Links: Box Score
Postgame Comments:
Borek
DURHAM, N.H. – The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team led New Hampshire after 40 minutes, but the host Wildcats tied the game near the midpoint of the third on an overturned goal following an officials' review and then won it after a turnover in overtime to hand the Warriors a heartbreaking 2-1 setback on Friday at the Whittemore Center.
The Basics
Score: New Hampshire 2,
Merrimack 1 (F/OT)
Records: Merrimack (4-15-1, 2-9-0 HEA) | New Hampshire (6-7-5, 2-4-3 HEA)
Location: Whittemore Center | Durham, N.H.
Attendance: 3,108
Game Duration: 2:35
How It Happened
- It was a fast start for the Warriors, who went ahead less than two minutes into the game after senior Michael Babcock scored his third of the season. UNH would take over the next 10 minutes or so, with two power play opportunities in that stretch, but senior goaltender Drew Vogler was the star of the period and kept the Warriors in front by one after 20 minutes despite facing 11 shots.
- After killing off an early penalty, the Warriors had a golden opportunity to add to their lead with an extended 5-on-3 power play midway through the second period but couldn't capitalize. Each side finished with 11 shots in the middle frame, as the score stayed 1-0 in favor of the visitors entering the third.
- The Wildcats broke through with just over eight minutes gone in the third, tying the game after a wild scrum with a fluky goal from behind the net that was initially waved off but overturned following review. Neither side scored the rest of the way, setting the stage for Merrimack's third overtime game of the season.
- Merrimack blocked UNH's first two shots of overtime and then generated some momentum after winning an ensuing faceoff, but a turnover in the defensive zone gave UNH the win in the extra session.
Scoring Summaries
- Goal #1 (MC, 1-0): Babcock put the Warriors on the board with just 1:46 gone in regulation, netting his third of the season on a snap shot through traffic from above the right circle. Juniors Tyler Irvine and Logan Coomes also assisted; Irvine set up the shot from below the goal line, while Coomes had the initial shot that eventually wound up on Irvine's stick.
- Goal #2 (UNH, 1-1): UNH tied the game after Ara Nazarian scored his eighth at 8:18 of the third. Following a wild scrum around the net, Nazarian stuffed the puck in from behind the goal line at the left post.
- Goal #3 (UNH, 1-2): Angus Crookshank won it for the Wildcats 53 seconds into overtime. Liam Blackburn forced a turnover inside the far circle of the Merrimack zone and Crookshank wound up with the puck and scored from the slot.
Highlights
- Babcock's goal was his third of the year, while Irvine extended his team lead in assists (9) and overall scoring (14) in the process.
- Sophomore Dominic Dockery was arguably the Warriors' best defensive player not named Vogler, finishing with a career-high four blocked shots to add to his team-leading total on the year.
- Vogler was fantastic despite suffering the tough-luck loss, stopping 33-of-35 UNH shots on goal (.945 SV%).
- Junior Patrick Kramer led all Warriors with 12 faceoff wins on 16 attempts (75.0%), while senior Derek Petti also had 10 wins on 18 tries (55.5%).
Notes & Numbers
- The loss ended Merrimack's 52-game unbeaten streak when leading after two periods (44-0-8), dating back to Nov. 30, 2013 at Yale (3-2 overtime loss).
- Merrimack was less than 12 minutes away from its first-ever shutout victory on the road against UNH in the all-time series. Instead, the Warriors dropped their first game since March 4, 2017, and their first game at the Whittemore Center since Oct. 29, 2016 (6-2).
- The Warriors also saw their season-long winless streak move to nine games (0-8-1). Merrimack's last win was at Bemidji State on Nov. 10 (1-0). It is the team's longest since losing 10 straight from Dec. 29, 2015 through Jan. 31, 2016.
- Merrimack is now 0-2-1 in overtime this season.
- Goaltenders: Drew Vogler (33 saves, 0-4-0) // Mike Robinson (24 saves, 5-5-4)
- Power Plays: 0-5 | 0-4
- Shots on Goal: 6-11 // 11-11 // 8-12 // 0-1 – 25-35
- Faceoffs: 33 // 34
- Blocks: 13 // 11
Merrimack Lineup
Forwards
Gresock | Petti | Tavernier
von Ungern-Sternberg | Babcock | Irvine
Coomes | Kramer | Seyfert
L. Drevitch | T. Drevitch | Olsen
McBride
Defense
Dockery | McArdle
Heidt | Carle
Solow | Cook
Goaltenders
Vogler | Pantano | Halladay
Up Next
Merrimack concludes its two-game, two-opponent league weekend series with the final game of the regular season against No. 11 Northeastern on Saturday night (Jan. 5), as the Warriors and Huskies drop the puck at Matthews Arena at 7 p.m. on a game that will be broadcast on NESNplus.
