NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team heads to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for a weekend series against last year's national runner-up, No. 9/13 University of Minnesota Duluth. The Warriors and Bulldogs will square off at 8:30 p.m. each night from AMSOIL Arena.
Inside the Series
- Both the Warriors and Bulldogs have met just once previously, and that last matchup came almost 18 years ago.
- Merrimack was a participant in the 2000 Silverado Shootout hosted by Minnesota Duluth, and the Warriors wound up winning that Dec. 28, 2000, game by a 4-2 margin.
'Mack Facts
- Merrimack is making its second trip to the state of Minnesota in four years after last playing in the 2015 Mariucci Classic hosted by the University of Minnesota.
- Merrimack is winless in its first three games for the second straight season after starting 0-3-0 last October; Merrimack rebounded with a 3-0-1 stretch after that start.
- Merrimack ranks eighth in the country in shots per game (37.00), but has only converted four of those 111 shots and ranks last nationally in shooting percentage (.036).
- Nine different skaters have recorded at one point so far this season, and four different players have also scored goals in that span.
- The Warriors eclipsed the 40-shot threshold last Saturday against Wisconsin but still lost; Merrimack has now lost its last three games dating back to last season when recording 40 or more shots on goal.
- Four of Merrimack's six freshmen have made their collegiate debuts through three games, with freshman Dominic Dockery becoming the latest to do so last Saturday.
- Merrimack ranks in the top half both in Hockey East and in the nation in both scoring defense (2.67) and on the penalty kill (85.7).
The Drop on Duluth
- Last year's national runner-up, Minnesota Duluth is off to a 1-2-1 start on the year.
- The Bulldogs hosted the IceBreaker Tournament and opened the season with an overtime win over rival Minnesota, but they are winless since, including a loss and a tie last weekend in a home-and-home with Bemidji State.
- Minnesota Duluth took a hit offensively after losing five of its top six scorers from last season, as well as its starting goaltender that started all but three games, but still has six NHL draft selections on its 2017-18 roster.
- Sophomore Jarod Hilderman and freshman Nick Swaney lead the way with three points -- all on assists -- so far, while sophomore Riley Tufte is the only Bulldog with multiple goals on the season.
- Sophomores Nick Deery and Hunter Shepard have split two starts thus far; Deery has the better of the numbers with a 1.93 goals-against average and .909 save percentage but is winless (0-1-1). Shepard (3.49 GAA, .811 SV%) is 1-1-0 in two starts.
- The Bulldogs rank 40th nationally in scoring offense (2.25) and 31st scoring defense (3.00); their power play ranks 30th (16.7) and penalty kill ranks 47th (71.4).
- Scott Sandelin is in his 18th season at Minnesota Duluth and started the year with a 315-284-82 all-time coaching record.
Up Next
Merrimack opens its league schedule next weekend with a home-and-home against Massachusetts. Puck drop each night is set for 7 p.m.
