WORCESTER, Mass. - Center Rob Ricci (Brampton, Ontario) scored two first-period goals Tuesday night in Merrimack's 2-2 tie with Holy Cross in a non-conference matchup at the Hart Center.
The Warriors, who are now 5-1-2 when scoring the first goal, surrendered two second-period goals to the Crusaders and could not regain the lead in the third or overtime, settling for the tie.
Ricci scored his first goal just 21 seconds into the game as he knocked home a rebound for his fifth goal of the season. Fraser Allan (North Battleford, Sask.) shot the puck from the point and Matt Jones (Kentwood, MI) ended up putting the puck on Ricci's stick who slipped it past Ian Dams.
At 12:55 of the first, the sophomore tallied his second of the night, sixth of the season on a two-man advantage, with Allan and Grant Farrell (Calgary, Alberta) notching the assists.
JP Martignetti cut the lead in half at 5:39 of the second, poking a puck past Pat Watson (Waltham, MA) and then Everett Sheen tied it with just 28.3 seconds remaining in the second as the Warriors struggled to clear the puck.
Merrimack outshot Holy Cross 35-30, but Dams stopped 33 shots to Watson's 28.
Jones led all skaters with six shots, three in the third, while Ricci and Farrell added five each. The Warriors killed off six of seven Crusader power plays. Ricci again was solid in the face-off circle winning 21 of 36 draws.
The Warriors (6-6-2, 3-6-1 HEA) will head to Maine Saturday (7 p.m.) looking for their first-ever season sweep of the Black Bears.