Hockey Set for Cross-Town Battle with #4 UMass Lowell Saturday Night
MERRIMACK COLLEGE HOCKEY
Game #11 at #4 UMass Lowell, Saturday, November 21, 2009, 7 p.m., Tsongas Arena, Listen Live / Live Stats / Game Notes (.pdf)
Tonight’s Matchup: Looking for its first
road win of the year, Merrimack visits crosstown rival UMass Lowell
Saturday. Merrimack is 6-0 at home but 0-4 on the road.
Lifetime vs. UMass Lowell: The Warriors are
33-63-8 lifetime against the River Hawks. They have lost the last
five meetings and are 1-13-1 in the last 15 games, with the last
win being a 3-1 victory at Lowell on November 1, 2007.
Coach Dennehy vs. the River Hawks: Coach Dennehy
is 1-10-1 against UML.
Last Season vs. UMass Lowell (UML won series
3-0-0):
(11/25/08 - UML, W, 3-1:): Rob Ricci tied the game at 1 in the
third, but Lowell got goals from Paul Worthington and Kory Falite
to upend Merrimack 3-1 at Lawler Arena.
(1/22/09 - UML, W 3-2): Merrimack led 2-1 behind goals from Jesse
Todd and Jeff Velleca but Lowell rallied late with goals from
Jeremy Dehner and Michael Budd.
(1/24/09 - UML, W 3-2): UML’s Mark Roebotham scored twice,
including the game-winner. Chris Barton and Mickey Rego registered
goals for the Warriors.
Da Costa Leads the Country in Points Among
Rookies
Entering this weekend, freshman Stephane Da Costa leads all
rookies in the country and is tied for the lead among Hockey East
skaters with 14 points. Da Costa registered four points in the BU
series and has points in six of eight games this season.
Power Play is 2nd in Hockey East and Fourth
Nationally
The Merrimack power play, which netted three goals in a 6-4 loss
to BU, ranks second in Hockey East and fourth nationally at 27.3%.
Led by four power play goals from Da Costa and three from Brandon
Brodhag, they have scored at least one power-play goal in eight
straight.
6-0 at Home
After a 6-3 win over Boston University on November 13, Merrimack
is 6-0 at home for the first time since the 1988-89 season, its
last season as a ECAC member before joining Hockey East. Merrimack
was 12-0 at home that season.
Best Hockey East Start Since 1990
The Warriors started 3-1 in Hockey East for the first time since
the 1990-91 season.
Warriors Lead Hockey East in Scoring, Third in the
Country
Merrimack is first in Hockey East and third in the country,
averaging 4.00 goals per game. A team that hadn’t scored six
times in one game since 2004, Merrimack has accomplished the feat
twice this season. They’ve netted at least three goals in
eight straight and at least four in five straight home games. The
Warriors have finished last in Hockey East in goals since 2002-03
and ranked among the bottom two since 1998-99.
Sellout Crowd
A sellout crowd of 2,990 watched Merrimack improve to 6-0 at home,
marking the first sellout at Lawler Arena since February 9, 2002,
spanning 121 home games.
Brodhag #3 Rookie in Hockey East
Brandon Brodhag ranks third among Hockey East rookies with seven
points in just seven games. Brodhag has tallied all five of his
goals and seven of his points in the last four games, including two
goals in a 6-3 win over BU.
Penalty Kill Ranks Second in Hockey East
Not to be overlooked, Merrimack’s penalty kill is second in
Hockey East with a success rate of 86.4%. Merrimack’s penalty
kill killed 4:24 straight of a 5-on-3 in the second period, and
6:24 in all of 5-on-3’s in a 6-3 win over BU on November
13.
Combined Special Teams Third in Country
Combining Merrimack’s special teams, the Warriors rank third
in the country at 59.5% behind Cornell and Princeton.
Allan, Sheen, Cucci Have Strong Weekend Against
BU
Fraser Allan (three assists), Elliott Sheen (two goals, assist)
and Joe Cucci (goal, three assists) each had strong weekends
against the Terriers. Cucci ranks second in Hockey East in assists
with ten.
Making Sense of the Final Scores
Oddly, the final score of the last four games has equaled
Merrimack’s then current record on the season.
Game/Score MC
Record
October 30 @ BC (BC 4, MC 3) 4-3-0
November 1 @ MC (MC 5, BC 3) 5-3-0
November 13 @ MC (MC 6, BU 3) 6-3-0
November 14 @ BU (BU 6, MC 4) 6-4-0
Barton, Da Costa Among Goal Leaders
Stephane Da Costa is second in Hockey East with eight goals, while
Chris Barton is tied for third with seven.
Warriors Snap 22-Game Skid Against Eagles
With the 5-3 win over BC, Merrimack snapped a 22-game winless
streak (0-18-4) dating back to February 15, 2003. The win was BC
alum and Head Coach Mark Dennehy’s first over the Eagles.
15-Game Skid Against Terriers Also Snapped
With the 6-3 victory over BU, Merrimack snapped a 15-game losing
skid against the Terriers that dated back to February 12, 2004. The
win was also Coach Dennehy’s first ever against BU. Kyle
Bigos and Elliott Sheen scored 22 seconds apart in the third period
as Merrimack netted five unanswered goals.
Strong Starts and Finishes
Merrimack is first in Hockey East with 13 first-period goals and
14 third-period tallies.
Da Costa Named Pro Ambitions Rookie of the
Month
Stephane Da Costa was the Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Month for
October after netting eight points in just five games. Chris Barton
was runner-up for the Player of the Month honor.
Moulakelis Nets First Goal
In his 15th career game, Matt Moulakelis, who has endured multiple
surgeries, netted his first career goal and a career-high 14
penalty minutes, in the 6-3 win over BU.
Velleca-Da Costa-Brodhag Line Shines in Split with Boston
College
The line of sophomore Jeff Velleca and freshmen Stephane Da Costa
and Brandon Brodhag combined for 11 points in two games against the
Eagles, with each registering a goal and an assist in the 5-3 home
victory over BC.
Bowen Among Defensemen Leaders
Senior captain Pat Bowen is tied for second among Hockey East
defensemen with eight assists. Bowen had points in five straight
games, which is a career-high.
Brodhag Gets Pro Ambitions Co-Rookie of the
Week
Brandon Brodhag was named the Pro Ambitions Co-Rookie of the Week
after Merrimack split with BC. Brodhag tallied his first goal and
assist in a 4-3 loss to BC before netting the game-winner and
adding a helper in a 5-3 win over the Eagles.
Earning National Votes
Merrimack earned 17 votes in this week’s USCHO National
Poll, getting votes for the fourth straight week. Prior to this
season, they last received national votes in November of 2007 when
they swept Maine.
Defensemen Showing Offensive Talent
Merrimack’s seven defensemen have combined for 32 points
this season, led by nine from Pat Bowen.
Stollery Named Defensive Player of the Week
Karl Stollery was named the Pure Hockey Defensive Player of the
Week on October 26 after tallying four assists on the week, two
each in wins over UVM and UConn.
Four in a Row
Merrimack won four straight, defeating Holy Cross, Army, Vermont
and Connecticut, for the first time since 2002-03.
Hockey East Opener a Success
Merrimack won its conference opener against UVM for the first time
under Mark Dennehy and for the first time since 2002-03.
Highest Scoring Output in the Dennehy Era
The six goals scored against Army were the most scored in the 140
games coached by Mark Dennehy at Merrimack and the most since
December 23, 2004.
Merrimack Stretches Non-Conference Home Winning Streak to
Eight
Since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, the Warriors are 8-0 at
Lawler Arena against non-conference teams. Merrimack finished this
season 3-0 against non-conference teams at home.
Kimball, Robitaille Play in 100th Game; Bowen
Next
Pat Kimball and J.C. Robitaille played in their 100th career game
on October 30 at Boston College. Captain Pat Bowen is likely the
next to reach the century mark as he has played in 97 games.
Alternating Goaltenders Successful
Through the first nine games, goaltenders Joe Cannata and Andrew
Braithwaite have alternated games and have both recorded save
percentages over a .895.
A Magical Night for Da Costa
In only his second career game, Stephane Da Costa netted five
goals, including three power play goals and a natural hat trick,
leading Merrimack to a 6-3 win over Army.
Recapping a Historical Night: Merrimack
Records
5 Goals: Da Costa is the second Merrimack player ever to score
five goals in a game (Bob Magnuson scored six in March of 1980). He
is the first Warrior to net five in Division I.
5 Points: Most points scored in a game by a Warrior since Ryan
Cordeiro vs. Maine in February 2002.
11 Shots on Goal: First Warrior to record 11 shots on goal in a
game since Merrimack went Division I in 1988.
3 Power -Play Goals: First Warrior to net three power-play goals
in a game since joining Division I, 21 years ago.
Natural Hat Trick: First Merrimack freshman ever to have a natural
hat trick. Da Costa scored his three goals in exactly 10 minutes in
the first period. The last Merrimack player to record a natural hat
trick was Andy Heinze in the Hockey East Quarterfinals against
Boston College on March 4, 1990.
Recapping a Historical Night: Lawler Arena
Records
The freshman scored the most goals in a game at Lawler Arena in
the 37-year history of the building.
Recapping a Historical Night: Hockey East
Records
The Paris, France native is the first Hockey East player to score
five goals since Brian Gionta of Boston College in 2001. His three
power-play goals are the most since Ben Walter of UML scored three
on October 24, 2003. He is the first freshman in HEA history to
score five times in a game and is the first player to score five
goals and get a natural hat trick as part of his first collegiate
goal in Hockey East history. The last natural hat trick in Hockey
East was Mike Sislo (UNH) on December 11, 2008.
Recapping a Historical Night: Hat Trick Notes
The last Merrimack player to get a hat trick was Matt Johnson
against RPI on October 29, 2005. The last Warrior to get a hat
trick at home was Marco Rosa vs. BC on February 15, 2003. Alex
Sikatchev was the last player to net four goals in a game (vs.
Colgate, November, 23, 2001). As previously noted, the last
Merrimack player to record a natural hat trick was Andy Heinze in
the Hockey East Quarterfinals against Boston College on March 4,
1990.
Recapping a Historical Night: NCAA Records
Da Costa set at least two NCAA records. He is the first freshman
in NCAA history to score a natural hat trick and get five goals in
the same game, let alone in his second career game. He is also the
first player to score five goals and get a natural hat trick as
part of his first collegiate goal. His three power-play goals are
tied for the second most in NCAA Division I history and are the
most since November 6, 2005.
Strong on Opening Night
Merrimack is now 6-1-2 in its last nine home openers.
Barton Scores Four of Team’s First Five
Goals
In the first-ever meetings between Merrimack and North Dakota,
Chris Barton netted three of his team’s four goals, while
posting a team-high eight shots. Barton then scored the first goal
against Holy Cross, netting four of Merrimack’s first five
goals.
Cannata Just Misses Shutout
In the 3-1 win over Holy Cross, Joe Cannata was 45 seconds away
from his third career shutout. He stopped 26 shots in the win.
Senior Bonitatibus Finds the Net
Senior Justin Bonitatibus scored the first goal of the season for
Merrimack, his first since October 20, 2007 (at Bemidji State).
Breaking the GAA for 2nd Straight Year
Last year, for the second straight year, Merrimack set a school
record for fewest goals allowed in a season with eighty-nine.
Merrimack returns six defensemen, including Stollery, captain Pat
Bowen, and assistant captain Adam Ross from last year’s
team.
One-Goal Struggles Set a School Record
Despite finishing with a 9-21-4 record, the Warriors were in
virtually every game last year, as they lost 14 games by one goal,
most in the country and most in school history.
Warriors See Two Selected in NHL Entry Draft
For the first time since 2002, Merrimack had two players selected
in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Freshman Kyle Bigos was picked in the
fourth round (99th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers, while sophomore
Joe Cannata was picked in the sixth round (173rd overall) by the
Vancouver Canucks.
Perfect Attendance for Barton
Chris Barton is the only upperclassman to have played in every
game since arriving at Merrimack, playing in 78 straight. Jesse
Todd is the only sophomore to have played in every game after Karl
Stollery missed his first game on November 13 vs. BU.
Non-Conference Wrap Up
The Warriors finished last year 4-2-1 against non-conference
teams. They are 13-4-2 in its last 19 against non-conference
foes.
Cannata in the Record Books
Joe Cannata saw his shutout streak end at 101:09 to start last
season when he gave up a third-period goal at Canisius on October
26, 2008. Cannata stopped the first 55 shots he faced, setting a
Merrimack record, and turned aside 66 of his first 67 shots. He was
the first goaltender in school history to register a shutout in his
first start. His 2.35 goals-against-average as a freshman is the
second-best in school history for a single season.
Merrimack in 40+ Save Performances
Incredibly, over the last two seasons, Merrimack is 3-0-2 when its
goaltender stops 40 or more shots. Joe Cannata became the first
goaltender to stop 40+ shots last season with his 44-save
performance at Army. In the 2007-08 season, Andrew Braithwaite did
the deed three times with Merrimack going 2-0-1 in those games.
Warriors Welcome Six Newcomers
Merrimack welcomes six freshmen to the squad, highlighted by
defenseman Kyle Bigos and forward Stephane Da Costa. Two newcomers,
Brandon Brodhag and Rob Morton hail from New York, while Nick Drew
and John Heffernan are local products.
Captains
Senior defenseman Pat Bowen and junior forward Chris Barton will
serve as captains for the 2009-10 season. Junior defenseman Adam
Ross will be an assistant captain.
Scouting the Schedule
Twenty-seven Hockey East games and first-ever trips to North
Dakota and Wisconsin highlight a challenging 2009-10 schedule. The
Warriors open its season with four-straight non-conference games,
including two straight on the road against #6/8 North Dakota and
home games against Holy Cross and Army. Merrimack plays a total of
seven non-conference games this year, five of them in the first 16
days of the season. The Warriors will host 13 conference games
while traveling to fourteen conference road contests, all against
tough Division I competitors. Conference play kicks off at home
against Vermont on October 23. Merrimack’s longest road trip
is a seven-game excursion from December 5 - January 22. The
Warriors close out their 2009-10 slate with two home games against
Maine and a home-and-home with Providence.
Camrose Connection
Chris Barton, Karl Stollery, and Jesse Todd all played junior
hockey with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL. Barton, who was a
sophomore while Stollery and Todd were freshmen, helped Camrose to
two straight AJHL and Doyle Cup Championships in 2006-07 and
2007-08.
The Alberta Pipeline
Seven players are from Alberta on this year’s Merrimack
squad, tied with Massachusetts for the most from one province or
state. Besides the Camrose trio, Carter Madsen, Elliott Sheen,
Brandon Sadlowski, and Adam Ross hail from Alberta.
Lawler Renovations
Over the summer, Merrimack committed 1.2 million to install a new
ice bed and compressor system as part of the Lawler Completion
Project. The press box was also expanded. Future plans call for the
removal of all bleachers in favor of chairback seats as well as the
redesign of the Volpe Complex lobby.
Warriors on TV
Merrimack is on TV three times, once more than last season. Both
games in North Dakota aired on Fox College Sports, while the
February 20 game at UMass will be carried by NESN.
Warriors on 1400 AM, Internet
All Merrimack home games will be webcast online at
www.merrimackathletics.com courtesy of B2 Networks (pay-per-view
video and free audio). All road games can be heard live online for
free at www.merrimackathletics.com. All Merrimack games can be
heard live on 1400 AM.
2009-10 Hockey East Preseason Coaches Poll
The Warriors were picked to finish tenth in this year’s
preseason poll, voted on by the coaches of Hockey East.
Rank Team (1st place votes) Pts.
1. Boston University (6) 84
2. UMass Lowell (2) 79
3. Boston College (2) 76
4. New Hampshire 59
Vermont 59
6. Northeastern 57
7. Massachusetts 47
8. Maine 32
9. Providence 24
10. MERRIMACK 23
