NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack returns to the ice to open 2020 in the Friendship Series against the Quinnipiac Bobcats in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Saturday and Sunday.
Merrimack looks to kickstart the new year on a different note after the Warriors dropped a pair of games when they last took to the ice in a road series at New Hampshire. The team fell on December 6 by a 6-0 final at the Whittemore Center before losing a lead in the second game of the weekend to ultimately fall 4-2 on December 7.
Saturday's game will be the fourth game between the two programs, with Merrimack holding a 1-0-2 record against the ECAC Hockey foe. The last time the teams played, the Warriors earned a 2-0 win on the road against the Bobcats in November 2018.
Five Things to Know:
• Senior
Mikyla Grant-Mentis remains the Hockey East goal scoring leader after 16 goals in 19 games. Her 25 points lead the team and are second in the conference.
• Merrimack has had 66 total assists so far this season, with
Keisha DiCaire leading the group with a dozen helpers. Behind her,
Dominika Laskova has 10 assists so far.
• In the last game out for Merrimack, freshman
Katie Kaufman posted her fourth goal of the season, while
Kate Bukolska added her third of the year.
• The Warriors and Bobcats are competing in the second-ever Friendship Series in Belfast, after the contests kicked off in January 2019 with a pair of games between Northeastern and Clarkson.
• Merrimack is 3-0 against ECAC Hockey competition this season.
A Look at the Bobcats:
The Bobcats ended December with a 4-1 loss to No. 4 Cornell on December 7, snapping the team's three game win streak. Quinnipiac is 9-7-3 overall this season, with a 6-1-1 record in non-conference play, including wins against Minnesota Duluth and Providence.
QU's offense is led by sophomore Lexi Adzija, with eight goals and 17 points, and senior Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout, with a team leading nine goals and 12 points. Two other bobcats in Sadie Peart and Kate Reilly both hold 10 points for the Bobcats.
In net, senior Abbie Ives has made 16 starts, turning a 7-6-3 record, with a 1.79 goals against and .927 save percentage this season.
Inside the Matchup
| Merrimack (4-14-2, 1-12-2 HEAW) |
Category |
Quinnipiac (9-7-3, 3-6-2 ECAC) |
| 4-2 L, (12/7 at New Hampshire) |
Last Game |
4-1 L (12/6 vs Cornell) |
| 2.00 |
Scoring Offense |
2.53 |
| 3.35 |
Scoring Defense |
1.74 |
| 26.9 |
Shots/Game |
29.8 |
| 30.7 |
Shots Allowed/Game |
23.5 |
| 17-86 |
PPG-Chances |
12-61 |
| 19.8% |
PP% |
19.7% |
| 66-80 |
PK-Chances |
41-47 |
| 82.5% |
PK% |
91.7% |
| 84-182 |
Penalties-PIM |
49-98 |
| 8.9 |
PIM/Game |
5.2 |
Up Next
Merrimack swing back into conference play on Saturday, January 10, when the Warriors will travel to Burlington, Vermont to finish the season series against the Catamounts. Puck drop at Gutterson is at 2 p.m.
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