NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team lit the lamp in the first and second period and held off visiting Boston College in the third, getting the Warriors back in the win column after a 2-1 victory over the Eagles on Friday night at Lawler Rink.
Merrimack picked up its first win over the Eagles at Lawler Rink since Feb. 15, 2013, which was by the same score (2-1), but in overtime. The Warriors will go for their first-ever sweep of BC tomorrow night at Conte Forum.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 2, Boston College 1
Records: Merrimack (3-5-0, 2-2-0 HEA) | Boston College (0-5-0, 0-1-0 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 2,204
Game Duration: 2:23
How It Happened
- Boston College controlled the pace of play early, outshooting the hosts by a wide margin thanks to an early power play, but came away with nothing. The Warriors then got their footing and drew a power play and promptly capitalized, with senior Derek Petti giving the hosts the lead at the 8:19 mark of the first. That score went unchanged the rest of the frame despite a combined 37 shots on goal (19-18 BC) and another BC power play.
- Each team traded goals in an eventful second period. After each side traded power play chances, the Warriors would light the lamp again with the man advantage after freshman Tyler Heidt netted his first collegiate tally at 12:56. The Eagles would benefit from a five-minute major late in the frame and got on the board with less than a minute left in the middle stanza, making it a 2-1 affair heading to the final period.
- The visitors upped the pressure in the final frame, outshooting Merrimack by a 10-2 margin over the final 20 minutes, but senior Craig Pantano stopped them all to preserve the Warrior win.
Scoring Summaries
Goal #1 (MC, 1-0): Petti put the Warriors on the board while on the power play 8:19 into the contest. Freshman Chase Gresock moved into the slot and fired a shot wide that bounced back toward the left circle, where a pinching Johnathan Kovacevic fired wide, as well. The puck went off the back glass and eventually out in front of the crease, where Petti pounced to put it away.
Goal #2 (MC, 2-0): Heidt let a slap shot rip from the left point for his first collegiate goal - on the power play - at the 12:56 mark of the second. With BC trying to clear the zone, junior Logan Coomes leapt along the right wing boards to keep it in and dished back to the right point to senior Alex Carle. The play ended with Carle going to his left to Heidt, who set up a slapper through traffic from the top of the left circle and in.
Goal #3 (BC, 2-1): BC got on the board late in the first while skating with a major power play. Logan Hutsko buried a pass from Julius Mattila at the back post after Casey Fitzgerald started the play with an outlet pass from the neutral zone.
Highlights
- Pantano finished with 31 saves, marking his second 30-save performance of the season, as he improved to 3-4-0 with a 2.20 goals against average and .923 save percentage.
- Heidt became the third Warrior to post his first collegiate goal this season after doing so in the second period.
Notes & Numbers
- Merrimack surpassed the 30-shot margin for the time since Oct. 7, tying its season-high with 32 shots for the night. The Warriors outshot Boston College by an 11-4 margin in the second period, but the Eagles returned the favor with a 10-2 edge in the third.
- Merrimack notched its first win over Boston College since a 6-3 victory on the road on Feb. 10, 2017. The last win at Lawler came on Feb. 15, 2013, by the same score - only in overtime.
- Merrimack's defense held the opposition to two goals or fewer for the fourth time this season.
- The Warriors added to their nation lead with their sixth one-goal game of the season and improved to 2-4-0 in those games.
- Merrimack recorded two-plus power play goals for the third time this season.
- Goaltenders: Craig Pantano (31 saves, 3-4-0) // Joseph Woll (30 saves, 0-5-0)
- Power Plays: 2-6 | 1-6
- Shots on Goal: 19-18 // 11-4 // 2-10 - 32-32
- Faceoffs: 39 // 39
- Blocks: 14 // 7
Merrimack Lineup
Forwards
Gresock | Petti | Irvine
Coomes | Kramer | Seyfert
L. Drevitch | T. Drevitch | McBride
DeStefani | Bales | Simeone
Defense
Dockery | Kovacevic
Cook | McArdle
Lööf | Carle
Heidt
Goaltenders
Pantano | Vogler
Up Next
Merrimack and BC conclude the season series at Kelley Rink in Conte Forum tomorrow night, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
