#6/7 Hockey Hosts UNH Friday at 7 p.m. to Open Home-and-Home Series
MERRIMACK COLLEGE HOCKEY
Game #22 vs. New Hampshire, Friday, January, 20, 2012, 7 p.m. Lawler Arena / Tickets / Watch / Follow / Game Notes (.pdf)
Game #23 at New Hampshire, Saturday, January 21, 2012, 7 p.m. Whittemore Center / Watch Live on WBIN / Listen / Follow
Tonight's Matchup: In a rematch of last year's Hockey East semifinal, Merrimack,
2-1-3 in its last six, opens its season series against the University of New Hampshire.
Lifetime vs. UNH: Merrimack is 16-64-8 lifetime but won the season series 3-1 last season and has compiled five victories over the last three years.
Last Season vs. UNH (MC won series 3-1):
Merrimack swept UNH in a weekend series for just the second time ever on an OT goal by Jordan Heywood, before advancing to its first-ever HEA Championship after beating UNH 4-1 behind two goals from Elliott Sheen and 30 saves from Joe Cannata.
Seniors Lead Merrimack to 3-Point Weekend over Maine
Behind six goals and 16 points from the seniors, Merrimack earned a win and a tie against Maine. Ryan Flanigan (four assists), Jesse Todd (three goals, assist), and Karl Stollery (goal, three assists) led the way in the weekend series.
Best Season Series Ever Against Maine
Merrimack went 2-0-1 against Maine this season, marking the first time ever the Warriors have gone undefeated in a season series with the Black Bears. They are 4-0-1 in the last five meetings with Maine.
A Hobey Candidate: Cannata Program's Division I Leader in Minutes Played
Joe Cannata is the program's Div. I all-time leader in minutes played (6185:16) and is closing in the all-time mark (Jim Hrivnak, 6,594 min). With a goals-against of 2.02 and a save percentage of .927, Cannata is 2nd in HEA in GAA and 3rd in SV%. Cannata has allowed more than two goals in a game just three times, excluding empty-netters. Owning the school record for career GAA, he needs 422 saves to pass Marty Legault for the Div. I saves mark of 3,120.
Stollery Climbing Merrimack Record Books
With 78 career points, Karl Stollery moved into a tie for third all-time among Merrimack's Division I blueliners in scoring with Darren Scoville and Claude Maillet. He trails Bobby Jay by 2 points for second and Bryan Schmidt by 12 points for first.
Fewest Losses Nationally
Merrimack has just four losses, tied for fewest nationally.
Ties Aplenty
With five ties on the season, Merrimack has tied more games than it has since tying five in Mark Dennehy's first season (2005-06).
Todd Takes Charge on the Power Play
With three power play goals in the Maine series, Jesse Todd, who leads Merrimack with nine goals, is tied for third in Hockey East with six man-advantage tallies.
Flanigan-Madsen-Sheen Line Shines
The senior line of Ryan Flanigan, Carter Madsen and Elliott Sheen led the way with eight points against Maine, with Madsen and Sheen each scoring for the first time since October.
There's No Place Like Home
With a 6-2-2 record at home this year, Merrimack is now 14-2-2 in its last 18 and 32-7-4 since the start of 2009-10 at Lawler. Merrimack, who has posted sellouts in 13 of its last 15 home games, is in the midst of playing five of six games at Lawler.
Top Team in Hockey East in Defensemen Scoring
Merrimack's defense has been an offensive force, combining for 13 goals and 58 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. Karl Stollery is tied for 4th in HEA in defensemen scoring with 16 points, while Brendan Ellis is tied for 5th with 15 points.
Power Play Rises to Challenge
Merrimack broke out of a 2-for-39 slump on the man advantage going 4-for-8 in the weekend series with Maine. Jesse Todd (three goals, assist) and Karl Stollery (goal, three assists) each had points on all of MC's PP tallies.
Shots, Shots, Shots
After outshooting BU, BC and Maine, MC is 10-1-3 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 12-1-3 when scoring 2+ goals.
Toomey, HEA Rookie of the Week, Leads Merrimack to Tie at BC
Behind two goals from Connor Toomey, including the game-tying goal with 1:10 left, MC tied #4 BC 2-2. Toomey, the HEA Rookie of the Week, is 2nd on the team 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 Warriors are 21-for-21
Only Jordan Heywood, Ryan Flanigan, Karl Stollery and Jeff Velleca have played every game this season. Brendan Ellis missed his first collegiate game on 1/14 after appearing in the first 59 games of his carer.
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.
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 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 four more times this season.
Ellis, Cannata Lead MC 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 13 of the last 15 home games at Lawler.
Power Play Strong in Wins
The power play has scored at least a goal in 11 of 12 wins. Jesse Todd is tied for third in the league with six 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.
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.
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 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.
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 48 points in his last 44 games.
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.
Unbeaten in Five Against the Black Bears
Merrimack is 4-0-1 in its last five against Maine, its longest unbeaten streak against the Black Bears 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, four 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.
