Links: Box Score
Video: Borek Postgame
HARTFORD, Conn. – A trio of quick goals early in the third period was too much to overcome for the Merrimack College men's hockey team Tuesday night at XL Center, as Connecticut held on for a 3-2 win.
After 40 scoreless minutes, Merrimack got on the board quickly to start the third period thanks to
Liam Walsh's third goal in two games, but the Huskies switched momentum after that to grab the lead.
Steven Jandric scored on the power play to make it seven straight games with a power play goal for the Warriors, but they could not complete the comeback in the final minutes.
Starting goalie
Hugo Ollas stopped the first 21 shots against him to begin the game and ended the evening with 26 stops.
The Basics
Score: Connecticut 3,
19/RV Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (12-11-1, 7-8-0 HEA) | Connecticut (11-10-0, 8-6-0 Hockey East)
Attendance: 2,429
How It Happened
- Merrimack had a glorious breakaway chance less than 10 seconds into the game, but Steven Jandric was hooked in front and the Warriors went to the power play. While the red hot power play unit could not convert, it had a few more chances in the first included a partial breakaway for Christian Felton in the closing minutes off a feathered pass from Max Newton, but it was turned away.
- On the other end in the opening stanza, Ollas was up to the task on all eight shots he saw from the Huskies to keep the game deadlocked into the first intermission.
- The defensive stalemate pressed on into the third period, as neither team found the back of the net in the stanza. Merrimack was outshot by a 21-12 margin after 40 minutes, but Ollas was the Warriors' equalizer, as he stood tall on all 21 he faced.
- The visiting Warriors needed just over a minute to finally start the scoring on the evening. Filip Forsmark played a puck through the slot to the point for Ivan Zivlak. The freshman's shot missed the net, but Walsh was waiting next to the net, as the rebound off the boards came to him for his third goal in the last two games.
- Connecticut answered quickly with a trio of goals in less than two minutes to take its first lead of the game.
- After a couple of missed chances, the dangerous Merrimack power play got another opportunity midway through the third and did not miss. Alex Jefferies started the play when he played the puck to the right of the goal for Newton. The former Alaska Nanook backhanded it blindly through the crease for his fellow former Nanook, Jandric, who put it home. It also marked the 100th career collegiate point for Jandric.
- Merrimack continued to mount chances in the final minutes and had another power play chance in the closing two minutes. The Warriors pulled Ollas from the goal for an extra attacker, but could not find the equalizer to end their winning streak at five games.
Notes & Numbers
- Declan Carlile led the team with a trio of blocked shots.
- Newton had a stellar game at the faceoff dot with 11 wins on 16 chances.
- With the goal, Walsh is now on a five-game point streak and has four goals and three assists during that span.
- Forsmark continued his hot play and now has five assists in his last four games.
Up Next
The Warriors have the coming weekend off, then return to Lawler Rink Friday, Feb. 4 for a 7:00 puck drop against New Hampshire. Merrimack then completes the home weekend Feb. 5 with another 7:00 start, this time against Maine.
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For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.
