Merrimack will face Northeastern in Hockey East First Round

NORTH ANDOVER — Merrimack will face Northeastern in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs on Wednesday night at Matthews Arena.

The Warriors finished No. 10 in the league after Saturday's 6-4 loss to Boston College. UMass Lowell could have jumped the Warriors with a regulation win over New Hampshire, but the River Hawks fell to the Huskies.

Merrimack went 1-2 against the Huskies this season. The lone win on their record against Northeastern was at Matthews Arena on Oct. 28 (4-1).

Northeastern swept the Warriors (5-3, 4-1) in a home-and-home series on Jan. 26-27.

Northeastern has been one of the best teams in the country over the second half. Since Jan. 13, the Huskies are 10-4-1 in their last 15 games.

Merrimack and Northeastern last met in the playoffs in 2015. The Warriors swept a best-of-three series at Matthews Arena with a pair of overtime wins.

The current format for the Hockey East playoffs are all single-elimination games.