Links: Box Score
Video: Borek Postgame |
Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's hockey team had chances to claim an upset over defending national champion, Massachusetts, Friday night at Lawler Rink, but a heartbreaker of a late goal was the decider in a 2-1 setback to the Minutemen.
Massachusetts scored with 4.7 seconds left to play in the game to escape with a 2-1 win.
Logan Drevitch got the Warriors back in the game early in the third with a game-tying goal when he finished his own rebound on a wraparound to send the crowd into a frenzy.
In an incredibly closely contested game, both teams finished with 29 shots on goal and Merrimack won one more faceoff than the Minutemen out of the 61 taken.
The Basics
Score: #12/10 Massachusetts 2,
Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (3-4-0, 1-3-0 HEA) | Massachusetts (3-2-0, 1-0-0 HEA)
Attendance: 2,083
How It Happened
- Massachusetts claimed an early lead just over nine minutes into the game when they scored off a bouncing puck. Zachary Borgiel stood tall the rest of the period in the Warrior net with 12 saves. On the other end, Merrimack pushed 12 shots on net itself, but could not get on the board.
- The Warriors pushed the pace in the second period with 11 shots compared to UMass' eight, including a pair from Drevitch and Alex Jefferies.
- Just over a minute into the period, Massachusetts was denied on a golden opportunity thanks to Borgiel and Zach Uens. On a partial break, Borgiel made a sprawling left pad save, but the rebound squirted loose for a chance with a wide-open cage. Uens sacrificed himself and put his body in front of it to keep the deficit at one, as the puck hit him and went out of play.
- On a long-developing chance, Drevitch broke through in the third to tie the game. Ben Brar started the play when he alleviated some defensive pressure with a pass to Zach Vinnell in space. The defenseman flipped one to center ice that Drevitch fought for and controlled. The senior circled into the zone and fired a tight-angle shot that was stopped, but he gathered the rebound and swooped around the far side of the net for a wraparound finish.
- Both teams had chances to win the game during the third period and the Warrior penalty kill stood tall, as it stopped a pair of power play opportunities for the visitors.
- On another loose puck, UMass scored on a shot that eluded a horde of bodies from the slot to clinch the late game-winner.
Notes & Numbers
- The goal marked the first of the season for Drevitch and he now has three points in his last two games.
- Declan Carlile led the team with three blocked shots and now has 11 in the past two games. He also topped the team with four shots on goal.
- Vinnell now has four points in his last two games.
- Ryan Nolan led the team with a +1 rating.
- Max Newton was Merrimack's top faceoff man with 14 wins in 23 opportunities.
- Borgiel ended his evening with 27 saves.
Up Next
The sides head to Amherst, Mass. Saturday night for the rematch at Mullins Center. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 pm.
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