Borek: "We got out-competed at the most critical time in the game"

Photo: Merrimack Athletics

NORTH ANDOVER — Merrimack head coach Scott Borek was not mincing words after Merrimack's 3-2 overtime loss to Stonehill on Sunday.

Pressed into action after the Warriors had no eligible goalie on the roster, senior student manager Spencer Marquis made 22 saves. Merrimack had a 2-1 lead with under 10 seconds to play, but a turnover in the neutral zone resulted in Stonehill tying the game. A missed assignment in overtime resulted in the game-winner.

Simply put, Borek said he thought the Warriors let their goalie down.

"That was gross," Borek said. "Just gross. We could have had 50 shots but we passed the puck like it was our job, and even at the end of the game, we passed it with an empty net on a 3-on-1. I don't even know what to say. Spencer [Marquis] played great. He gave us a chance to win a hockey game. He deserved to win that hockey game, but we let him down. I'm so disappointed for him. He played hard. He came out of nowhere, and he deserved to win that game, but we let him down."

After Borek said he thought the Warriors over-defended in the first period — something he put on himself for harping so hard on defense with Marquis in goal — Borek thought the Warriors carried the play in the second and third periods.

But two critical mistakes led to the tying and game-winning goals. The Warriors had a chance to shoot a puck at an open net but tried one extra pass, which hopped over a stick and allowed Stonehill to transition and score the game-tying goal.

The overtime goal was scored after a turnover in the neutral zone, and Stonehill had a 2-on-1. Marquis made the initial save, but former Warrior Devlin O'Brien scored on a rebound after he was unguarded going to the net.

"We got out-competed at the most critical part of the game," Borek said. "There's no other way to put it, that's just gross. We were soft, and soft never wins. Soft loses every time. We got exactly what we deserved. Spencer didn't get what he deserved, but we got what we deserved.

"I really feel terrible for him. He deserved to win that hockey game. It's an injustice that we let him down like that. Our room should feel awful about the way that game ended, because he gave us a great effort.

"It's difficult to accept that, at this point in our program, we're getting out-competed in our own building, knowing the situation and having a goalie who hasn't stopped a puck in four years, but he's competing his butt off and doing everything he can for us, and he's playing quite well, by the way. It was just disappointing."

Stonehill (1-0-0): 1-0-1-1--3
Merrimack (0-1-0): 1-0-1-0--2
Scoring:
1st (MC) Ty Daneault 1 (Harrison Roy, Trevor Griebel), ev, 14:38
1st (SC) Brady Hunter 1 (Henri Schreifels), pp, 18:31
3rd (MC) Seamus Powell 1 (Colby Enns, Ethan Bono), ev, 7:18
3rd (SC) Anthony Galante 1 (Brady Hunter), ex, 19:52
OT (SC) Devlin O’Brien 1 (Henri Schriefels), 3v3, 0:38
Shots: MC 4-11-14-0--29; SC 9-5-8-3--25
Goalies: MC Marquie (60:31) 22/25; SC Androlewicz (58:37) 27/29
Power Play: MC 0 for 3; SC 1 for 4
Penalties: MC 5-10:00; SC 3-6:00
Attendance: 1,989