#18 Vermont Takes Weekend Opener, Downs Men's Ice Hockey, 2-1, Friday Night
Links: Box Score | Dennehy Postgame Comments
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team was held to only 16 shots on net and was still was within a goal of tying it up over the last 22-plus minutes of regulation, but 18th-ranked Vermont held on to hand the Warriors a 2-1 setback on Friday night at the Gutterson Fieldhouse.
The Basics
Score: #18 Vermont 2, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (14-14-3, 5-12-2 HEA) | #18 Vermont (18-11-2, 10-8-1 HEA)
Location: Gutterson Fieldhouse| Burlington, Vt.
How It Happened
Outside of a five-minute stretch in the second period, Merrimack played as thorough and physical of a road game as it had done all year, but that lapse was enough to give the Catamounts a two-goal lead they would never relinquish.
Following a scoreless first, Vermont would strike twice in the first six minutes of the middle stanza, first on a Rob Darrar marker at 2:43 before a Colin Markison tally doubled the hosts' advantage at 5:15.
That spurred a barrage of second-period penalties that ultimately three Merrimack power plays, and on the last one, sophomore Hampus Gustafsson (Ljungby, Sweden) continued what has been a red-hot offensive stretch after burying his 11th marker of the year thanks to assists from junior Brian Christie (West Chester, Pa.) and senior Dan Kolomatis (Basking Ridge, N.J.), making it a 2-1 affair at the end of 40 minutes.
While the Warriors appeared to generate momentum toward the end of the second, two penalties in a three-minute span in the first 10 minutes of the third siphoned that energy away.
Still, Merrimack stayed within striking distance the rest of the way but would be denied the equalizer, as the Warriors were held to their lowest shot total of the year (16) while suffering their sixth straight setback.
Inside The Numbers
- Vermont finished with a 25-16 edge in shots on goal, outshooting Merrimack in all three periods (7-3, 9-7, 9-6)
- The Warrior power play finished 1-for-4, while the penalty kill was perfect on all four tries
- Senior Clayton Jardine (Lacombe, Alberta) led the side with three shots on target, while Vermont's Ori Abramson finished with a game-high four shots
- Senior Rasmus Tirronen (Espoo, Finland) took the tough loss after a 23-save effort, moving to 10-10-2 on the season; Vermont's Mike Santaguida improved to 7-6-0 after making 15 saves
- Gustafsson also led all sides with 20 faceoff wins in 32 attempts, while Merrimack won 35-of-73 (47.9%) battles on the dot
Up Next
Merrimack and Vermont conclude the weekend series back at Gutterson Fieldhouse tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
--
For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
