ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Senior Drew Vogler made 36 saves, with 15 of them coming in the third period alone, while four different Warriors scored to lead the Merrimack College men's ice hockey team to a 4-2 victory over the University of Michigan on Tuesday night at Yost Ice Arena. The win was Merrimack's first-ever against the Big Ten perennial power and 2018 Frozen Four participant.
An early goal from junior Patrick Kramer gave the Warriors a quick lead before Michigan drew even in the second. But senior Derek Petti and rookie Chase Gresock tallied lamp-lighters in a five-minute span to start the third before Vogler weathered the storm over the final 20 minutes. Junior Johnathan Kovacevic buried an empty-netter to ice it and give the Warriors their second straight victory.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 4, Michigan 2
Records: Merrimack (6-15-1, 3-9-0 HEA) | Michigan (7-8-6, 3-4-4 B1G)
Location: Yost Ice Arena | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Attendance: 5,621
Game Duration: 2:20
How It Happened
- The visitors started hot, scoring less than three minutes into the contest with Kramer netting his career-high fifth in the process. Linemates and fellow freshman Jordan Seyfert and Logan Drevitch moved the puck up the left wing in a transition sequence before Kramer snapped one by Michigan goalie Strauss Mann at the back post.
- That score went unchanged over the rest of the first stanza. Both sides finished with 14 shots on goal in a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes and had a power play chance apiece.
- After killing an early Merrimack power play, Michigan tied it up with six minutes gone in the second, as Jake Slaker beat Merrimack senior Drew Vogler with a wrister from the left circle that was partially deflected.
- Each side had abbreviated power play opportunities later in the second, but neither could capitalize, keeping it a 1-1 affair entering the third.
- After Michigan was levied an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the second period ended, Petti put the Warriors back in front with an early power play goal just 17 seconds into the final frame. Then, about five minutes later, it was Gresock scoring in his second straight game right off a faceoff win from Petti, putting the Warriors in front by a pair.
- Michigan cut the deficit in half on a tally from Adam Winborg, who cashed in from the left point through traffic, but that was the closest the hosts would get.
- Despite the Wolverines dominating possession through large portions of the third, as indicative by their 16-6 edge in shots on goal, Merrimack would weather the storm and ice it with an empty-netter by Kovacevic to seal the program's first-ever win over Michigan.
Notes & Numbers
- Merrimack ended a stretch of eight straight games with two or fewer goals scored, coming within a goal of its single-game high (5). It was also the fourth time this season that four different Warriors recorded at least one goal.
- Both Gresock and Petti finished with two points on a goal and an assist; the former moved into sole possession of second place on the team in scoring with 12 points (5g, 7a) on the year.
- The Warriors blocked 18 shots, making it the fourth straight game with a double-digit block total and one shy of the season-high 19 they blocked on Saturday at Northeastern.
- Vogler's 36 saves were a new season-high as he picked up his first win of the season and first win since last February at Maine (3-2 OT win, 2/3/18).
- Petti's goal to start the third was Merrimack's first power play goal in a month (12/8) and snapped a stretch of 19 power plays without a goal.
- Michigan picked up its first win in five tries over the Wolverines and moved to 1-2-0 at Yost Ice Arena.
- Goaltenders: Drew Vogler (36 saves, 1-4-0) // Strauss Mann (24 saves, 4-4-3)
- Power Plays: 1-4 | 0-3
- Shots on Goal: 14-14 // 8-8 // 6-16 - 28-38
- Faceoffs: 31 // 28
- Blocks: 18 // 6
Merrimack Lineup
Forwards
von Ungern-Sternberg | Babcock | Irvine
L. Drevitch | Kramer | Seyfert
Coomes | T. Drevitch | McBride
Gresock | Petti | Tavernier
Olsen
Defense
Heidt | Kovacevic
Dockery | McArdle
Carle | Cook
Goaltenders
Vogler | Pantano | Halladay
Up Next
After a busy stretch, Merrimack will play just once this weekend when it returns to Lawler Rink to host Connecticut on Saturday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. The Warriors will host Teacher Appreciation Night for the first time ever, and tickets are available online and by calling the Box Office at 978-837-5324.
