PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Freshman Jack Dugan had three points and seven different players scored as the No. 9/9 Providence College men's hockey team outlasted Merrimack, 7-5, on Saturday night at Schneider Arena. With the win, the Friars earned the sweep over the Warriors to improve to 7-3-1 overall and 4-2-0 in Hockey East play.
SCORE
No. 9/9 Providence - 7 | Merrimack- 5
RECORDS
Providence - 7-3-1 (4-2-0 HEA) | Merrimack - 4-9-0 (2-5-0 HEA)
VENUE
Schneider Arena - Providence, R.I.
GOALIES
Hayden Hawkey (PC) - 17 saves
Craig Pantano (MC) - 30 saves
NOTES
- The teams combined for five goals in the opening period as Scott Conway, Josh Wilkins, and Jack Dugan each found the back of the net in the opening period.
- After scoring 13 seconds into Friday night's game, Conway got the Friars rolling 21 seconds in with his third goal of the season.
- Merrimack drew even shorthanded on Logan Drevitch's goal at 10:51.
- Wilkins and Dugan extended the Friar lead to 3-1 on goals 2:01 apart.
- The Friars held a 17-4 edge in shots during the second period, but the Warriors struck twice in the period to draw the game close. Michael Babcock knotted the game at 3-3 at 4:41.
- Goals by Tyce Thompson and Kasper Björkqvist 11 seconds apart midway through the period gave the Friars a 5-3 lead before Chase Gresock made it a 5-4 game.
- Brandon Duhaime responded with his fifth goal of the season at 15:13 and Greg Printz added his fourth of the season to put the Friars up 7-3 after two periods.
- Chase Olsen drew the Warriors within two goals at 14:36 of the third period.
- John McDermott earned his first point as a Friar with an assist on Tyce Thompson's goal.
- Jacob Bryson currently rides a five-game point streak (1-6-7) after two assists on Saturday night.
- Providence scored at least seven goals in back-to-back games for the first time in the Nate Leaman era.
- Dugan has posted five goals and seven assists in six Hockey East games this season. He leads all NCAA freshmen in scoring with 14 points.
- Björkqvist, Duhaime, Dugan, and Thompson scored in both games against Merrimack this weekend.
- The teams combined for 17 penalties totaling 50 penalty minutes.
- Jason O'Neill, Spenser Young, Michael Callahan, and Vimal Sukumaran each chipped in with an assist tonight.
PC GAME HIGHS
Goals: Seven players (1)
Assists: Dugan, Bryson (2)
Points: Dugan (3)
Shots: Conway (6)
POWER PLAYS
Providence - 2/7
Merrimack - 1/8
SHOTS
Providence - 37
Merrimack - 22
UP NEXT
The Friars head out to Denver next weekend for a two-game set against the nationally-ranked Pioneers beginning Friday night at Magness Arena.