NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team will play its final non-conference game of the first half of the 2017-18 season when it hosts Army West Point on Friday night at Lawler Rink. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. The Warriors will then head to the University of New Hampshire for a Sunday afternoon league clash beginning at 4 p.m. at the Whittemore Center.
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
- PINT GLASS GIVEAWAY: Fans in attendance will receive a FREE Merrimack Athletics Pint Glass while supplies last. All pint glasses will be distributed AT THE END OF THE GAME at each exit in the Box Office lobby.
- TOYS FOR TOTS: Fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to Friday'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 Boston Children's Hospital. 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 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) in the Box Office Lobby.
- THE SEASON OF THE GREAT '8's: 1967-68: During Friday night's game, and as part of a season-long initiative to honor some of the greatest teams in program history, members of the men's ice hockey 1967-68 season will be in attendance and will be recognized during first intermission. Join us as we pay homage to that famous Warrior squad, which set what was then the school record for victories in a season after an 18-win campaign on the way to repeating as ECAC champions.
- WOUNDED WARRIOR RECOGNITION: As part of Friday night's game, Merrimack will welcome members of the Wounded Warrior Project and honor them during first intermission. Tickets for active military or veterans can be purchased for $10; call the Box Office at 978-837-5324 to order!
Inside the Series (Army)
- Friday's showdown will mark the 40th meeting in a series that dates back to 1959 between Merrimack and Army West Point, and the 13th such meeting at Lawler Rink.
- The Warriors lead the series, 22-16-1, and more impressively, Merrimack has never lost or tied at home (12-0-0) in 12 tries against the Black Knights.
- Down in West Point, the advantage is in Army's favor, as the Warriors have gone 10-16-1 on the road against the Black Knights.
- Merrimack had won 14 straight dating back to 1991, but that streak was snapped two years ago after the Black Knights won, 3-2, on Dec. 29, 2015 in West Point.
- The two schools' last meeting in North Andover was on Oct. 26, 2013, when Merrimack used a three-goal third period to post a 4-2, come-from-behind win against Army.
Inside the Series (New Hampshire)
- Meeting for the 109th time since 1960 this weekend, New Hampshire has fared well in the all-time series against Merrimack, as the Warriors own just a 23-74-11 mark against the Wildcats.
- Last season, UNH took 3-of-4 points with a win and a tie on home ice, and then in the postseason, the Wildcats rallied from a one-game deficit to win a best-of-three league tournament opening round series, two games to one.
- At home, the Warriors have gone just 13-29-7 against UNH, while on the road Merrimack is 9-45-3 all-time against the Wildcats, including a 6-28-3 record at the Whittemore Center.
- Merrimack is looking for its first win at the Whittemore Center in four tries; their last victory in Durham was on Feb. 2, 2013 (4-1).
- The two teams have met in the playoffs in each of the last two years; Merrimack rallied from a game down to win the best-of-three opening round matchup in 2016 before UNH flipped the script last March.
'Mack Facts
- Merrimack is looking to snap a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1); its last victory was on Nov. 10 against Bentley at home (5-2).
- Both of Merrimack's wins have come at home, where the Warriors own a 2-3-1 record so far this season compared to an 0-6-2 mark on the road.
- Senior Jace Hennig leads the team with 13 points, including a team-high five goals.
- Classmates Brett Seney (4-7-11) and Jared Kolquist (3-8-11), as well as junior Ludvig Larsson (4-6-10) and sophomore Johnathan Kovacevic (1-9-10) have double-digit scoring figures, as well. Kovacevic's 10 helpers lead the team.
- Hennig, Seney and Sami Tavernier each have three goals on the power play, which ranks tied for 10th in Hockey East. Seney and Hennig rank fourth in the league with nine power play points in total, while Kolquist ranks ninth with eight.
- Goaltender Craig Pantano has earned both of Merrimack's wins this season and has started seven games; he is 2-4-1 with a 2.69 GAA and .906 SV% on the year.
Eyes on Army
- Army West Point heads into the weekend at 7-7-2 overall and recently snapped a six-game winless streak (0-4-2) after a 3-1 victory against Colgate last Saturday.
- The Black Knights started the season at 6-3-0 overall, but are 1-4-1 since then.
- Five players are in double-digit scoring figures for Army; sophomores Michael Wilson and Dominic Franco, as well as junior Dalton MacAfee lead the way with 15 points.
- Wilson's nine goals are most on the squad, while MacAfee, a defenseman, has dished a team-leading 13 helpers. Wilson also has four power play goals, most on the team.
- Senior Cole Bruns has started all but one game for Army, which has gone 6-7-1 with him manning the pipes. Bruns has a 2.56 GAA and .917 SV% on the year.
- Army ranks 41st nationally in scoring offense (2.62) and 12th in scoring defense (2.50); their power play ranks 31st (18.1) while their PK is fourth-best (88.9).
- Brian Riley is in his 14th season coaching the Black Knights. He started the year with a 153-245-66 all-time coaching mark in that span.
Wildcat Watch
- After beating RPI last night on the road, New Hampshire enters a busy weekend with a 9-5-1 overall record, including a 4-4-1 mark in league play. They will entertain Army on Saturday night before hosting the Warriors on Sunday to wrap up a three-game, five-day stretch.
- The Wildcats had one of the best starts of any team nationwide, winning each of their first five games en route to a 6-1-1 start. They did cool off a bit since, owning a 3-4-0 record since Nov. 10.
- Six players are in double-digit scoring figures for UNH; senior Michael McNicholas leads the way with 15 points on a team-leading 11 assists, while a pair of freshman defensemen – Max Gildon and Benton Maass – have 14 and 12 points, respectively. The former's seven goals and four power-play strikes are most among the Wildcats, while the latter's 11 helpers are tied for the team lead.
- In total, 16 different players have recorded a goal for UNH and 19 have at least one point.
- Senior Daniel Tirone has made all 15 starts for the Wildcats and has been one of the top goaltenders in the country with a .930 SV% and 2.18 GAA in that span.
- UNH ranks 19th nationally in scoring offense (3.13) and seventh in scoring defense (2.20); their power play ranks 14th (23.0) while their PK is third-best (91.4).
- Dick Umile is in his 28th and final season coaching the Wildcats. He started the year with a 586-353-108 all-time coaching mark in that span.
Up Next
Merrimack concludes the first half of the season with a Saturday (Dec. 16) matinee matchup against Northeastern next weekend at Lawler Rink. Puck drop is 4 p.m.
