Game Report: Providence rallies late to beat Merrimack

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Logan Sawyer broke a 2-2 tie with 4:03 left in regulation, and Julius Sumpf added a power-play goal as Providence beat Merrimack 4-2 on Friday night in front of 2,944 at Schneider Arena, snapping the Warriors’ eight-game unbeaten streak.

Merrimack fell to 6-2-2 overall and 1-1-2 in Hockey East. Providence improved to 7-2-0 and 4-1-0.

The Friars opened the scoring at 13:29 of the first period, when Cade Christenson finished a play set up by Beau Jelsma and Aleksi Kivioja. Merrimack answered with 1:04 left in the period on Alex Mercier’s first career goal, off a feed from Ty Daneault, with Austin Oravetz also assisting.

Providence went back ahead 40 seconds into the second period on John Mustard’s goal. The Warriors tied it again at 12:34, when Caden Cranston knocked in a rebound for his fifth goal of the season, with Parker Lalonde assisting.

Seamus Powell hit the post at 5:55 of the third with the game tied, but the Friars took over from there. Sawyer scored the winner at 15:57, five seconds after a Providence faceoff win. Nathan King was called for holding at 17:09, and Sumpf scored on the ensuing power play at 18:48 to seal it.

Linards Feldbergs made 31 saves for Merrimack. Providence’s Jack Parsons stopped 21 shots, including five in the final 52 seconds with Feldbergs pulled for an extra attacker.