THREE-GOAL THIRD PERIOD GIVE MERRIMACK 4-2 WIN OVER ARMY
Senior forward Mike Collins has two goals and assist for Warriors

Senior forward Mike Collins had two goals and an assist for the Warriors

NO. ANDOVER, Mass. - Senior forward Mike Collins had two goals and an assist as Merrimack College scored three goals in the third period to skate to a 4-2 win against Army on Saturday night at Lawler Rink.

Down, 2-1, after 40 minutes of play, Merrimack responded with the final three goals of the game - all in the final stanza - to post its second consecutive victory of the young season.

Leading the way for the second game in a row was senior forward Mike Collins (Boston, Mass.), who potted his first goal of the season at 5:33 of the third to tie the contest after assisting on the Warriors' first of the game earlier in the second, and rounded off his night with an empty-net marker late in the game, recording his 100th career point in the process.

Sophomore Quinn Gould (Fort McMurray, Alberta) registered the game-winner at 8:09 of the third after Collins tied it up at 5:33. From there on out, the Warriors - who controlled most of the pace of play thanks to their staggering 43-16 advantage in shots on target - would keep Army at bay before and benefit from two more power play chances down the stretch before Collins iced it with the empty-netter with under two minutes to play.

Army opened the scoring at 19:13 of the first on a tip-in goal from C.J. Reuschlein before freshman Hampus Gustafsson (Ljungby, Sweden) potted his first collegiate marker at 2:26 of the second - on the power play - before the visitors tied it on their own man advantage midway through the second to send both sides into the second intermission with the Black Knights up, 2-1.

That would be the last side Army would light the lamp on the night, as Collins picked up a rebounded shot by Jordan Heywood (Regina, Saskatchewan), spun and fired from the far dot and buried it for his first of the year to tie it. Three minutes later, Gould took a long pass on the left wing side from Kyle Singleton (Beaverton, Ore.) and beat netminder Rob Tadazak for the game-winner, and Collins closed it out with a rink-long shot into the empty net with 1:16 left in the contest to round it out.

In net, senior Sam Marotta (Bridgewater, Mass.) picked up the victory (1-3) with a 16-save effort, while Tadazak was impressive, turning away 42 shots total on the night.

Merrimack returns to action next Friday, Nov. 1, when it hosts Bentley for its fourth consecutive tilt against an Atlantic Hockey Association foe at Lawler Rink. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.