Links: Box Score
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Merrimack College women's ice hockey program scored three shorthanded goals Friday night, cruising to a 4-1 victory over Vermont in the first of a two-game series. The Warriors were led by junior
Mikyla Grant-Mentis, whose four-point night included two shorthanded goals in the win.
The Warriors' historic season saw another milestone inside Gutterson Fieldhouse Friday night, as the team broke the program record for wins in a single season with 12.
Through three quarters of the first period, neither team could find an edge. Senior
Jessica Bonfe broke the stalemate with five minutes left in the first, and was followed minutes later by Grant-Mentis's first shorthand goal of the game. Two more rippled the back of the net in the second period, with goals coming from senior
Dominique Kremer and Grant-Mentis.
Senior
Samantha Ridgewell picked up her 11
th win of the season behind another incredible performance between the pipes, making 35 saves in the victory.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 4, Vermont 1
Records: Merrimack (12-7-3, 8-6-1 HEA) | Vermont (6-12-4, 4-9-2 HEA)
Location: Gutterson Fieldhouse | Burlington, Vt.
Scoring Summaries
- Goal #1 (1-0 MC) – With over a week since its last game, the Merrimack offense came out firing in the first period. After back-and-forth play through the opening 15 minutes, it was senior Jessica Bonfe who started the scoring. Her fifth goal of the season gave the Warriors a 1-0 advantage with just under five minutes left in the first.
- Goal #2 (2-0 MC) – Merrimack's first penalty came with three minutes left in the opening period, but it led to an incredible effort play from senior Paige Voight to help double the lead. After a turnover in the neutral zone, Voight led the 2-on-1 break; a dump pass to junior Mikyla Grant-Mentis led to a wide open look at the net, and her finish doubled the Merrimack lead going into the break.
- Goal #3 (3-0 MC) – After Grant-Mentis picked up her first shorthanded goal of the season, her effort during the following penalty kill turned into a goal. During the Warriors' second penalty kill of the night, Grant-Mentis turned over a puck in the neutral zone and led the shorthanded attack, dishing out a pass to senior Dominique Kremer for the finish.
- Goal #4 (4-0 MC) – As if a multi-goal game wasn't enough, Grant-Mentis managed to do it in style. Goal number two came unassisted, as she scored her second shorthanded goal of the game with a beautiful move around Vermont netminder Melissa Black.
- Goal #5 (4-1 MC) – The Catamounts responded late in the final frame with a goal of its own to break up the shutout. Alyssa Holmes found the back of the net with 1:23 left in the third on a loose rebound to make it 4-1.
Notes and Numbers
- Grant-Mentis becomes the 11th player in NCAA D1 women's hockey history to record two shorthanded goals in a single game.
- Every goal scored for the Warriors came by special teams, with three shorthanded goals and a power play goal.
- Merrimack's 12 wins broke the single-season program record from the previous two year, with the last two seasons recording 11.
- Goaltenders: Samantha Ridgewell (35 saves, 11-5-2) // Melissa Black (9 saves, 6-12-4)
- Power Plays: 1-3 // 0-6
- Shots on Goal: 8-11 // 5-10 // 11-14 – 23-35
Up Next
The Warriors are back on the ice Saturday night, taking on the Catamounts for the final time this season. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m.
