NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After a weekend off, the Merrimack College men's ice hockey team returns to Hockey East play with a home-and-home series against No. 12/11 Northeastern University. The series starts at Matthews Arena on Friday night before concluding at Lawler Rink on Saturday; puck drop each night is set for 7 p.m.
PARKING AND SECURITY ADVISORY
Due to enhanced security regulations in place on campus, fans are encouraged to arrive to Lawler Rink
EARLY Saturday night. The Lawler Rink security staff reserves the right to check
ALL bags and ask guests to leave inappropriate or prohibited items in their car or outside of the gates.
All guests are subject to search.
Please note the following parking restrictions for Saturday night's game:
- Lot F (MAC) is reserved for hockey season ticket holders
- Lot G (Deegan/Fenton Road) is reserved for reserved parking.
Click here to view campus map.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
- ELSA NIGHT: The heroine from Disney's hit film Frozen, Elsa, will be in attendance on Saturday night, and all fans will have the opportunity to meet her prior to the game! Ticket packages are available for purchase and include private meet-and-greets with Elsa for families, dinner, other pregame activities and much more! All children partaking in Elsa Night are encouraged to dress as their favorite Disney princess to join in on the festivities! TO PURCHASE TICKETS: Call 978-837-5324 and ask for Lauren!
- WINTER HAT GIVEAWAY: Fans in attendance will receive a free Merrimack Athletics Winter Hat while supplies last. All hats will be distributed prior to the game at each entrance to Lawler Rink.
- TOYS FOR TOTS: Fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to Saturday's game for donation as part of Merrimack's participation in the Toys for Tots initiative. Cash donations will also be accepted, and all proceeds will be donated to the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club. Those who participation in the donation will receive a ticket voucher for $10 off any future game this season. Toys/cash can be donated to the box office.
Inside the Series
- Merrimack and Northeastern have meet 106 times before this weekend's series.
- The Warriors own a 42-55-9 record against NU dating back to the 1966-67 season.
- Merrimack was 7-2-0 over three seasons from 2010-13, but since the start of the 2013-14 campaign, the Warriors are just 3-8-0 against the Huskies. Two of those wins came in March of 2015 in the opening round of the Hockey East Tournament.
- The Warriors have gone 21-22-7 at Lawler Rink over the years, but on the flip side Merrimack has gone just 21-33-2 all-time at Matthews Arena.
- Merrimack's last win at Matthews Arena was in the aforementioned playoff series on March 7, 2015. That was also Merrimack's last overall win against Northeastern; the Warriors' last home win against the Huskies was a 4-2 victory on Nov. 21, 2014.
'Mack Facts
- Merrimack has started to find its game of late, as the Warriors are 1-1-1 in the last three games. That loss was by one goal, as well.
- Merrimack' last win was a 5-2 victory over Bentley on Nov. 10 before dropping a 2-1 decision to No. 10/9 Providence on the road on Nov. 17. Merrimack skated to a 6-6 tie against the Friars the following night, as well.
- Senior Jace Hennig owns the team lead in scoring with 13 points with team-highs in goals (five) and assists (eight).
- Classmates Brett Seney (4-7-11) and Jared Kolquist (3-8-11), as well as junior Ludvig Larsson (4-6-10) have topped the 10-point mark at this point in the year as well.
- Hennig, Seney and Sami Tavernier each have three goals on the power play.
- Goaltender Craig Pantano has earned both of Merrimack's wins this season and has started the last six games and is 2-3-1 with a 2.65 GAA and .908 SV% on the year.
Homing In on the Huskies
- Northeastern is off to a 7-5-1 start on the year with a 5-3-0 mark in league play. They rattled off four straight wins from Oct. 17-Nov. 10, but are 1-3-0 in their last four.
- Five Huskies are in double-digit scoring figures highlighted by junior Adam Gaudette, who has 18 points so far. His eight goals are most among the Huskies, as well.
- Dylan Sikura is right behind him with 16 points, including a team-high five power play goals. Defenseman Jeremy Davies's has dished a team-high 11 assists.
- Sikura (1.45) and Gaudette (1.38) both rank in the top-10 nationally in points per game.
- Freshman Cayden Primeau has seen the majority of work in net after starting four of the last five games. In that span, he has posted a 2.32 GAA and .906 SV%.
- Northeastern ranks fifth nationally in scoring offense (3.62) and 23rd in scoring defense (2.69); their power play ranks sixth (25.4) while their PK ranks 52nd (76.2).
- Jim Madigan, a 1986 Northeastern alum, is in his seventh season coaching the Huskies. He started the season with a 97-96-27 all-time coaching mark in that span.
Up Next
Merrimack plays its final non-conference game of the first semester against Army West Point next Friday at 7 p.m., then travels to UNH next Sunday for a 4 p.m. tilt.
