Copponi's Double Overtime Game Winner Sends Men's Hockey to The Hockey East Final

Boston MA.-- The Merrimack men's hockey team needed two extra periods but the outcome was twice as nice as Matt Copponi's double overtime game winner over the UMass Lowell Riverhawks sent their home supporters into a frenzy and sent the Warriors to their first Hockey East final in 12 years on Friday night.

The Basics
Score: #14/14 Merrimack: 2  UMass Lowell: 1
Records: #14/14 Merrimack (23-12-1, 16-8-0) | UMass Lowell (18-15-3)
In the first period, the pace started fast and furious, as the game went over eight minutes before the first TV timeout took place. Zachary Borgiel stopped all three shots he faced in the first period, with the Warriors having nine shots in the first 20, but neither team was able to break through in the first.
 
In the second, the Warriors continued to push hard spurned by the fan support in the balcony firing 13 shots on goal in the frame but were unable to find the first goal, both teams also were unable to score on their first powerplay opportunities of the evening, Zachary Borgiel also made four saves in the frame, as the first 40 minutes went scoreless.
 
In the third period, the scoreless nature continued into the middle of the frame until Jordan Seyfert got the extra step on his defender and shot it home to put the Warriors on the board first, breaking the longest scoreless tie in Hockey East Semifinal history up to that point.
 
The Warriors would hold the lead into the final minute but a late icing would force both teams to take a timeout and Lowell would pull their goaltender in the process. The Riverhawks would score off the ensuing draw to tie the score with 31.1 seconds to play, sending the game to overtime.
 
In the first overtime, both teams had their chances to punch their ticket to the final, but we're unsuccessful, the best chances for Lowell were turned away by Zachary Borgiel, and he even got a little help from Zach Bookman with a goal line save. For the Warriors, their best chances were also turned away. With neither team scoring the game went to a second overtime for the second straight game.
 
In the Second overtime Merrimack would finally put the game to bed when Matt Copponi took the give and go pass off a faceoff win and put it into the wide open goal to give the Warriors their second straight double overtime victory to send the team to their first Hockey East Playoff Final in 12 years.
 

Facts and Numbers:

• Matt Copponi and Jordan Seyfert got the goals for the Warriors in the win.
• Ryan Leibold, Slava Demin and Ottoville Leppanen had assists in the win.
• Zachary Borgiel made 35 saves in the win.

 

NEXT:
The Warriors will play in the Hockey East Playoff Final on Saturday Night against the Boston University Terriers, Puck drop is set for 7 PM, and the game can be seen on NESN and ESPN+

For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.