Links: Box Score
Video: Borek Postgame |
Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's hockey team was topped by a 6-2 final by Connecticut Tuesday evening at Lawler Rink.
Max Newton notched his team-leading 12th goal of the season early on in the game on the power play, but Connecticut had answers all game and closed the first with a 2-1 lead.
Ben Brar tied the game at two early in the second period as a power play expired, but the Huskies ended the game with four unanswered.
The Basics
Score: RV/-- Connecticut 6,
RV/RV Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (14-12-1, 9-9-0 HEA) | Connecticut (15-11-0, 11-6-0 Hockey East)
Attendance: 1,953
How It Happened
- The Merrimack power play got a chance early on and it didn't need much time at all to connect. After the Warriors won the faceoff, Logan Drevitch played it down the wall to Steven Jandric. The graduate student's centering feed was blocked away, but he recollected and then found Newton at the top of the right faceoff dot for a one-timed blast into the back of the net at 7:32.
- Connecticut tied the game at one a minute and a half later, then claimed the lead on a jam play with a shade over eight minutes to play in the opening period.
- The visitors ended the period with an 11-8 edge in shots on goal, as Warrior starting goalie Zachary Borgiel made nine stops.
- Merrimack took a penalty with just two seconds remaining in the first, but it quickly turned into a 4-on-4 once the second period started. As the power play for the Warriors that followed the 4-on-4 expired, they struck again. Zach Uens walked the blue line, then sent a pass to the far half wall for Filip Forsmark. The junior bumped it into the high slot for Brar, who one-timed it to the far side of the net.
- UConn once again had the response, as it retook the one-goal lead under a minute later.
- The Huskies concluded the period with a nice individual effort to beat Borgiel to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.
- Hugo Ollas entered into the game in the Warrior goal to begin the third, but UConn struck less than a minute in to make it 5-2.
- Merrimack pulled Ollas with 3:40 to go, but the Huskies took advantage with an empty net goal with 24 seconds to play.
Notes & Numbers
- Merrimack's power play unit has now scored at least once in 10 consecutive games, which has vaulted them into a top-10 spot in the country in the category.
- Newton is now on a four-game point streak that includes seven points on two goals and five assists.
- Declan Carlile led the team with three blocked shots.
- Liam Walsh and Newton both finished above .500 on their faceoffs.
- Carlile and Alex Jefferies tied for the team-high in shots with four apiece.
- Borgiel ended the game with 12 saves, while Ollas stopped 11 of the 12 he saw in the third period.
Up Next
The Warriors head to Burlington, Vt. Sunday to take on Vermont. Puck drop is slated for 1:00 pm from Gutterson Fieldhouse.
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For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.
