Merrimack Returns to Hockey East Play at #18 Maine Saturday
MERRIMACK COLLEGE HOCKEY
Game #18 at #18 Maine, 7 p.m., Alfond Arena / Listen Live / Live Stats / Game Notes (.pdf)
Tonight’s Matchup: Merrimack returns to
Hockey East play Saturday night against #18 Maine in the fifth game
of a season-long seven-game road trip.
Lifetime vs. Maine: Merrimack is 10-56-6 lifetime
against Maine and 5-31-2 in Orono. The Warriors were 0-1-1 last
year at Maine.
Coach Dennehy vs. the Black Bears: Coach Dennehy
is 2-9-1 against the Black Bears as head coach of the Warriors.
Last Season vs. Maine (Maine won series
2-0-1):
(11/21/08 @ Maine, Maine, W, 2-1): J.C. Robitaille scored 46
seconds into the game, but Maine rallied for two first-period goals
and held on for the 2-1 win.
(11/22/08 @ Maine, Tie 1-1): Francois Ouimet gave Merrimack the
lead in the second but Keif Orsini tied the game late in the third
to earn the tie for Maine. Joe Cannata stopped 16 shots as
Merrimack outshot Maine 24-17.
(12/7/08 @ MC, Maine, W 3-2): Maine scored twice in the first 2:59
of the game and held on for the 3-2 win despite goals from Adam
Ross and Rob Ricci.
Long Road Trip Continues
Tonight is game five of a seven-game road trip spanning 49 days.
Merrimack will not return home until Jan. 23 against Providence. In
2007-08, Merrimack embarked on a 5-game, 47-day road trip and went
0-4-1. The Warriors are 0-9 on the road this year.
Da Costa 3-for-3 with Hockey East Rookie of the Month
Honors
Stephane Da Costa was named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie
of the Month for the third straight month. In December, he netted
three points in three games.
Best Start Since 2005-06
Merrimack has more overall wins and Hockey East points through 17
games this season than they have in any other year since the Mark
Dennehy era began in 2005-06.
Da Costa’s 11-Game Point Streak Snapped
Da Costa had his 11-game point streak, tops in Hockey East and the
longest in school history since Merrimack joined Hockey East in
1989, snapped against Ferris State. Da Costa, who scored five goals
in his second career game, leads the country in points per game
among rookies and leads Hockey East freshmen with 21 points. He is
fifth in the conference and eighth nationally in scoring with 21
points.
Record-Setting Crowd
The attendance of 13,962 at Wisconsin was the biggest crowd to
watch a Merrimack game in program history. The Warriors had not
played in front of 11,603 fans or more since the Hockey East
Semifinals on March 20, 1998.
Non-Conference Wrap Up
The Warriors, who finished last year 4-2-1 against non-conference
teams, went 3-4 this season. They are 13-6-2 in their last 21
non-conference games and 8-0 in the last eight home games.
Exter Gets the Gold
Former Merrimack goalie Joe Exter won a gold medal with Team USA
at the World Junior Champoionships as an assistant coach.
Merrimack 7-1 at Home This Season
After starting 6-0 at home, Merrimack suffered its first home loss
of the season on November 28, falling to UNH 5-4 before rebounding
against the Huskies. Dating back to last season, the Warriors are
10-3-1 in their last 14 home games.
Cucci Among Leader
s in Assists, Power Play Points
Joe Cucci, who has points in six of his last nine games and is
third on the team in points with 14, is tied for seventh in HEA in
assists with 12 and tied for sixth in power-play points with
11.
Power Play is Fourth in Hockey East, Eighth
Nationally
The Merrimack power play, which scored in 12 straight from 10/16
to 12/5, is fourth in Hockey East and eighth nationally, scoring at
a 23.8% clip, led by four goals from Da Costa.
Fourth in Hockey East in Scoring, 14th
Nationally
Merrimack is fourth in Hockey East and 14th in the country,
averaging 3.35 goals per game. A team that hadn’t scored six
times in one game since 2004, they have accomplished the feat twice
this season. They netted at least three goals in 11 straight games
from 10/16 to 12/4. The Warriors have finished last in HEA in goals
since 2002-03 and ranked among the bottom two since 1998-99.
Penalty Kill Ranks Tied for Second in Hockey
East
Not to be overlooked, Merrimack’s penalty kill is tied for
second in Hockey East with a success rate of 82.9%.
Combined Special Teams Second in Country
Combining Merrimack’s special teams, the Warriors rank
second in the country at 56.6% behind Cornell at 59.9%.
Back-to-Back Sellout Crowds
Merrimack sold out two straight home games (11/13 vs. BU, 11/28 vs
UNH) (2,990 fans), after not selling out for 121 straight home
games, dating back to February 9, 2002.
One-Goal Struggles Continue
After losing 14 games by one goal last year, tops in the country
and in school history, Merrimack is 0-5 this year in one-goal
games.
Recapping the Badger Hockey Showdown
Playing in the final Bagder Hockey Showdown, Merrimack lost to #7
Wisconsin 5-4 before falling to #11 Ferris State 5-1 in the
consolation game. Chris Barton, Karl Stollery and Stephane Da Costa
each registered a goal and an assist in the tournament.
Bonitatibus’ First Multi-Point Game Leads to 3-1 NU Win
Senior Justin Bonitatibus registered his first multi-point game
in his 83-game collegiate career, leading the Warriors to a 3-1
victory over Northeastern. Bonitatibus, who entered the 2009-10
season with three goals in 76 games, has five goals and six points
in nine games this season.
Lawler Becomes a Home Ice Advantage
Merrimack started 6-0 at home for the first time since the 1988-89
season, its last season as a ECAC member before joining Hockey
East. The Warriors are 7-1 overall at home this year.
Best Hockey East Start Since 1990
The Warriors started 3-1 in Hockey East for the first time since
the 1990-91 season.
Barton, Da Costa Among Goal
Leaders
Stephane Da Costa is tied for fourth in Hockey East with 10 goals,
while Chris Barton is tied for 11th with eight.
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.
Alternating Goaltenders in First 11 Games
After alternating between goaltenders Joe Cannata and Andrew
Braithwaite in the first 11 games, the run ended on November 28
against UNH when Cannata made his second straight start.
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 BC
Split
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 seventh among Hockey East defensemen
with 10 assists. Bowen had points in seven straight games, which is
a career-high.
Earning National Votes
Merrimack earned votes in the USCHO National Poll for five
straight weeks. 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 43 points
this season, led by 10 from Pat Bowen.
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.
Strong on Opening Night
Merrimack is now 6-1-2 in its last nine home openers.
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.
Non-Conference Home Winning Streak at 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.
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.
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.
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 85 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.
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 effort 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. New scoreboards will be
installed in time for Merrimack’s next home game on January
23 against Providence.
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
