#7 Merrimack Back at Home; Hosts Maine Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at Special 5 pm Start
MERRIMACK COLLEGE HOCKEY
Game #20 vs. Maine, Friday, January 13, 2012, 7 p.m. / Tickets (while available) / Watch / Follow / Game Notes (.pdf)
Game #21 vs. Maine, Saturday, January 14, 2012, 5 p.m. on WBIN (18, 811 Comcast, 6, 506 Fios) / Tickets (while available) / Watch / Listen / Follow / Game Notes (.pdf)
Tonight's Matchup: In a rematch of last year's Hockey East quarterfinals, Merrimack concludes its season-series with Maine this weekend, opening a three-game homestand.
Lifetime vs. Maine: Merrimack is 15-61-6 lifetime but went 3-2 last year, winning all three at Lawler. Merrimack has now defeated Maine in three straight meetings for the first time ever.
This Season vs. Maine (MC leads series 1-0):
(10/7/11, @ ME, MC, W, 2-1): Behind goals from Jeff Velleca and Jesse Todd and 22 saves from Joe Cannata, the Warriors opened the season with a win in Orono.
Toomey, HEA Rookie of the Week, Leads Merrimack to Tie at #4 BC
Behind two goals from Connor Toomey, including the game-tying goal with 1:10 left, Merrimack tied #4 BC 2-2. Toomey, the HEA Rookie of the Week, leads MC with 7 goals.
Senior Class Earns Point at All Hockey East Arenas
With the tie at BC, the Class of 2012 has now earned at least a point at all Hockey East arenas. The only HEA school they have not yet won at is BC. Merrimack is now 0-22-2 at BC dating back to February 14, 1998. Merrimack returns to Chestnut Hill on Feb. 17.
Four Late, Extra Attacker Goals
Including Toomey's goal at BC, Merrimack netted four goals this season in the final two minutes with Cannata pulled for the extra attacker, all on the road (NU, BU, SLU). They also scored with the goalie pulled at home against Providence early in the third.
There's No Place Like Home
With a 5-2-1 record at home this year, Merrimack is now 13-2-1 in its last 16 and 31-7-3 since the start of 2009-10 at Lawler. Merrimack, who has posted sellouts in 12 of its last 13 home games, will play five of its next six games at Lawler.
Third in Hockey East as Calendar Turns to 2012
Having played the second-fewest league games in HEA and just four at home, Merrimack sits in third place with a 7-3-2 record. Merrimack has been ranked in the top-10 nationally since Oct. 24.
Defender Ellis Tied for Merrimack Lead in Scoring
Brendan Ellis is tied for the team lead in scoring with 13 assists and 15 points. Ellis is tied for third among Hockey East defensemen in assists and points.
Top Team in Hockey East in Defensemen Scoring
Merrimack's defense has been an offensive force, combining for 10 goals and 50 points. They are the only team in the league to have four defensemen with 10 or more points. No other Hockey East team has more than two defenders with 10 or more points.
A Hobey Candidate: Cannata Among Nation's Best
With a goals-against of 2.03 and a save percentage of .926, Joe Cannata, a three-time 2011-12 HEA Defensive Player of the Week, is 2nd in HEA in goals-against and 3rd in save percentage. Cannata has allowed more than two goals in a game just three times, excluding empty-netters. He made 18 saves against Holy Cross for his 7th career shutout.
Shots, Shots, Shots
After outshooting BU and BC, Merrimack is 9-1-3 when it outshoots its opponent.
First Loss When Scoring Two Goals
BU became the first team this season to beat Merrimack when the Warriors scored two or more goals. With the 2nd-ranked defense in the country, MC is 11-1-2 when scoring 2+ goals.
Myers Nets First Career Goal
Forced to miss the first half of the season due to NCAA ineligibility, Josh Myers scored his first career goal at BU (1/6) in his third-ever game. Myers was 2nd in the BCHL with 40 goals and tied for 6th in scoring with 80 points.
Heywood, Stollery, Ellis, Bigos Anchoring Defense
Brendan Ellis is first in assists and tied for first in points on the team, while Karl Stollery is sixth with 12 points and second with a +10. Jordan Heywood ranks seventh with 11 points. Kyle Bigos ranks eighth with 10 points.
Merrimack Concludes Ledyard Classic with 1-0-1 Mark
Following a 6-6 tie against St. Lawrence (Merrimack lost in the shootout), the Warriors rallied to defeat Holy Cross 3-0 to claim third place at the Ledyard National Bank Classic at Dartmouth.
Bates Named to All-Tournament Team
Shawn Bates was named to the all-tournament team after netting five points in two games. Bates, who had points in six straight, set career highs against St. Lawrence in goals (2), assists (2), and points (4). Bates tied the game at five and at six in the third.
Stollery Ends Power Play Skid
Captain Karl Stollery ended Merrimack's 0-for-25 skid on the man advantage with a power play goal against Holy Cross that proved to be the game-winner. Stollery had a goal and an assist in the win.
Non-Conference Play Concluded
Merrimack concluded non-conference play with a 4-1-2 record. They are 10-1-3 over the last two years and 23-7-5 in their last 35 games.
Merrimack Ties St. Lawrence in Wild 6-6 Game; Falls in Shootout
In the roller-coaster first game of the Ledyard National Bank Classic, Merrimack led 3-0 after just 21:17 before St. Lawrence responded with five unanswered goals in the second. The Warriors tied it at five midway through the third and then at six with 42-seconds left only to fall in the shootout 2-1. By NCAA rules, the game is recorded as a tie.
Wild and Rare 6-6 Tie
Prior to the 6-6 tie with St. Lawrence, Merrimack last tied 6-6 on February 13, 2000 against Lowell.
Singleton Tallies First Career Goal and Point
Kyle Singleton notched his first career goal and point against St. Lawrence.
Merrimack Looks to Bounce Back in 2012
After starting the season 9-0-1, Merrimack is 2-4-3 in its last nine games. They just completed a 27-day stretch between home games.
Merrimack Suffers Rare Non-Conference Home Loss
The 3-1 home loss to Union on 12/17 was Merrimack's first non-conference loss at home in 12 games, dating back to October 24, 2006. Prior to this loss, Merrimack was 9-0-2 in its last 11 non-conference games.
First-Ever Nationally Televised and HD Game at Lawler
The Union game was the first-ever nationally televised broadcast from Lawler Arena on Fox College Sports Atlantic. The game was seen locally on WBIN in HD, marking the first-ever HD broadcast from Lawler. The only Hockey East team to sign a deal with Fox College Sports, Merrimack will be televised on FCS against Providence on Jan. 29 and against BU on Feb. 3 as well as on WBIN five more times this season.
Ellis, Cannata Lead Merrimack to 1-1 Tie at #12/11 Colgate
Joe Cannata made 34 saves and Brendan Ellis scored as Merrimack tied #12/11 Colgate 1-1.
UVM Season Sweep
With the Dec. 7 win, Merrimack completed its first-ever season-sweep of the Catamounts. The Warriors, winners of five of their last six against UVM at Lawler, have captured the last three season-series from the Catamounts.
Velleca, Mansfield, Ellis Have Career Days in UVM Win
Senior Jeff Velleca tallied his first career two goal, two assist and four point game; Justin Mansfield had his first career multi-goal and point game, while Ellis added a career-high four assists from the blue line.
Smallest School Reached the Top
Merrimack, the smallest school in Div. I hockey with 2,074 students, ascended to the top of the polls for the first time on November 21 and held that spot for two weeks.
First Team Unbeaten Entering December in 15 Years
Merrimack was the nation's last remaining undefeated team and the first team to enter December without a loss since the 1992-93 Maine team that went 42-1-2.
Sellout Streak Snapped
Merrimack's 11-game home sellout streak that began on Feb. 12 against New Hampshire ended on Dec. 7 against Vermont. Merrimack has sold out 12 of the last 13 home games at Lawler.
Stollery Climbing Merrimack Record Books
With 74 career points, Karl Stollery ranks 15th in school history in scoring among defensemen and eighth among Merrimack's Division I blueliners.
Power Play Strong in Wins
The power play has scored at least a goal in 10 of 11 wins. Mike Collins is tied for 6th in HEA in power play goals.
Brodhag, Toomey Lead MC to OT Win over #16 BU
At Agganis Arena on 11/11/11 with Joe Cannata pulled for the extra attacker, Brandon Brodhag tied the game with 1:56 left to play and Connor Toomey won it 22 seconds into overtime to give the Warriors the come-from-behind 3-2 win over BU.
Freshmen Lead the Way in Win over Huntsville
Freshmen scored each of Merrimack's first four goals and combined for eight points in the 6-0 win over UAH. Quinn Gould and Clayton Jardine each notched their first career goal, assist and multi-point game, while Connor Toomey scored twice. After not receiving a point from a freshman in the first eight games, the newcomers combined to score six of the next seven goals.
Two Straight Over the Terriers
The 3-2 OT win at BU on Nov. 11 marked the first time MC has beaten BU in two straight games in 94 all-time meetings.
First-Ever Regular Season Win at Agganis Snaps BU's OT Streak
The win at BU marked Merrimack's first-ever regular season win at Agganis and snapped BU's 9-year streak of not losing a regular season HEA game in OT.
100 for Madsen, Sheen
Carter Madsen played in his 100th career game at BU, while Elliott Sheen reached the milestone against Huntsville.
Sudden Death Success
Merrimack is now 6-1-8 in the extra frame in its last 15 regular season OT games, which dates back to the beginning of last season. They have won their last two games at Matthews Arena, both of which went to overtime.
Flanigan's SH-OT Goal Gives MC Season Series over NU
Ryan Flanigan scored short-handed 1:57 into OT to give Merrimack the 3-2 win and the season series over NU. The Warriors trailed 2-0 but tied it behind two power play goals from Collins and outstanding penalty killing.
First-Ever Weekend Sweep in Vermont
Merrimack swept Vermont in Burlington for the first time ever. The Warriors are 7-0-2 against UVM over the last three seasons.
Flanigan's Career-High 15-Game Point Streak Snapped
Ryan Flanigan had his point-scoring streak snapped at 15 games (11/11). After registering 21 points in his first 72 career games, he has 44 points in his last 42 games.
Collins Finding the Net
After leading HEA in scoring among rookies last year, Mike Collins is back at it, tied for second on the team with six goals, four on the power play.
Flanigan-Madsen-Sheen Line Dominates in UVM Sweep
The senior line of Ryan Flanigan, Carter Madsen, and Elliott Sheen led the way against the Catamounts, combining for six points and a +9 rating in the weekend sweep at Vermont.
Marotta Earns Shutout, POTW Honors in First Start
In his first career start, Sam Marotta, the HEA Defensive Player of the Week (10/24), made 25 saves for his first career shutout and added an assist.
Warriors Conclude Homecoming with 5-0 Win over UConn
Behind multi-point efforts from Elliott Sheen, Jeff Velleca and Brendan Ellis, three power-play goals, and a shutout from Marotta, Merrimack blanked UConn 5-0 to stay perfect.
Todd and Flanigan Lead MC to 4-1 Win in Vermont
Jess Todd notched a career-high three points, including the game-winner, and Ryan Flanigan added a goal and an assist to propel the Warriors to a 4-1 win over Vermont on October 28.
Stewart Promoted to Associate Head Coach
Glenn Stewart has been promoted to Associate Head Coach. Stewart is in his third season at Merrimack.
Merrimack Wins Home Opener over Army
Energized by a sellout crowd, Merrimack defeated Army 3-2 behind multi-point efforts from Rhett Bly and John Heffernan. Ryan Flanigan and Karl Stollery also scored in the win as the Warriors outshot Army 40-21, including 19-2 in the second.
Brodhag-Bly-Heffernan Led the Way Against Army
The line of Brandon Brodhag, Rhett Bly and John Heffernan led the way in the win over Army, combining for 5 points and the game-winner. For Bly, it was his first career two assist and two point game, while Heffernan tallied his second multi-point game.
Warriors Own the Army
Merrimack has won all 13 meetings with Army since becoming a Division I school and all 11 lifetime in North Andover.
Merrimack Opens Season with Rare Road Win at Maine
Behind goals from Jeff Velleca and Jesse Todd and 22 saves from Joe Cannata, the Warriors opened the season with a victory, defeating #16/15 Maine 2-1 in Orono.
Just How Rare Was It?
The win at Maine snapped a 22-game winless streak (0-20-2) in Orono and was just the sixth win lifetime in Maine, two of which were Maine forfeits due to NCAA rules violations.
Three Straight over the Black Bears
Merrimack has defeated Maine in three straight meetings for the first time ever.
Quick Glance at an Historical 2010-11
Last season, Merrimack won a Division I school-record 25 games, reached its first-ever Hockey East Championship and was selected to its first NCAA Tournament since 1988.
Strong Combined Special Teams
After tying for first in 2009-10, Merrimack finished last year ranked 6th nationally and 2nd in HEA in combined special teams.
64% of Offense Returns
While Merrimack loses its top three scorers from last season (Da Costa, Barton, Cucci), 64% of its offense returns, including all players ranked from 4-14 on the 2010-11 team in scoring.
Strong on Opening Night
Merrimack is 7-2-2 in its last 11 home openers.
Division I Hockey East Record 25 Wins, 35 HEA Points
Merrimack set a Division I HEA school record for wins with 25 and for points with 35 in 2010-11.
Nine Straight on the Road is a School Record
Merrimack won nine straight road games from 11/30/10 to 2/18/11, most in program history.
Merrimack and WBIN Team Up
Merrimack, Pack Network, and WBIN-TV have reached an agreement to broadcast five hockey games live from Lawler Rink during the 2011-12 season in high definition. Merrimack's five-game agreement with WBIN marks the first time in school history that the College has inked its own television package.
NHL Draftees
For the first time since 2002, Merrimack had two players selected in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Kyle Bigos was picked in the fourth round (99th overall) by Edmonton, while Joe Cannata was picked in the sixth round (173rd overall) by Vancouver.
Flanigan Named a Lowe's Senior Class Candidate
Ryan Flanigan is one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior Class award. The finalists will be named in February.
Merrimack in 40+ Save Performances
Incredibly, over the last three seasons, Merrimack is 4-1-2 when its goaltender stops 40 or more shots. Joe Cannata stopped 40+ shots in the 2009-10 season with his 42-save shutout effort at UMass. He stopped 40+ shots in the 2008-09 season when he recorded 44 saves at Army.
2011-12 Captains
Senior defenseman Karl Stollery will serve as this year's captain, while senior forward Ryan Flanigan and sophomore defensman Jordan Heywood will be the alternate captains.
Merrimack Ranked Fifth in HEA Preseason Poll
The Warriors were ranked fifth in the Hockey East Preseason Poll, its highest HEA preseason ranking ever.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts
1. Boston College (7) 88
2. Boston University (3) 83
3. New Hampshire 72
4. Maine 64
5. Merrimack 61
6. Vermont 44
7. Massachusetts 42
8. Northeastern 33
9. UMass Lowell 27
10. Providence 26
Ranked Fourth in HEBWA Preseason Poll
The Warriors earned the #4 preseason ranking in the Hockey East Broadcast and Writers Media poll.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts
1. Boston University (16) 184
2. Boston College (2) 169
3. New Hampshire (1) 141
4. Merrimack 133
5. Maine 126
6. Vermont 88
7. Northeastern 71
8. Massachusetts 64
9. Providence 37
10. UMass Lowell 32
Machnik Honored with Concannon Award
Merrimack radio broadcaster Mike Machnik was named the 2011 winner of the Hockey East Concannon Media Award. Machnik is the first recipient of the award with a Merrimack connection.
Where Are They Now
Five Warriors from last year's senior class continue to play professional hockey. Stephane Da Costa tallied five points in 22 games with Ottawa before being sent to Binghamton. Chris Barton led the ECHL in scoring among rookies before being promoted to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL with Pittsburgh. Adam Ross and Joe Cucci are also in the ECHL, while Francois Ouimet is playing in France.
