Merrimack College Shut Out By Dartmouth, 3-0, At Ledyard Classic

Freshman goaltender Drew Vogler made 26 saves for the Warriors
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 13:25  DAR1-0 EV GW Grant Opperman (2) -
1st 19:08  DAR2-0 PP Brett Patterson (3)Brad Schierhorn/4, Nick Bligh/5
2nd 11:03  DAR3-0 EV Nick Bligh (6)Ryan Bullock/4
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Merrimack  0000
Dartmouth  2103
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Merrimack  511622
Dartmouth  911929
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Merrimack (7-7-5)  0/3 4/8 0
Dartmouth (5-7-1)  1/4 3/6 0
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Drew Vogler (L, 1-3-0)57:573 710926
Empty Net2:030     
Dartmouth Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Charles Grant (W, 2-3-0)59:420 511622
Empty Net0:180     

HANOVER, N.H. - Host Dartmouth captured the 27th Annual Ledyard Classic, as the 20th-ranked Merrimack College men's ice hockey team suffered a 3-0 defeat against the host Big Green in the tournament's final game on Sunday night at Thompson Arena.

The Basics

Score: Dartmouth 3, Merrimack 0
Records: #20 Merrimack (7-7-5) | Dartmouth (5-7-1)
Location: Thompson Arena | Hanover, N.H.

How It Happened

After falling in the tournament's opening game yesterday against Union, and after the Dutchmen secured no worse than a second-place finish with an earlier victory against Robert Morris on Sunday, Merrimack took on the host Big Green looking to play spoiler for the hosts of the Ledyard Classic.

Play was back-and-forth over the course of the first, with Dartmouth generating a few more quality chances than Merrimack, but a turnover, an odd-man rush and a bit of puck luck led to the Big Green's first goal, as Grant Opperman scored on a wrist shot from the middle of the near dot that caromed off the pad of Merrimack goaltender Drew Vogler (Florissant, Mo.), out into the crease and off a Merrimack skater and in for the opening marker of the contest.

With less than a minute to go in the period, Dartmouth doubled the lead while on the power play, as Brett Patterson got his own rebound to go at 19:08 to give the Big Green a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Merrimack had two power play chances in the second but was unable to convert on either; meanwhile, Dartmouth stretched it lead to three on a deflection goal midway through the period, as the Big Green skated into the third with a 3-0 edge. Neither side found the back of the net in the third, as Dartmouth came away as tournament champions with two wins on the weekend and a +7 goal differential.

How They Scored

DC #1 | P1 13:25 - Dartmouth enters the zone on a 3-on-2 rush, and Opperman scores from on a wrist shot from the near dot that deflects off Vogler's pads, off a Merrimack skater and into the net.

DC #2 | P1 19:08 - From behind the net, Patterson tries a quick wraparound shot on Vogler's trapper side, was initially stopped by jams in his own rebound.

DC #3 | P2 11:03 - Bligh tips in a shot from the point near the edge of the circle and a few feet away from the crease.

Inside The Numbers

- Sophomore Brett Seney (London, Ontario) was named to the Ledyard Classic All-Tournament Team after finishing with one goal over the course of the weekend

- Dartmouth's Charles Grant became the first goaltender since former Merrimack All-American Joe Cannata ('12) to post a shutout in a Ledyard Classic game after turning away all 22 shots he faced on Sunday night; Cannata blanked Holy Cross with an 18-save performance in a 3-0 Merrimack victory on Dec. 31, 2011

- Bligh led Dartmouth with two points (1g, 1a), and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player

- Dartmouth finished with a 29-22 edge in shots on goal

- Dartmouth also was 1-for-4 on the power play, while Merrimack came up empty on its three man advantages

Up Next

Merrimack will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule with two more games against the ECAC next weekend, as the Warriors head to Ithaca, New York, to take on No. 9 Cornell University in a two-game weekend series starting Friday, Jan. 8, at Lynah Rink.