UMass Drops Men's Ice Hockey, 5-2, in Weekend Series Opener Friday in Amherst
WARRIORS UNABLE TO DIG OUT OF FOUR-GOAL DEFICIT IN FRIDAY NIGHT SETBACK
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AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts set the tone early on with a three-goal first period, and that would prove to be too much for the Merrimack College men's ice hockey team, as the Warriors fell on the road, 5-2, at the Mullins Center on Friday night in Hockey East action.
The Basics
Score: Massachusetts 5, Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (6-13-3, 1-7-2 HEA) | Massachusetts (7-15-3, 3-7-2 HEA)
Location: Mullilns Center | Amherst, Mass.
How It Happened
UMass set the tone early and often, capitalizing on Merrimack miscues in the defensive zone to soar out to a three-goal cushion after 20 minutes. The hosts added another early in the second before the Warriors responded on the power play to end the period and then again early in the third, but within two goals would be all the visitors would get to, as the Minutemen garnered a final goal with the net empty t round out the night.
Despite being outshot by a 10-7 margin, UMass took control with a three-goal first period that included tallies from three different skaters. Steven Iacobellis opened it up at 8:10 after being set up by Conor Sheary off a turnover, and then five minutes later Troy Power tapped in the Minutemen's second tally on the right side of the crease after a centering feed from Michael Pereira.
Finally, with just 2.5 seconds left on the clock, Colin Shea took away another loose puck in the Merrimack zone and slipped it across to Adam Phillips, who buried it to send the hosts into the locker room with a 3-0 advantage.
The middle frame did not provide much respite for the weary Warriors – who were playing their third game in six nights – in the early goings. UMass controlled the pace through the opening 10 minutes and made it a four-goal lead at 5:23 off a Brandel Gracel strike, who snuck in behind the defense and fired a shot in the slot that made it 4-0 in favor of the hosts.
Merrimack would battle back later in the second stanza and was the beneficiary of a late power play in the last five minutes. That was when the visitors pounced, as rookie Chris LeBlanc (Winthrop, Mass.) potted his third career tally at 15:43 off a feed from classmate Hampus Gustafsson (Ljungby, Sweden) while on the man advantage to send the Navy and Gold into the second intermission down by three. Justin Dan Kolomatis (Basking Ridge, N.J.) also assisted on the Warriors' opening goal.
Needing some fire in the early goings of the final frame to get back into the game, junior Justin Mansfield (Arlington, Mass.) did exactly that after he clanked in a blast from the blue line that banged off the bar and in to make it 4-2 at 1:49 of the third. Classmate Kyle Singleton (Beaverton, Ore.) picked up the only marker on the play to push the flow of the game back in the Warriors' favor.
But that momentum was staunched after UMass was awarded a five-minute power play, which was admirably fended off by the Warrior penalty-killers but left the team with just over five minutes to make up a two-goal deficit.
Unfortunately for Merrimack, two goals would be all it would claw to within, as the Warriors pulled the goalie with just over 3:30 to go but were foiled by Michael Pereira, who scored an empty-netter to seal the visitors' fate while setting the stage for a chance to split the season series tomorrow night in North Andover.
A Closer Look
- Merrimack outshot the hosts 27-23 on the night, including 10-7 in the first period, but would not connect on the scoreboard until its 18th shot of the game
- Despite giving up four goals, junior Rasmus Tirronen (Espoo, Finland) did everything he could to keep the visitors in the game and had several eye-popping saves to keep the score as close as it was
- LeBlanc's third career tally came in his first game back since Jan. 10 at Clarkson
- Mansfield, who went the first 19 games of the year without a goal, now has two in the last three
- Senior Brendan Ellis (Kelowna, British Columbia) led all Warriors with six shots on net
Up Next
Merrimack and UMass conclude their weekend conference series tomorrow night back in North Andover within the friendly confines from Lawler Rink. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
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