NORTH ANDOVER, MA - Jesse Todd (Calgary, Alberta) netted two goals leading Merrimack to a 4-2 victory over the United States Under-18 National team Saturday night at Lawler Arena.
The Warriors tallied three first-period goals for the first time this season, taking a 3-1 lead at the first intermission. Francois Ouimet (Lorraine, Quebec) scored on the power play at 8:30 taking passes from Pat Bowen (Marshfield, MA) and Fraser Allan (North Battleford, Sask) and beat U.S. goaltender Adam Murray along the ice. After Kenny Ryan evened the score at 12:46, Todd tallied his first of the night off a great pass from Chris Barton (Calgary, Alberta) just 48 seconds later.
Carter Madsen (Calgary, Alberta) made it 3-1, scoring his second in as many periods, as he intercepted a pass short-handed and broke in alone, beating Murray with just 31 seconds remaining in the first.
Chris Brown cut Merrimack's lead to 3-2 midway through the second, sniping a shot over the blocker of Joe Cannata (Wakefield, MA). But that was as close as the U.S. team would get as the Warriors killed off four straight minors to preserve the win.
Todd added insurance with 1:57 remaining off feeds from Karl Stollery (Camrose, Alberta) and Barton to give Merrimack the 4-2 lead.
Cannata stopped 19 saves for his second straight win. Merrimack's defense limited a U.S. team that played last night in Maine to just three third-period shots. The Warriors were 2-for-4 on the power play, compared to 0-for-6 for Team USA.
Merrimack (5-9-3) returns to Hockey East action Friday against #6 Northeastern in the first game of a home-and-home weekend series Friday night at Matthews Arena at 7 p.m.