Game 37: Merrimack vs. Boston University (Hockey East Championship)

Mike McMahon

Mar 18, 2023

Merrimack (23-12-1) vs. Boston University (26-10-0)

Time: 7:00 ET

Arena: TD Garden (Boston, Mass.)

TV: NESN/ESPN+ (streaming)

Radio: Merrimack Sports Network

Live Box

Officials: Steven Rouillard, Jeremy Tufts

Merrimack Notes

Merrimack enters tonight’s game on a seven-game winning streak. This is the longest winning streak for the Warriors since 2011. Ironically, that team was the last Merrimack team to play in a Hockey East championship game.
Merrimack held an optional morning skate after last night’s double overtime win over UMass Lowell. The players who did not dress in last night’s game all attended the morning skate along with tonight’s projected starting goalie, Hugo Ollas.
Expect another big crowd of Merrimack fans tonight at TD Garden. The student ticket line this morning in the lobby of Lawler Arena wrapped around the concourse and spilled in the arena itself.

Merrimack Lines

Forwards

Ottoville Leppanen - Matt Copponi - Alex Jefferies
Ben Brar - Will Calverley - Filip Forsmark
Mick Messner - Ryan Leibold - Jordan Seyfert
Mac Welsher - Tristan Crozier - Mark Hillier
Hugo Esselin

Defense

Mike Brown - Zach Bookman
Slava Demin - Christian Felton
Liam Dennison - Ivan Zivlak

Goaltenders

Hugo Ollas
Zachary Borgiel
Steven Bacovsky

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Boston University Notes

BU’s top-line center, Wilmer Skoog, is out for tonight after he was suspended one game by Hockey East for a hit on Cam McDonald last night in the semifinals.
With Skoog out of the lineup, Jay O’Brien will center the top line and Ethan Phillips will take his spot on the right side. Phillips was dressed as the extra forward for BU last night. In 25 games this season he has two goals and five assists. Brian Carrabes will dress in Skoog’s place and play as the extra forward. He’s North Andover native and has two points (1g, 1a) in 12 games this season.
BU will also be without defenseman Case McCarthy, who reportedly suffered a broken collarbone after a scary collision into the end boards during the third period of BU’s win over Providence on Friday. McCarthy is one of BU’s captains.
With McCarthy out of the lineup, Lachlan Getz will dress for BU. He’s paired with Cade Webber. Getz is a freshman who has appeared in 12 games this season.

Boston University Lines

Forwards

Matt Brown - Jay O’Brien - Ethan Phillips
Luke Tuch - Ryan Greene - Quinn Hutson
Jeremy Wilmer - Nick Zabaneh - Dylan Peterson
Jamie Armstrong - Sam Stevens - Devin Kaplan
Brian Carrabes