Pregame: Merrimack travels to Sacred Heart for an exhibition game

The Merrimack College Warriors are in Connecticut tonight for an exhibition matchup against Sacred Heart at the sparkling Martire Family Arena.

Sacred Heart’s facility remains one of the crown jewels in college hockey — modern, sleek, and purpose-built for the program’s growth. With a 3,600-seat capacity, it fits the school’s scale perfectly, but it has every amenity a Division I team could ask for, from cutting-edge locker rooms to elite training resources and recovery facilities.

On the ice, Merrimack plans to dress its full roster for the exhibition. Coming off last night’s disappointing season-opening loss to UMass Lowell, the Warriors will look for any positive momentum they can generate. The result won’t count in the standings, but the team’s approach tonight is about resetting after what was, by all accounts, a flat performance against the River Hawks.

There are a few subtle but telling lineup changes. Mark Hillier shifts to center after skating on the wing Friday night. On defense, several pairs were shuffled, including a deserved promotion for freshman Ethan Beyer, who impressed in his collegiate debut. Beyer will skate alongside top defenseman Seamus Powell.

In goal, the expectation is that Nils Wallstrom and Ryan Keyes will split duties, though the starter had yet to be confirmed as of pregame.

Game Details

Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Fairfield, Conn.
Venue: Martire Family Arena (cap. 3,600)
TV/Stream: FloHockey

Tonight’s Lineup