#7 Merrimack Prevails 3-2 in OT on Flanigan Shorthanded Goal
Video Highlights/Post Game
BOSTON, MA – Ryan Flanigan (Rochester, NY) scored 1:57 into overtime shorthanded, as #7 Merrimack came all the way back from down two goals to defeat Northeastern 3-2 Saturday night at Matthews Arena to become the only unbeaten team in the country.
Merrimack (7-0-1, 5-0-1 HEA) will visit #12 Boston University next Friday at Agganis Arena for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Terriers.
With a Merrimack penalty just about to expire, Rhett Bly (Regina, SK) lobbed a pass from his own blue line over two Husky defenders and right into the glove of Flanigan at the Husky blue line. The senior broke in alone and buried it to give the Warriors the win with his fifth of the year.
After Saturday's action across college hockey, Merrimack is the lone unbeaten team in the country following Western Michigan's loss to Michigan.
For Flanigan, it extended his scoring streak to eight straight on the season and 15 straight dating back to last year. The senior leads Merrimack in goals, assists, points, shots and plus/minus and has 39 points in his last 31 games.
Merrimack's penalty kill was the difference, killing all seven NU power plays, including a two-man advantage for 1:45, a five-minute major late in the third, and a minor to open overtime.
"The first goal was the biggest one for us," said head coach Mark Dennehy. "That made it a hockey game. I was proud of the effort, and we played better as the game went on. It's a great win for our guys."
The win gave Merrimack the season series over Northeastern, as the Warriors went 2-0-1 on the year against their counterparts. It also extends Merrimack's unbeaten streak to eight straight to start the season, the longest in its history since joining Hockey East.
The Warriors trailed 2-0 on goals from Mike McLaughlin and Rob Dongara, but rallied back behind a pair of goals from Mike Collins (Boston, MA).
During a five-minute first-period power play, Collins cut the lead in half with his fourth of the season, taking a feed from Karl Stollery (Camrose, AB) and beating Chris Rawlings with a wrister at 18:48 of the first from just outside the circle.
Just 1:07 into the second, Northeastern was awarded a two-man advantage for 1:45, but Joe Cannata (Wakefield, MA) made four stops with the help of defensemen Kyle Bigos (Upland, CA) and Jordan Heywood (Regina, SK), who were on the ice for the duration of the power play.
Collins found the net again, tying the game at 11:30 of the third with his fifth of the season. The sophomore scored from virtually the same spot, blasting a wrister past a screened Rawlings, with Stollery and Heywood on the assists on Merrimack's second power play goal of the night.
The Warriors then dodged a major bullet, killing off a five-minute major with just 5:44 to play. Cannata made a highlight reel save, robbing a backhand from Ludwig Karlsson with a great sprawling glove stop with 2:51 to play in regulation.
They then killed the overtime power play without allowing a shot before Bly fed Flanigan to end it.
Merrimack dominated special teams, going 2-for-5 on the power play and 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.
The defense, led by Stollery who had two helpers and logged major minutes, has allowed just 10 goals in eight games on the season.
Cannata finished with 17 saves, while Rawlings stopped 28 in the losing effort.
Northeastern fell to 1-5-2 overall, 1-5-2 in the league with the defeat.
