Poll
The Warriors were picked to finish tenth in this year's
preseason poll, voted on by the coaches of Hockey East.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts.
1. Boston University (6) 84
2. UMass Lowell (2) 79
3. Boston College (2) 76
4. New Hampshire 59
Vermont 59
6. Northeastern 57
7. Massachusetts 47
8. Maine 32
9. Providence 24
10. MERRIMACK 23
