PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The No. 7/7 Providence College men's hockey team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 victory over Merrimack on Friday (Feb. 28) at Schneider Arena. Tanner Adams tallied the game-winning power-play goal early in the third period.
RECORDS
Merrimack (13-17-1, 9-11-1 HEA) | No. 7/7 Providence (19-8-5, 9-7-5 HEA)
SCORE
Merrimack - 2 | Providence - 3
VENUE
Schneider Arena - Providence, R.I.
GOALIES
Philip Svedebäck (PC) - 29 saves, 2 goals against
Max Lundgren (MC) - 29 saves, 3 goals against
NOTES
- The Warriors broke onto the scoreboard early in the first period, when Caden Cranston cashed in on a Ryan O'Connell rebound, finding an opening on net and beating Svedebäck to make it 1-0.
- Providence looked to find the equalizer with 15:12 to go in the second period, but a Hudson Malinoski bid was called off for goaltender interference, keeping the score at 1-0.
- Merrimack doubled their lead 7:25 into the middle frame, as Cranston took a drop pass from Ivan Zivlak, firing on net and beating Svedebäck wide blocker-side to double the Warriors' advantage.
- The Friars pulled back within one with 3:17 to go in the second period, when Clint Levens collected his own rebound off Lundgren in the slot, sending the puck into the back of net on a backhanded try to make it 2-1. John Mustard and Guillaume Richard were each credited assists on Levens' third goal of the season.
- With a minute to play in the period, Merrimack looked to take a 3-1 lead, but following a Providence challenge, the goal was called off for offsides, keeping the score at 2-1.
- Just 1:29 later, the Friars found the equalizer on a breakout chance during the penalty kill, as a Graham Gamache pass banked off of Merrimack's Ty Daneault before finding the back of the net, tying the game at 2-2 through 40 minutes. The goal was Gamache's 10th of the season and second shorthanded goal of the year.
- Providence found their first lead of the night just 1:52 into the third period, when Tanner Adams collected a cross-ice feed from Hudson Malinoski and one-timed it past Lundren, giving the Friars the 3-2 lead while on the man-advantage. Austen May earned the secondary assist on the power-play goal.
- The Friars held on to their one-goal lead for the remainder of the third period, resulting in Providence's 3-2 win.
- Philip Svedebäck stood tall in the win, denying 29-of-31 shots on net, good for a .935 save percentage
- Eight different Friars earned a point in the win, headlined by second period goals from Clint Levens and Graham Gamache and the game-winning goal in the third period from Tanner Adams.
- Thirteen different Friars landed a shot on net in the win, paced by a five-shot outing from Clint Levens.
- Freshman Aleksi Kivioja went 12-of-16 from the faceoff dot on Saturday.
- With the win, Providence sits in sole possession of fifth place in the Hockey East standings with 33 points.
PC GAME HIGHS
Goals: Levens, Gamache, Adams (1)
Assists: Richard, Malinoski, Will, Mustard, May (1)
Points: Eight players (1)
Shots: Levens (5)
POWER PLAYS
Merrimack - 0/2
Providence - 1/2
SHOTS
Merrimack - 31
Providence - 32
UP NEXT
The Friars finish out their home-and-home set with Merrimack on Saturday night (March 1) at Lawler Rink in Andover, Mass. with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
