Links: Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. – For the first time in program history, the Merrimack College women's ice hockey program swept a Hockey East team in the regular season, upending Holy Cross Saturday night 6-1 in its third and final contest with the Crusaders. The win continues to boast Merrimack's program-best start, registering a 9-1-2 overall record and a 6-1-1 record in Hockey East play.
Freshman
Gabby Jones collected her first career goal in route to a two-goal performance; Jones and senior
Katelyn Rae combined for four goals in the evening, and all six goals for the Warriors came in the opening two periods. Sophomore
Dominika Laskova also tallied her first career point on an assist during the first Jones goal, becoming the 17
th Warrior to tally a point this season.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 6, Holy Cross 1
Records: Merrimack (9-1-2, 6-1-1 HEA) | Holy Cross (0-11-2, 0-8-0 HEA)
Location: Hart Center | Worcester, Mass.
Scoring Summaries
- Goal #1 (1-0 MC) – Senior Katelyn Rae scored in almost every game before being kept off the box score Friday night, so it wasn't a surprise that she would redeem herself Saturday. A pass from senior Dominique Kremer during a five-on-three hit the stick of Rae, and a snapshot just inside the far faceoff circle went bar down to open up the score.
- Goal #2 (1-1) – Holy Cross forward Maeve Reilly tied the game, scoring with just under four minutes left in the first period on a pass from Allison Attea that slid through the crease.
- Goal #3 (2-1 MC) – With 47 seconds left in the first period, the Warriors turned up the heat and capitalized on a series of passes. Freshman Gabby Jones collected her first of the year, and sophomore Dominika Laskova tallied her first assist to give the Warriors the lead going into the break.
- Goal #4 (3-1 MC) – Just three minutes into the second period, the Warriors rippled the net once more. Senior Paige Voight buried her third against Holy Cross and fifth of the season when she skated in from the blue line and finished a shot on goaltender Julia Pelletier's glove side.
- Goal #5 (4-1 MC) – The Warriors saw another goal come from the first line with nine minutes left in the second period; again, it was Jones to find the net. Going from no goals to two in the same game, Jones finished a put-back goal on a big rebound in front of the net.
- Goal #6 (5-1 MC) – Merrimack sophomore Courtney Maud collected her first of the year to really open the floodgate in the second. Senior Felila Manu hit Chloe Cook; her one-time shot down low saw a deflection from Maud, and the misdirect hit the net untouched.
- Goal #7 (6-1 MC) – With just under a minute left in the second period, another Warrior netted her second goal of the game. A power play goal for the senior, and it came off her own rebound to make it 6-1 into the second intermission.
- Goal # 8 (6-2 MC) – The Crusaders capitalized on a power play with five minutes left in regulation. Tori Messina ripped a shot that got past new netminder Lea-Kristine Demers for her first career goal, and finalizing the game at 6-2.
Notes and Numbers
- For the first time ever, the Warriors have swept a team in Hockey East play during the regular season.
- The Warriors have only scored six goals one other time in program history; a 7-2 victory over Maine in 2016.
- Junior Lea-Kristine Demers made her first appearance of the season in net, coming on to replace Samantha Ridgewell in the third period.
- Goaltenders: Samantha Ridgewell (29 saves, 9-1-2) // Julia Pelletier (31 saves, 0-11-0)
- Power Plays: 3-7 // 0-5
- Shots on Goal: 8-7 // 11-5 // 3-8 – 37-31
Up Next
Merrimack looks to take on Providence College next weekend, hitting the road Friday before hosting the Friars Saturday.
