NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Matt Copponi scored twice and the Warriors made it five wins in a row, with a five goal performance as they defeated the University of Maine Black Bears 5-3 on Saturday night at Lawler Rink.
Merrimack (8-3-0, 6-1-0): 5 Maine (2-8-1, 0-5-1): 3
Attendance: 2,468
After killing off an early power-play, the Warriors would get a chance themselves and not disappoint as Matt Copponi scored his second opening goal of the weekend to put the Warriors out in front just under nine minutes into the game.
Maine would tie the game less than three minutes later.
The game wouldn't stay tied for long, as Will Calverley's tip of a Mike Brown shot from the blue line found its way into the net and the Warriors were back in the lead.
It seemed set for the Warriors to carry a 2-1 lead into the first intermission but a late faceoff on a power-play led to one more scoring chance that Matt Copponi would pounce on, and he would score his second of the game and put the Warriors up two with one second to go in the period.
The Warriors would continue their rapid pace in the second as Zach Bookman would score his first goal off a very nice pass from Filip Forsmark putting in the Warriors up three with half the game to go. Maine would score the next two goals, but the Warriors would put the finishing touches on this game as Ben Brar took the Ivan Zivlak pass and hit the empty net to finish out the win and the second straight weekend sweep.
Notes and Numbers:
10 different Warriors recorded points in the win.
This is the second time in two years were the Warriors have had back to back sweeps in back to back weekends (1-14/15 vs Providence, 1-21/22 vs UMass Lowell).
Merrimack was a perfect three of three on the powerplay.
Stats:
Powerplays: Merrimack: 3-3 Maine: 0-3
Shots: Merrimack: 21 Maine: 28
Faceoffs: Merrimack: 31 Maine: 33
Blocks: Merrimack: 9 Maine: 10
Up Next:
The Warriors will have next weekend off and return to play on November 17 against Sacred Heart.
