Merrimack shuts out Sacred Heart in exhibition game
Warriors blanked the Pioneers, 3-0, one night after drop
The win won’t show up in the standings, but for Merrimack, Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Sacred Heart was exactly what it needed after a rocky season opener. Coming off Friday’s 4-0 loss at UMass Lowell, the Warriors looked sharper, more composed, and considerably more connected in the exhibition matchup at Martire Family Arena.
The Pioneers — projected to finish atop Atlantic Hockey this season — provided a legitimate early test. Merrimack responded with goals from three newcomers. Freshman Daniel Astapovich opened the scoring, followed by fellow rookie Joey Henneberry, and Matthew Campbell, a transfer from Michigan Tech, capped the night with a third-period tally.
Defensively, the Warriors delivered a standout performance. Their penalty kill went a perfect 5-for-5, limiting Sacred Heart to just seven shots on goal during man-advantage situations. Between the pipes, goaltender Nils Wallström stopped all 25 shots he faced to post the shutout.
While not flawless, Merrimack was noticeably improved across the board. A night after being overwhelmed in the faceoff circle by Lowell, the Warriors flipped the script, winning 28 of 49 draws against the Pioneers.
Next up, Merrimack will get an early opportunity to measure its progress — and its resilience — when it faces UMass Lowell again on Friday night in the home opener at Lawler Arena.