| Prd | Time | Team | Score | Type | Scored By | Assists |
| 2nd | 2:17 | MER | 1-0 | EV | Chris LeBlanc (6) | Derek Petti/8, Michael Babcock/3 |
| 2nd | 9:32 | MER | 2-0 | EV GW | Justin Hussar (7) | Hampus Gustafsson/15, Michael Babcock/4 |
| 3rd | 3:24 | MER | 3-0 | PP | Ben Bahe (9) | - |
| 3rd | 11:24 | VER | 1-3 | EV | Brady Shaw (4) | Yvan Pattyn/11, Dan Senkbeil/1 |
| 3rd | 17:28 | MER | 4-1 | EV | Jonathan Lashyn (2) | - |
| Scoring | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final |
| Vermont | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Merrimack | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Shots on Goal | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | SOG |
| Vermont | 11 | 6 | 7 | 24 |
| Merrimack | 13 | 15 | 10 | 38 |
| Team Stats and Records | PP | PIM | SHGF |
| Vermont (12-19-3) | 0/2 | 3/6 | 0 |
| Merrimack (10-16-7) | 1/3 | 2/4 | 0 |
| Vermont Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Packy Munson (L, 8-9-1) | 60:00 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 34 |
| Merrimack Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Drew Vogler (W, 2-4-1) | 60:00 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 23 |
NO. ANDOVER, Mass. - Freshman forward Michael Babcock handed out two assists to help Merrimack College skate to a 4-1 win against Vermont on Friday evening at Lawler Rink.
How It Happened
Needing a win to stay in the hunt for home ice in the Opening Round of the Hockey East Tournament, Merrimack welcomed Vermont to campus for the first time in two years looking to snap a four-game losing streak against the Catamounts.
Both sides played an even first period that didn't feature many scoring chances, as the game entered the second stanza still scoreless.
The hosts needed just over two minutes to get on the board in the middle frame, as junior Chris LeBlanc (Winthrop, Mass.) fired a shot on net, picked up the rebound out of midair, placed it back on the ice and roofed it home to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
Moments after killing off Vermont's first power play of the night, Merrimack doubled the lead off an odd-man rush that ended with senior Justin Hussar (Lancaster, N.Y.) tipping in a solid centering feed from junior Hampus Gustafsson (Ljungby, Sweden) to make it a 2-0 game, and the Warriors would carry that lead into the second intermission.
After going to its first power play of the night early in the third, Merrimack tripled the lead after senior Ben Bahe (Stillwater, Minn.) hopped on a loose puck and carried it in on a breakaway before roofing a wrister from the far dot at the 3:24 mark.
The Catamounts ended the shutout with about eight minutes to go after Brady Shaw redirected a shot from the blue line, but junior Jonathan Lashyn (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) erased any doubts after firing a one-timer from the top of the far circle over the glove and in to add some insurance and seal the victory.
How They Scored
MC #1 (LeBlanc/Petti/Babcock) | P2 2:17 - Picks up his own rebound, scores glove side on the right side of the crease.
MC #2 (Hussar/Gustafsson/Babcock) | P2 9:32 - Tipped in near the crease blocker side off a 2-on-1 centering feed from the bottom of the right circle.
MC #2 (Hussar/Gustafsson/Babcock) | P2 9:32 - Tipped in near the crease blocker side off a 2-on-1 centering feed from the bottom of the right circle.
MC #3 (Bahe) (PPG) | P3 3:24 - Breakaway wrist shot from the far dot.
UVM #1 (Shaw/Pattyn/Senkbeil) | P3 11:24 - Shot redirected in the slot, bounces into the net blockers ide.
MC #4 (Lashyn) | P3 17:28 - One-timer from above the far circle goes over the glove untouched.
Notes and Numbers
- Freshman Michael Babcock (Northville, Mich.) led all players with two points, registering his second career multi-point night
- Seven different Warriors finished with at least a point on the night
- Merrimack outshot the Catamounts by a 25-13 margin over the final two periods, including a 15-6 edge in the second
- Goaltenders: W - Drew Vogler (23 saves, 2-4-1) // L - Munson (34 saves, 8-9-1)
- Power Plays: Merrimack (1-3) // Vermont (0-2)
- SOG (MC-UVM): 13-11 // 15-6 // 10-7 // 38-24
- Faceoffs: MC - 39-of-59 (66.17%)
Up Next
Merrimack wraps up the regular season at Lawler Rink on Saturday night against the Catamounts, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. following the program's Senior Night. Merrimack can clinch a home ice spot for the upcoming Hockey East Tournament with a win and possibly a tie depending on other results around the league.