MERRIMACK, VERMONT PLAY TO 1-1 TIE
Merrimack netminder Jim Healey makes 40 saves

NORTH ANDOVER, MA – Freshman Mike Vaskivuo (Helsinki, Finland) scored his first collegiate goal at 9:00 of the third period and senior netminder Jim Healey (Holyrood, N.F.) made a season-high 40 saves as Merrimack College earned a 1-1 tie with No. 11 Vermont Friday night in Hockey East action at Lawler Arena. The tie snaps the Warriors losing skid at five games and moves them to 3-18-3 on the season and 3-13-1 in Hockey East.

After Brian Roloff’s third goal of the season at 4:40 of the third period broke a scoreless tie and gave the Catamounts (14-8-3, 9-4-3 Hockey East) a 1-0 lead, the Warriors capitalized on a turnover in the Vermont zone to even the score at 1-1. Freshman Justin Bonitatibus (Arlington, MA) sent a pass back to sophomore Chris Kane (Irvine, CA) at the left point, who fired a shot that was deflected in by Vaskivuo.

Vermont held a 26-13 edge in shots entering the third period when Roloff skated down the left side and snapped a wrister that beat Healey over the glove hand. Jay Anctil and Patrick Cullity picked up assists on the play.

The Catamounts finished the evening outshooting the Warriors 41-22, including a shot by Peter Lenes in the first that rung off the left post and another by Corey Carlson in the second that hit the crossbar. Freshman Joe Loprieno (Bloomingdale, IL) hit the post in the first for the Warriors, who battled back to earn a point after trailing a game in the third period for the first time this season.

Joe Fallon got the start in net for the Catamounts and made 21 saves. Vermont was unable to convert on all six of its power play chances, but their penalty killers killed off all three of Merrimack’s power play chances.

The Warriors and Catamounts conclude their two-game series with a 7 p.m. contest at Lawler Arena.