Hockey Takes on #15 Northeastern in Home-and-Home; at Lawler Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
MERRIMACK HOCKEY
Game #7 at #15 Northeastern University, Friday, November 2, 2012, 7 p.m. Matthews Arena / Watch / Listen / Follow / Game Notes (.pdf) / Twitter
Game #8 vs. #15 Northeastern University, Saturday, November 3, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Lawler Arena / Watch / Listen / Follow / Twitter/
Tonight's Matchup: Merrimack opens November by concluding its season-series with Northeastern this weekend.
Lifetime vs. Northeastern: Merrimack is 36-48-10 lifetime but is 4-2-1 in its last seven against the Huskies. MC saw their three-game winning streak at Matthews Arena snapped on 10/10/12.
This Season vs. Northeastern: (NU leads series 1-0-0):
NU, W, 4-2 (10/10/12): Quinn Gould and Justin Mansfield notched second-period markers, but NU scored three first-period goals and held on for the win in Rasmus Tirronen's first career start.
Collins Leads Merrimack to Three-Point Weekend over Vermont; Named HEA Player of Week
Behind a five-point weekend from the Hockey East Co-Player of the Week Mike Collins, Merrimack earned a win and a tie against Vermont. Collins had three assists in a 6-3 win and two goals in a 2-2 tie. The junior forward has seven points in his last four games.
Three-Goal Third Gives Merrimack 6-3 Win in Home Opener
Jordan Heywood netted the game-winner on 10/26 with 4:44 left in regulation, as Merrimack scored three times in the second and three in the third for the 6-3 victory over Vermont. With the tie on 10/27, Merrimack is unbeaten in its last 11 games (8-0-3) against Vermont.
Ten Players Net Points; Collins, Bly Notch Three-Point Nights in Home Opening Victory
Mike Collins tied a career-high with three assists, while Rhett Bly set a career-high with three points in the win. Ten Warriors had points, including the first two-assist and two-point game from Kyle Singleton and two points each from Brendan Ellis, Josh Myers and Heywood. Collins and Bly are the first Warriors to have a three-point night since Jeff Velleca (2/4/12). Ellis now has eight career assists in eight career games against Vermont.
Merrimack Goes Young
All seven freshmen played both games last weekend against Vermont. In Friday's win, only one senior played, while there were no seniors in the lineup in Saturday's tie. In all, 14 of 20 players in Saturday's lineup were either freshmen or sophomores.
There's No Place Like Home
Now 1-0-1 this season, Merrimack went 9-5-3 at home last season. Since the start of the 2009-10 season, which coincides with the Lawler renovation, Merrimack is 36-10-6 at Lawler.
Strong Third Periods
Merrimack has outscored its opponents 10-4 in the third period this season, netting three third-period tallies against Union, Alaska-Anchorage and Vermont.
Power Play, Offense Lead the Way
For the first time since January 13, 2012 vs. Maine, Merrimack's power play notched three goals and the team scored six times in all.
Overcoming 2-0 Deficit
Merrimack overcame a 2-0 deficit in the 6-3 win over Vermont for the first time since November 5, 2011 at Northeastern.
Kolomatis, Myers, Sophomores Lead the Way
Merrimack's sophomore class continues to lead the way led by Josh Myers and Dan Kolomatis. Myers recorded points in the first five games this season, while Kolomatis is tied for the team lead with four assists and has surpassed last year's point output already. In all, Merrimack's sophomore class has accounted for 10 of 19 goals this season.
Putting the Huskies Down Early
For the second straight year, Merrimack and Northeastern will finish their season series in the first week of November. Merrimack went 2-0-1 last year against NU.
Rare Non-Conference Struggles
Merrimack was 11-1-3 in its last 15 non-conference games before being swept at the Alaska Goal Rush. The consecutive losses to UAF and UAA mark the first time Merrimack dropped consecutive non-conference games since losing twice at the Badger Classic in 2009-10.
Merrimack Struggles in Weekend Trip to Alaska
Merrimack opened the Alaska Goal Rush with optimism, leading 2-0 against Alaska-Fairbanks, but three power play goals in the second gave UAF the 3-2 win. Alaska-Anchorage scored three first-period goals, two shorthanded, the next night en route to a 6-3 victory over Merrimack.
Trio of Freshmen Notch Assists
At the Alaska Goal Rush, Brian Christie and Ben Bahe notched their first career assists, while Justin Hussar added his second assist. All seven freshmen played in the loss to Anchorage.
Quicker Defensive Start Needed
Merrimack surrendered three first-period goals to Northeastern and Alaska-Anchorage and is being outscored 7-3 in the first period this year.
Young but Seasoned
Of Merrimack's 27 players, 16 are freshmen or sophomores, while only four are seniors. Only one senior (John Heffernan) has seen significant playing time thus far this season.
First October Loss Since 2010
Merrimack's loss to Northeastern snapped its eight-game October winning streak that dated back to October 29, 2010. Merrimack went 6-0 last October and started 9-0-1 overall.
Merrimack Suffers First Loss in Conference Opener; 4-2 at Northeastern
Following a season-opening 4-1 win at #5 Union, Merrimack suffered its first setback of the season, falling to Northeastern 4-2 in the conference opener. The Warriors gave up three first-period goals en route to seeing their four-game unbeaten streak against the Huskies snapped. Quinn Gould and Justin Mansfield scored second-period goals in the loss.
Tirronen Makes 30 Saves in Debut
Sophomore Rasmus Tirronen stopped 30 shots in his collegiate debut at Northeastern. Tirronen was ineligible as a freshman.
Marotta, Myers Lead Merrimack to Season-Opening 4-1 Win at Union
Behind 33 saves from Sam Marotta and two goals from Josh Myers, Merrimack opened its season with a win, upsetting #5 Union 4-1. In his second career start, Marotta made 16 first-period stops, while Myers picked up his first career two-goal game. Myers was named the Hockey East Player of the Week, while Marotta was honored as the HEA Defensive Player of the Week.
First Top-5 Road Win Under Dennehy
Merrimack's 4-1 win over Union was the first on the road against a team ranked in the top five nationally under Mark Dennehy and was the first since they beat UNH in Durham on December 13, 2003. Merrimack's last win against a team ranked in the top five was against then second-ranked BC at Lawler Arena on October 30, 2010. Merrimack's win snapped Union's 11-game unbeaten streak at home (9-0-2) dating back to November 12, 2011 against Yale.
Defensemen Stay Offensive
Merrimack's defense has combined for 16 points this season, led by five from Dan Kolomatis and four each from Brendan Ellis and Jordan Heywood. Last year, Merrimack's defense ranked among the nation's best in scoring.
Non-Conference Recap
Now 1-2 in non-conference games this season, Merrimack went 4-1-2 in non-conference games last season, losing only to Union. Dating back to the start of 2010-11, they are 11-3-3 and 24-9-5 in their last 38 games.
Bly Picks Up Where He Left Off
After netting his first career two-goal game in game two of the 2011-12 HEA Quarterfinals at Maine, Rhett Bly picked up where he left off, scoring the first goal of the season, 4:04 into the first at Union. Bly has four points in six games.
90 for Dennehy
The win at Union was the 90th of head coach Mark Dennehy's career.
For Openers
Merrimack improved to 8-2-2 in its last 12 openers. In last season's opener, Merrimack earned its first win in Orono in 12 years, defeating Maine 2-1. The Warriors are 3-1-1 in their last five openers.
Quick Glance at 2011-12
Merrimack started the season 9-0-1, earning a #1 ranking for the first time ever for two weeks in November. They were the last team to lose in the country and the first to enter December unbeaten in 15 years. However, they struggled to score all year (8th in Hockey East) and finished the season 9-12-6 after the hot start, losing to Maine in the Hockey East Quarterfinals in three games as the fifth seed. Merrimack was ranked all season for the first time in school history.
The Goaltending Dilemma
The Warriors will hand the goaltending duties to Sam Marotta and Rasmus Tirronen this year after All-American goaltender Joe Cannata graduated. Marotta, a junior, entered this season with one career start, a 5-0 shutout against UConn last year, while Tironnen, a sophomore who hails from Finland, did not play last year due to an eligibility issue. Marotta stopped 86 of 88 shots in his first two years.
Number Changes
Three Merrimack forwards changed numbers this season. John Heffernan switched from 8 to 16. Shawn Bates went from 17 to 9 and Connor Toomey went from 25 to 11.
First of Two with Union
Strangely, Merrimack will play Union twice this season in different venues, marking the first time they will play a non-conference team twice in separate venues in the same season since playing Dartmouth on 12/15/01 and 12/28/01. The Warriors will next battle the Dutchmen at the Catamount Cup on December 29 at Vermont.
12 Games Televised; 7 Nationally, Most in Hockey East
Merrimack will have 12 games, one-third of its schedule, televised this year, most in school history. The Warriors will have eight home games televised and seven nationally televised games, most in Hockey East. Merrimack has teamed up with WBIN locally to televise four games live from Lawler beginning November 9 against BU. Merrimack will be on NESN twice at home and on CBS Sports three times for the first time ever. Eight of the final 11 regular season games will be televised.
Seven Newcomers
The Warriors welcome seven freshmen to the roster, five forwards and two defensemen. Ben Bahe and Brian Christie played together for Topeka (NAHL), while Justin Hussar, John Gustafsson, Matt Cronin, Vinny Scotti and Sean Robertson round out the talented and deep class of 2016.
Heywood 82-for-82
Jordan Heywood has played all 82 games in three seasons at Merrimack.
Bigos Big Penalty Numbers
Kyle Bigos enters this season with 346 career penalty minutes after picking up 125 last season. Bigos needs 54 more for the program's all-time record of 400, set by Tom Costa from 1992-96.
Senior Class Needs 8 Wins to be Most Successful Class in D1 History
The senior class of Kyle Bigos, Nick Drew, Brandon Brodhag and John Heffernan needs eight wins to supplant last year's class as the winningest class in Merrimack's Div. I history. The class of 2013 could become the first class to make the playoffs in each of its four seasons since Hockey East expanded from eight teams. They were a part of a team that won a school-record 25 games, advanced to its first-ever HEA Championship, was selected to its first-ever NCAA Tournament since joining HEA and earned the program's first-ever #1 ranking.
Three Straight with Maine
Merrimack and Maine will renew their rivalry with three games in an eight-day span, beginning 1/12 at Lawler and ending 1/18-19 at Alfond. The teams have met in each of the last two Hockey East Quarterfinals, with each team winning once.
2012-13 Schedule at a Glance
Merrimack's 2012-13 schedule is highlighted by 19 home games, beginning October 26 and 27 against Vermont following four games away from Lawler. Colgate and Harvard headline the non-conference home schedule. Due to television coverage, Merrimack will play on three consecutive Sunday afternoons from February 17-March 3 and will actually have four straight weekend afternoon games from 2/9-3/3. They will also take on UNH at the Verizon Wireless Arena on January 26 at 5 p.m.
Western Canada Pipeline
Nine of Merrimack's players hail from Western Canada.
Second Smallest Division I School in College Hockey
With an enrollment of 2,312, Merrimack has the second smallest enrollment of any Division I hockey school, behind Colorado College.
2011-12 Trends: Lawler Sellouts
Merrimack sold out 20 of its last 24 home games.
Sudden Death Success
Merrimack is 7-1-12 in OT in its last 20 regular season OT games dating back to the start of 2010-11.
Smallest School Reached the Top
Merrimack ascended to the top of the polls for the first time ever on November 21, 2011 and held that spot for two weeks.
Captains
Merrimack will have three defenders wear letters this season, with junior Jordan Heywood serving as captain, and senior Kyle Bigos and junior Brendan Ellis as the assistant captains.
Merrimack in 40+ Save Performances
Incredibly, over the last four seasons, Merrimack is 4-2-3 when its goaltender stops 40 or more shots. Joe Cannata had two 40+ save performances in 2011-12.
Merrimack and WBIN Team Up
Merrimack, Pack Network, and WBIN-TV reached an agreement to broadcast four hockey games live from Lawler Rink for the second straight season. Fox College Sports will also broadcast these four games nationally. All home games not televised by NESN or CBS will air online at merrimackathletics.com with Pack Network producing the games in high definition and providing postgame highlights.
Merrimack Inks Radio Deal with WGAM
Merrimack has teamed up with WGAM the Game, an ESPN radio affliate to broadcast all games live on 900 and 1250 AM and online at wgamradio.com. WGAM will have weekly Merrimack features during its 4-6 pm time slot, interviewing players and coaches of the team. Fans should download the free WGAM app to listen on their phone. John Leahy and Mike Machnik return to call all Merrimack games live.
Volpe Athletic Center Expansion Project Underway
Construction on the 83,000 square foot Volpe Athletic Center Expansion is underway. As part of the project, Merrimack will add a second ice sheet, four new luxury boxes, a 5,000 square foot Center for Sports Medicine, a 8,000 square foot weight room, new locker rooms and offices, and a new lobby, ticket office and pro shop. The expansion project is expected to be completed before the 2013-14 academic year.
Merrimack Ranked Eighth in HEA Preseason Poll
The Warriors were ranked eighth in the Hockey East Preseason Poll.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts
1. Boston College (9) 90
2. UMass Lowell 74
3. Boston University 73
4. New Hampshire (1) 63
5. Maine 56
6. Northeastern 44
Providence 44
8. Merrimack 38
9. Massachusetts 35
10. Vermont 23
Ranked Seventh in HEWBA Preseason Poll
The Warriors earned the #7 preseason ranking in the Hockey East Broadcasters and Writers Media poll.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts
1. Boston College (21) 243
2. UMass Lowell (3) 219
3. Boston University 189
4. New Hampshire 166
5. Providence 141
6. Maine (1) 137
7. Merrimack 96
8. Northeastern 87
9. Massachusetts 70
10. Vermont 27
The Warriors earned the #7 preseason ranking in the Hockey East Broadcasters and Writers Media poll.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts
1. Boston College (21) 243
2. UMass Lowell (3) 219
3. Boston University 189
4. New Hampshire 166
5. Providence 141
6. Maine (1) 137
7. Merrimack 96
8. Northeastern 87
9. Massachusetts 70
10. Vermont 27
