North Andover Mass.- The Merrimack Men's Hockey team was unable to overcome four unanswered goals and fell to the Colgate Raiders despite a valiant three goal third period effort, Saturday night a J.Thom Lawler Rink.
The Basics
Score: Colgate: 5
Merrimack: 3
Records:
Merrimack (3-2-0, 1-0-0 HEA) | Colgate (2-4-0, 0-0-0 ECAC)
Attendance: 1,712
How it happened:
Colgate jumped out ahead first off a two on one chance to take the lead at the 6:26 mark of the first.
Merrimack's subsequent powerplay was unsuccessful.
Facing a late kill,
Hugo Ollas made two huge stops to keep the score where it was as the first period came to a close.
In the second, Merrimack opened up with heavy offensive zone pressure holding a 6-0 shot advantage through the first seven minutes.
Merrimack's best chance of the early minutes was when Ottoville Leppanen's effort slid just wide of the post.
Despite the heavy possession advantage,
Hugo Ollas used all of his 6' 8" frame to make a huge breakaway stop to keep the deficit at one.Despite the big save, the Raiders we're able to double their advantage on the powerplay at the 9:46 mark of the second period.
Merrimack continued to push following the goal, even getting a powerplay but were unable to break the ice and get their first goal of the contest.
Colgate added their third just under a minute into the final 20 minutes of regulation play.
Merrimack would go on the penalty kill but would do it successfully shortly thereafter.
Colgate would add their fourth of game at around the midway point of the third, scoring at 9:22.
The Warriors would get on the board with a powerplay goal from
Ryan Leibold, his first as a Warrior.
Colgate would follow that with an empty netter less than a minute later to re extend their lead to four.
The Warriors refused to quit as
Filip Forsmark scored his first of the season coming off a pretty back door pass from
Zach Bookman,that came 14:40 of the third period.
Merrimack got another one back when
Ryan Leibold got his second of the game on a shot in tight to cut the lead to two, with 1:22 remaining in the period.
Merrimack had one last chance, however the crossing pass was broken up, in the final seconds, and the game finished with a score of 5-3.
Notes & Numbers
- Hugo Ollas made 18 saves in the loss.
- Ryan Leibold scored twice, his first two in a Merrimack uniform, and went 13 for 17 on the faceoff dot.
- Alex Jefferies notched an assist and led the team with seven shots on goal.
- Tristan Crozier also won 13 draws, going 13-22 on the night.
- Ben Brar also notched two assists in the loss.
Stats:
Power Plays: MC 1-3 | COL 1-3
Shots on Goal: MC 9, COL 10 | MC 11, COL 10 | MC 18, COL 7| MC 38, COL 24
Faceoffs: 38 MC | 25 COL Blocks: 7 MC | 18 COL
UP NEXT:
The Warriors continue Hockey East play next week as they face the two-time defending conference champion UMass Minutemen, first at the Mullins Center on Friday before returning home on Saturday. Puck drop for both those games will be at 7 p.m. and both can be seen on ESPN Plus.
For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.
