Pregame: Merrimack vs. Providence (Ledyard Bank Championship)
HANOVER, N.H. - The Merrimack men’s hockey team will take on Providence in the Ledyard Bank Classic championship game today at 4 p.m. The Warriors beat Dartmouth in overtime, 3-2, last night to advance to today’s final. Providence topped Yale, 3-0, in the other first-round game.
Merrimack and Providence met earlier this month, and the Warriors came away with a 3-2 win. Jordan Seyfert scored in the third period to break a 2-2 tie.
Merrimack’s lineup is mostly the same as last night’s opener. Mark Hillier, who missed the third period after he blocked a shot in the second period last night, will sit out today’s game. Hugo Esselin will play as the extra forward and Tyler Young will get a regular shift with Ryan Leibold and Mac Welsher. Leibold will move to the middle with Hiller out of the lineup and center that line.
Hugo Ollas will start in goal for the Warriors.
Today’s game is a non-conference game and will not count in the Hockey East standings.
Merrimack last won a regular-season tournament in 2004 when the Warriors beat Providence in the championship game of the Dunkin Donuts Coffee Pot. Mike Alexiou scored twice in that game and Jim Healey made 36 saves (Merrimack was outshot 38-16 but still scored five goals on Tyler Sims).
The Coffee Pot was held over Thanksgiving Weekend in 2004 and the games were played at the Dunkin Donuts Center in downtown Providence.
TV/Stream (U.S.): ESPN+
Merrimack’s Lines
Forwards
7 Ottoville Leppanen — 21 Matt Copponi — 19 Alex Jefferies
18 Ben Brar — 13 Will Calverley — 28 Filip Forsmark
11 Mick Messner — 16 Tristan Crozier — 12 Jordan Seyfert
17 Mac Welsher — 9 Ryan Leibold — 14 Tyler Young
15 Hugo Esselin
Defensemen
27 Adam Arveson — 26 Ivan Zivlak
20 Slava Demin — 2 Christian Felton
4 Mike Brown — 3 Zach Bookman
Goaltenders
1 Hugo Ollas (projected starter based on rotation)
29 Zachary Borgiel
30 Steven Bacovsky
