ALLSTON, MA - Karl Stollery (Camrose, AB) had a goal and an assist while Stephane Da Costa (Paris, France) netted the game-winner as #18 Merrimack defeated Harvard University 3-1 Tuesday night in non-conference action at the Bright Hockey Center.
Merrimack (6-3-4, 4-3-3 HEA) concludes the pre-Christmas schedule against Northeastern University in a home-and-home series next weekend beginning Friday night at Matthews Arena at 7 p.m. The teams will rematch at Lawler Rink, where the Warriors are 4-0-1 this season, Saturday at 7 p.m. with limited tickets still available for purchase online at merrimackathletics.com.
With the victory, Merrimack concludes November with a 4-2-2 record and improves to 15-6-3 in its last 24 non-conference games, including 2-0-1 this season.
After peppering Crimson goaltender Kyle Richter through almost two full periods, the Warriors finally broke through as Brandon Brodhag (Brooklyn Park, MN) got his own rebound on the power play and swatted it past Richter for his third of the season at 15:34. Mike Collins (Boston, MA) and Stollery got the assists as Merrimack threw seven shots on net on two second-period power plays, while outshooting the Crimson 29-11 through two periods.
Da Costa made it 2-0, dribbling down the left side and tucking the puck past Richter at 8:34 of the third. Kyle Bigos (Upland, CA) started the play, working the puck up to Chris Barton (Calgary, AB) who fed a streaking Da Costa for his fifth goal of the year and fifth point in the last three games.
But the Crimson answered right back, as Alex Killorn beat Joe Cannata (Wakefield, MA) during a delayed penalty at 9:58 cutting the lead in half with his fourth of the season.
The Warriors survived a pair of minor penalties and put the game away as Stollery hit the empty net from his own faceoff circle with a rolling puck at 19:33 for the unassisted tally, his first of the year.
Cannata finished with 14 saves as Merrimack outshot Harvard 39-15 for the game.
Tuesday's game was just the second-ever meeting between the two teams and the first in Massachusetts as the teams met in Minnesota in 2004 with Merrimack prevailing 6-4.
The loss was Harvard's sixth straight as the Crimson fell to 2-7 overall.