Merrimack comes back three times to secure critical win at UNH
DURHAM, N.H. — Merrimack erased three deficits and beat New Hampshire 5-4 on Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.
UNH took a 2-0 lead in the first period before goals from Michael Emerson and Hunter Wallace (his first NCAA goal) tied the game at 2-2. Alex Gagne gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead late in the first period.
Wallace scored again to tie the game, 3-3, before J.P. Turner’s shorthanded goal gave the Wildcats a 4-3 lead midway through the second period.
Vann Yuhas scored 7:53 into the third period to tie the game — minutes after a Merrimack goal was called back for offsides — and David Sacco provided the game-winner a little more than two minutes later.
Max Lundgren stopped 30 shots in his third straight start.
The win moved the Warriors into sixth place in Hockey East. The Warriors are one point ahead of Providence and one point behind Lowell, but both teams have a game in hand on the Warriors. Merrimack is six points ahead of Vermont — who comes to Lawler Arena next weekend — for the final home-ice spot in the first round of the playoffs.
Wallace scores first, and second, NCAA goal
Wallace was a spark for the Warriors on Saturday night. Not only did he score his first collegiate goals, but both tied the game after UNH took leads.
Wallace, who entered the lineup with Tyler Young out injured, missed the first half of the season with an injury he suffered in the preseason.
“The Friday before our first preseason game, I got hurt,” he said. “About three weeks later, I tried coming back and got hurt again. So it’s been a while. I didn’t need surgery but the second injury was a lot worse, so I had to take a step back for a bit, which was hard.”
Wallace had a similar injury when he played junior hockey for the Brooks Bandits.
“It makes it easier getting through it when you have a good group of guys around you. These guys we have here are special.”
Wallace also made a big play late in the game, diving to break up a UNH zone entry and sweep a puck deep to help kill time in the final minute.
“In those situations, Coach Borek tells us to keep it simple,” he said. “I just wanted to try my best to make the right play there.”
“He’s such an incredible competitor,” Borek said. “He got rewarded tonight. He was rewarded with ice time, and then his ice time increased and it led to production. I’m really happy for him after what he’s been through this year.”
Warriors handle adversity
Coming back three times was hard enough.
Merrimack also thought it tied the game midway through the third period when Antonio Venuto tipped a shot from the point. However, the Warriors entered the zone offside, and the goal was called back.
“I think our whole bench knew it was offside so it wasn’t a big surprise,” Borek said. “We talked throughout that review about just getting right back at it. Even if the goal was called back, they were going to be feeling it a little bit because they did just see a puck go into their net.”
It was the type of adversity the Warriors had a hard time combating at the start of the season.
“It shows how we’ve grown as a team,” Venuto said. “It took everybody. It took a full team and all 60 minutes.
“Any weekend you can sweep Hockey East teams is a huge weekend. We didn’t really have our legs to start tonight, but we found a way.”
Something to build on?
Was this weekend something to build on?
Perhaps. We won’t know for sure until next week.
It also wasn’t all pretty. UNH outshot the Warriors 34-19 and dominated 5v5 possession, out-attempting Merrimack 78-36.
“We didn’t have it tonight,” Borek said. “That was evident most of the game. UNH controlled the play. Our goaltender kept us in it, and we found a way to get a couple.
“We talked at the end of the second period that we were gonna puke when we watch this game on film. We didn’t have our legs, and I didn’t understand why. I know we expended a lot of energy (on Friday) but it shouldn’t have been like that. Still, we found a way and that feels good.”
Merrimack College (12-15-1): 2-1-2--5
New Hampshire (11-12-3): 3-1-0--4
First Period: 1. UNH Marty Lavins 8 (Alex Gagne, Nick Ring), pp, 8:20; 2. UNH Connor Sweeney 2 (Nikolai Jenson, Alex Gagne), ev, 12:59; 3. MC Michael Emerson 6 (Antonio Venuto, Josef Mysak), ev, 14:04; 4. MC Hunter Wallace 1 (Trevor Griebel, Luke Weilandt), ev, 15:39; 5. UNH Alex Gagne 4 (Nick Ring, Colton Huard), pp, 17:29.
Second Period: 6. MC Hunter Wallace 2 (unassisted), ev, 3:05; 7. UNH JP Turner 5 (unassisted), sh, 9:48.
Third Period: 8. MC Vann Yuhas 2 (Ty Daneault, Zach Bookman), ev, 7:52; 9. MC David Sacco 9 (Zach Bookman, Antonio Venuto), ev, 10:08.
Shots: MC 8-5-6--19; UNH 13-10-11--34
Saves: MC Lundgren (60:00) 30/34; UNH Whale (58:14) 14/19.
Power Play: MC 0 for 1; UNH 2 for 2
Pen-PIM: MC 2-4; UNH 1-2
Attendance: 4,989