Links: Box Score
BOSTON – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team fell to No. 13 Northeastern University on Friday night at Matthews Arena, dropping a 9-1 decision to the Huskies.
The Basics
Score: Northeastern 9,
Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (4-10-1, 2-6-0 HEA) | #13 Northeastern (9-3-1, 5-1-1 HEA)
Location: Matthews Arena | Boston, Mass.
Attendance: 1,638
Game Duration: 2:18
How It Happened
- The Huskies exploded with five first-period goals on the strength of 20 shots sandwiched around a lone Merrimack marker from junior Patrick Kramer, as the hosts took a four-goal edge into the opening intermission.
- Northeastern added three more goals all thanks to their special teams in the second period. The first two tallies came shorthanded – including the third of the game from Zach Solow – and then the last one on the power play to give the home side an 8-1 lead after 40 minutes.
- The Huskies lit the lamp once more before it was all said and done, scoring in the fifth minute of the final frame to account for the final margin of defeat for the Warriors.
Scoring Summaries
- Goal #1 (NU, 0-1): Matt Filipe opened the scoring just 1:27 into the game, netting his second of the year. After a faceoff win from Tyler Madden found Ryan Shea at the top of the right circle, Shea traded places with Filipe and his shot from the top of the circle found the twine.
- Goal #2 (NU, 0-2): Austin Plevy made it 2-0 Huskies at the 3:30 mark of the first, scoring over the blocker from the near dot.
- Goal #3 (MC, 1-2): Kramer got the Warriors on the board at the 6:29 mark of the first with his fourth of the season. He redirected a left point shot from freshman Tyler Heidt after a faceoff win at the right circle from senior Derek Petti set up the scoring sequence.
- Goal #4 (NU, 1-3): Solow's first of the game came with the Huskies on the power play at the 9:25 mark of the opening frame. He banged in a rebound at the back post after Jeremy Davies' initial shot was saved.
- Goal #5 (NU, 1-4): Solow scored less than two minutes later to make it a 4-1 lead for the hosts. Liam Pecararo did most of the work, jumping on a puck that didn't make it out of the zone from the far side, skating into the slot and finding Solow all alone for a one-timer at the back post.
- Goal #6 (NU, 1-5): Brandon Hawkins got the Huskies their fifth tally of the first period at 11:22, scoring from a tough angle in the lower right circle.
- Goal #7 (NU, 1-6): Solow completed the hat trick bid with a shorthanded strike 4:59 into the second period, burying a breakaway to push the Huskies in front by five goals.
- Goal #8 (NU, 1-7): John Picking recorded Northeastern's second straight shorthanded goal at 13:20 of the second, picking off the puck at the blue line and taking it the distance before tucking the puck in on his forehand at the blocker side post.
- Goal #9 (NU, 1-8): Picking scored again, this time on the power play, late in the second to get the Huskies' their eighth of the game. He collected a pass and squeezed it through an opening on the left side of the net.
- Goal #10 (NU, 1-9): Hawkins netted the last lamp-lighter for the Huskies at 5:37 of the third, one-timing a shot from the slot that found the twine.
Highlights
- Freshman Chase Gresock led all players with six shots on goal, continuing what has been a season-long trend for the rookie who is among the league leader in shots on goal.
- Kramer's goal was his fourth of the season while Petti recorded his first assist of the year in his first game back in the lineup in about a month. Heidt's helper was his second of the season.
- Merrimack had three players with two blocked shots.
- Senior Michael Babcock led all Warriors with 13 faceoff wins, finishing the night .500 on the dots.
Notes & Numbers
- Merrimack saw its winless streak against Northeastern stretch to eight games (0-7-1) over the last three-plus seasons. Its last win was in March of 2015 as part of a two-game postseason series sweep in the opening round of the Hockey East Tournament at Matthews Arena.
- The Warriors also saw their season-long winless streak move to four games (0-3-1). Merrimack's last win was at Bemidji State on Nov. 10 (1-0).
- The nine goals allowed were the most by the team since a 9-2 defeat at Michigan on Oct. 16, 2005. The Huskies were also the first team to net two shorties against the Warriors since Boston University did so in Game 2 of the Hockey East quarterfinals on March 14, 2015.
- Goaltenders: Craig Pantano (26 saves, 4-7-1) // Cayden Primeau (13 saves, 9-3-1)
- Power Plays: 0-3 | 2-7
- Shots on Goal: 12-20 // 8-13 // 3-9 – 23-42
- Faceoffs: 33 // 33
- Blocks: 9 // 13
Merrimack Lineup
Forwards
Gresock | Babcock | Irvine
Petti | Kramer | Tavernier
Simeone | Bales | McKay
Coomes | T. Drevitch | Seyfert
L. Drevitch
Defense
Dockery | Kovacevic
Cook | Carle
Heidt | McArdle
Goaltenders
Halladay | Pantano | Vogler
Up Next
Merrimack opens December with back-to-back home games against Providence and Northeastern next weekend. Puck drop each night from Lawler Rink is set for 7 p.m.
