NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team concludes the first half of the 2017-18 season with a Saturday afternoon matchup against No. 8 Northeastern University at Lawler Rink. Puck drop is set for 4 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
- FAMILY DISCOUNTS: Bring your family to the game and take in the many family-friendly amenities of Lawler Rink! Enjoy discounted pricing of $13.50/ticket (NOTE: minimum of four tickets must be purchased)! Each ticket includes a seat to the game, nachos, candy and drinks from the concession stand.
- TRADING CARD GIVEAWAY #1: Collect them all! The first installment of the 2017-18 Warrior Hockey Trading Card Series hits Lawler Rink this weekend. Get your pack while while supplies last and try to collect every player card this season!
- POSTGAME SKATE WITH SANTA & THE WARRIORS: After the final horn sounds, join the Warriors for a special postgame holiday skate on Lawler Rink! Fans will have the opportunity to skate with their favorite players, as well as Santa Claus! Photograph and autograph opportunities will be available, and FREE snacks and hot chocolate will be provided courtesy of Fuddruckers! All Junior Warrior members are permitted to bring a friend to the game for FREE! All skaters must wear a helmet; NO RENTAL SKATES AVAILABLE!
Inside the Series
- Merrimack and Northeastern have meet 108 times before Saturday's showdown.
- The Warriors own a 42-57-9 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 3-10-0 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 21-23-7 at Lawler Rink over the years, but on the flip side Merrimack has gone just 21-34-2 all-time at Matthews Arena.
- Merrimack's last win against Northeastern was on March 7, 2015; the Warriors' last home win against the Huskies was a 4-2 victory on Nov. 21, 2014.
- The Huskies have won six straight overall against the Warriors after sweeping the season series in both 2015-16 and 2016-17 and are looking to do so again this year.
'Mack Facts
- Merrimack has won consecutive games for the first time this year after defeating Army West Point (4-1) and New Hampshire (4-3) last weekend.
- Sunday's win marked Merrimack's first on the road in nine tries (1-6-2); the Warriors own a a 3-3-1 record at Lawler Rink.
- Jace Hennig, Jared Kolquist and Brett Seney lead the team with 14 points; Hennig has potted a team-high six goals while Kolquist leads the Warriors with 11 assists.
- Three other Warriors have surpassed the 10-point threshold, as well.
- Hennig and Sami Tavernier each have four goals on the power play, which ranks tied for sixth in Hockey East. Seney and Kolquist are tied for third in the league with 11 power play points in total, while Hennig ranks eighth with 10.
- Goaltender Craig Pantano has earned all of Merrimack's wins this season and has started eight games; he is 3-4-1 with a 2.50 GAA and .909 SV% on the year.
Homing in on the Huskies
- Northeastern enters Saturday at 10-5-1 overall (8-3-0 HEA) and is riding a three-game winning streak. That followed a brief 1-3-0 slump, while NU started the year 6-2-1.
- Seven Huskies are in double-digit scoring figures highlighted by junior Adam Gaudette, who has 23 points so far. His 11 goals lead the Huskies, as well.
- Senior Dylan Sikura is right behind him with 22 points, including a nation-high seven power play goals. Defenseman Garret Cockerill has dished a team-high 14 assists.
- Sikura (1.57) and Gaudette (1.44) both rank in the top-six nationally in points/game.
- Freshman Cayden Primeau has taken over the starting job in net and ranks 11th nationally in goals-against average (2.06) and 12th in save percentage (.920).
- Northeastern ranks fifth nationally in scoring offense (3.62) and 12th in scoring defense (2.42); their power play ranks second (28.6) while their PK ranks 49th (77.4).
- 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 returns to action with a two-game trip in Colorado, as the Warriors meet defending national champion Denver and Colorado College on Dec. 29-30.
