Heffernan Gives #6/7 Merrimack the 3-2 OT Win at UNH
Postgame Interviews
DURHAM, NH – Playing in his first game since December 2, John Heffernan (Scituate, MA) scored 19 seconds into overtime as #6/7 Merrimack defeated New Hampshire 3-2 Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.
Merrimack (13-5-5, 9-4-3 HEA) returns home on Sunday, January 29 to host Providence at 4 p.m. on WBIN in HD locally and across the country on Fox College Sports. Limited tickets remain and are available for purchase at merrimackathletics.com.
On the first shift of overtime, Shawn Bates (Ft. Saskatchewan, AB) fed Heffernan, who cut into the slot and beat Casey DeSmith high over the blocker for his second of the year just 19 seconds into overtime.
The win propels the Warriors into a tie for second-place with Boston College with 21 points. Merrimack has two games in hand on the Eagles. Maine trails Merrimack and BC by one point.
Heffernan's goal capped a game in which Merrimack played significantly better than Friday night and weathered the storm as Joe Cannata (Wakefield, MA) made 28 saves in the victory.
Rhett Bly (Regina, SK) gave the Warriors the early lead at 3:06, netting his first goal since November 4. Right after a Merrimack power play expired, Josh Myers (Colorado Springs, CO) fed Connor Toomey (Billerica, MA), who centered it right to Bly, who beat DeSmith blocker side.
But the Wildcats tied it at 17:39, as a wrister from the point from Damon Kipp found its way through traffic and over the blocker of Cannata, sending the teams to the locker room tied at one after 20 minutes.
With just 45 seconds to play in the second, Kyle Singleton (Beaverton, OR) gave the Warriors the 2-1 lead, as he redirected a wrister from Jordan Heywood (Regina, SK) for the power play tally. Heywood and Todd combined to work the puck down low to Mike Collins (Boston, MA), who got it to the point to Heywood. Singleton got his stick on the shot and beat DeSmith blocker side for his second career goal.
But the Wildcats dominated the first half of the third period and finally cashed in as Connor Hardowa tied it on a one-timer during a UNH power play at 8:56 after the Wildcats controlled possession for multiple shifts, earning seven of the period's first eight shots.
UNH controlled play for much of the remainder of the third, but Cannata came up big, making nine third-period saves.
Merrimack earned four of its eight third-period shots in the final two minutes, highlighted by Singleton nearly knocking in a shot from Todd with 45 seconds left, but the shot glanced just wide of the crease, sending the game to overtime.
That set the stage for Heffernan, who was in the lineup for the first time since December 2. Merrimack entered that game 9-0-1.
With the win, Merrimack improved to 3-1-5 in overtime this season.
UNH held a 30-26 shot advantage, as DeSmith made 23 saves in the losing effort.
Both teams went 1-for-2 on the power play, as Merrimack won for the ninth time ever in Durham and the second straight time for the first time ever.
