Three Third-Period Goals Not Enough as Women's Ice Hockey Suffers First-Ever Loss to Vermont

2/17/2017 12:00:00 AM

Links: Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Despite a battling back with a three-goal third period, the Merrimack College women's ice hockey team suffered its first-ever loss to Vermont on the road on Friday night, as the Warriors fell in their penultimate game of the regular season, 4-3.

The Basics
Score: Vermont 4, Merrimack 3
Records: Merrimack (10-20-3, 6-17-0 HEA) | Vermont (13-11-9, 9-7-7 HEA)
Location: Gutterson Fieldhouse | Burlington, Vt.

Hockey East Playoff Picture
Top eight teams qualify for postseason; seeds 1-4 host 5-8 in quarterfinal best-of-three series; bracket is reseeded, winning teams advance to Championship Weekend at Boston University.

8. Maine (6-16-1, 13 pts) (1 game remaining, Sunday @ Boston U.)
9. Merrimack (6-17-0, 12 pts) (1 game remaining, Saturday @ Vermont)

The Warriors need at least a tie on Saturday to remain in playoff contention. With a win Saturday, Merrimack clinches a playoff berth with a Maine loss OR tie on Sunday. If the Warriors tie Saturday, they can still clinch with a Maine loss on Sunday. Maine clinches with a Merrimack loss OR a Maine win.

How It Happened

•  Knowing the heavy playoff implications that were at stake entering the final the final weekend of the regular season, the Warriors came out as the aggressor in Friday's contest, holding Vermont without a shot through the first eight minutes of the game. Merrimack would manage five of their own in that span, including a great chance from sophomore Paige Voight (St. Michael, Minn.) on the power play, but would be unable to score in the opening period.
• Vermont would find momentum towards the end of the first, starting with a power play chance of its own. The Catamounts best chance would come near the end of the period on a redirected shot right in front of the Merrimack goal, but a great save by freshman goaltender Léa-Kristine Demers (Repentigny, Quebec) on the deflection would maintain the scoreless tie heading into the second.
• The late-period momentum in the first period would carry right over to the second for Vermont, as Merrimack would be held to just five shots on goal in the period. The Catamounts would more than double that production, firing off 13 shots in the frame. Demers would stop the first 12 of those shots featuring some impressive saves, but the Warriors would see Vermont convert on their final shot of the period, taking a 1-0 lead on a screened shot from the slot with just 34.6 remaining until the intermission.
• A wild six-goal third period would begin in the favor of the Catamounts, with Vermont adding to their lead just 1:37 into the third period and scoring twice in a 2:12-span to take a 2-0 lead. But Voight would respond just 1:18 later, getting a feed from sophomore Emily Volpe (Whitby, Ontario) in front of the net and stuffing it in to put Merrimack on the board.
• The flurry of goals early in the third period would continue just 1:25 later, as Vermont would extend its lead back to two goals at the 4:20 of the final frame. But the Catamounts would give the Warriors an opportunity less than a minute later, taking a penalty to put the third-best power-play unit in Hockey East on the ice. The potent power play would convert for Merrimack, as sophomore Katelyn Rae (Courtice, Ontario) would knock in a bouncing puck that caromed off the back boards and in front of the net, again cutting Vermont's lead back down to one.
• After what seemed like a lengthy five-minute goalless stretch in the third, the Warriors would capitalize on another power play chance, this time coming on the first-career goal for freshman Chloe Cook (Summerland, British Columbia). Cook would fire a hard shot from the point through traffic, finding the back of the net to tie the game up at 3-3 in the third period with the first for the rookie.
• The momentum from the game-tying score would quickly be shot down by the Catamounts, as once again Vermont would answer in immediate fashion, retaking a 4-3 lead just 30 seconds later.
• Merrimack would continue to battle late in third, creating a flurry of opportunities in the final five minutes including a puck that actually snuck behind the Vermont goaltender but not over the goal line, but a fourth goal would never come from the heavy pressure.

Inside The Numbers

• Cook nets the first goal of her career after playing in all 33 games so far this season. She improves her rookie season point total to six, registering five assists on the year.
• Rae continues to be on a ridiculous scoring streak to end the season, as she has now registered a goal in each of the last five games. She has seven goals in that span, and leads the team with 18 on the season.
• Goaltenders: L – Demers (7-14-1, 25 saves) | L – Litchfield (8-5-6, 23 saves)
• Power Plays: Merrimack (2-5) | UVM  (0-2)
• SOG: MC – 26 | UVM – 29

Up Next
The Warriors are back in action in Vermont tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. They will need at least a tie with Vermont to remain in playoff contention.

 

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