#15 Merrimack Starts Strong; Downs #16/15 Maine 2-1 on the Road
ORONO, ME – Behind goals from Jeff Velleca (Waterbury, CT) and Jesse Todd (Camrose, AB), and 22 saves from Joe Cannata (Wakefield, MA), #15 Merrimack opened the season with a 2-1 win over #16/15 Maine Friday at Alfond Arena, winning in Orono for the first time in 22 games.
Merrimack (1-0-0, 1-0-0 HEA) will host Army Saturday, October 15 at 7 p.m. in the home opener at Lawler Arena. Limited tickets are available and can be purchased online at merrimackathletics.com or at the Merrimack box office.
For the Warriors, it marked their first win at Maine since November 14, 1997, and just their sixth in 44 career games. It's also the first time Merrimack has ever beaten the Black Bears three straight times in their long history.
The Warriors struck first as Velleca notched the first goal of the season, redirecting a Brendan Ellis (Kelowna, BC) wrister between the legs of Martin Ouellette on the power play at 4:32 of the second. Ryan Flanigan (Rochester, NY), who worked the puck to Ellis on the point, also picked up an assist on the Merrimack tally.
Todd made it 2-0 with a shorthanded breakaway at the 19:04 mark of the second. The senior forward forced a turnover in his own zone, and after the Black Bear defender fell down, Todd broke in on a two-on-none with Flanigan and beat Ouellette glove side, giving Merrimack the 2-0 lead after two periods. Todd's goal proved to be the game-winner; the senior led Merrimack in game-winners last year with six.
Merrimack had its chances to put the game away as the Black Bears were whistled for four minors in the first 10 minutes of the third, but it was Klas Leidermark who netted a shorthanded tally, forcing a Merrimack turnover and converting the breakaway tally at 10:50 to cut the lead in half.
The Warriors were whistled for a penalty just 87 seconds later, but Cannata made two stops to help kill off Maine's ninth power play of the game.
Merrimack's defense, which blocked 12 shots in the second, took over from there, limiting Maine's opportunities in the final minutes. Dan Kolomatis (Basking Ridge, NJ) had a terrific back check with 7:37 left on Connor Leen to prevent a possible breakaway, while the line of Flanigan-Carter Madsen (Calgary, AB), and Elliott Sheen (Lethbridge, AB) kept the puck in the Maine zone for most of the final minute to seal it.
Merrimack went 9-for-9 on the penalty kill in the win, killing two separate 3-on-5 situations totaling 1:35 in penalty kill time.
The teams played to a scoreless first period as Merrimack outshot the hosts 9-6 and killed two first-period Black Bear power plays. Freshman Connor Toomey (Billerica, MA) had the Warriors' best chance as he gathered a rebound in front of Ouellette, but the sophomore goaltender made a sprawling pad stop with four minutes to play. At the 18:30 mark of the first, Leen had a great scoring chance off a Warrior turnover, but Cannata made a great pad stop on the freshman forward.
Cannata finished with 22 stops, earning his 43rd career win, while Ouellette made 25 stops.
