Hockey Picks Up Big Road Victory At Providence, 2-1; Christie Records First Career Goal
Mark Dennehy post game interview
PROVIDENCE, RI - The Merrimack hockey team defeated the Providence Friars on Saturday night at Schneider Arena by the score of 2-1. Sophomore Josh Myers (Colorado Spring, CO) netted the game-winner for the Warriors in the third period.
Merrimack (5-7-2, 4-4-1 HEA) will return home next weekend for a pair of games. On Friday night, the Warriors will take on Harvard which will be aired locally on WBIN and nationally on Fox College Sports and Saturday they will host the U.S. Under-18 team in an exhibition game.
Just over seven minutes into the final frame the Warriors scored the game-winning goal as Myers blocked a clearing attempt and walked in all alone on Jon Gillies and beat him over the glove for his fourth goal of the season. The goal marks Myers' second game-winner of the season and first since opening night against Union.
Early on the Friars were able to sustain some pressure on the Warriors but Rasmus Tirronen (Espoo, Finland) came up big on a breakaway opportunity by Derek Army to keep the game scoreless.
Penalties were the theme in the second half of the opening period as the Warriors were called for one while the Friars committed three in the opening frame. On the third penalty of the night for Providence, the Warriors broke through with their first goal of the night as freshman Brian Christie (West Chester, PA) jammed in his first career goal. Leading scorer Mike Collins (Boston, Mass.) picked up the lone assist on the power play goal.
The two teams went back and forth in the second period as the Friars were awarded three power plays while Merrimack received one power play chance. The Friars almost broke through on their fourth power play opportunity as they got a few shots through but Tirronen stood tall to keep the lead for Merrimack.
Providence held the 23-18 advantage in shots on goal desite trailing the Warriors 1-0 after two periods of play.
After Merrimack increased their lead to two, the Friars got on the board with their first goal as Tim Schaller scored over the shoulder of Tirronen on a backhand shot. Stefan Demopoulos and Alex Velischek picked up the assists on the goal.
With under a minute to play and the Friars net wide open, Tirronen came up with a huge kick save on Schaller to secure the 2-1 win for Merrimack.
The Warriors improve to 3-0 on the season when leading after two periods of play.
Merrimack finished the game going 1-4 on the power play while the Warriors penalty kill held the Friars to 0-5 on the night. Merrimack now has 12 power play goals in 14 games.
Tirronen finished off his impressive night with a career-high 34 saves in the win while Gillies turned away 22 shots in the loss.
The win marks the first win for the Warriors at Schneider Arena since March 5, 2010 when Merrimack defeated the Friars by the score of 5-0.
