Preview: Warriors begin a two-game home series against Northeastern on Thursday night at Lawler
The Warriors open a two-game home series with Northeastern tonight at Lawler Arena. The Huskies, who closed Matthews Arena earlier this season, are playing the majority of their games in the second half in opposing buildings.
Thursday night kicks off a busy weekend at Lawler Arena, with the men’s hockey team in the building Thursday and Friday against the Huskies, and men’s basketball in action against Saint Peter’s on Saturday.
Game Details
When: Thursday/Friday, 7 p.m.
Where: Lawler Arena (North Andover, Mass.)
TV/Stream: Watch (ESPN+) » Watch (INTL)
Team Statistics
Game Notes
— Trevor Hoskin has been on a heater for the Warriors. The sophomore has seven points (2g, 5a) in his last six games. Merrimack will lean on him even more heavily tonight with Justin Gill sidelined. Gill was suspended one game by Hockey East for a contact-to-the-head penalty assessed Saturday night at the Mullins Center, and will be eligible to return to the lineup Friday night.
— This is the first matchup between the Warriors and the Huskies since last year’s double-overtime thriller at Lawler Arena in the opening round of the Hockey East playoffs, a 3-2 Northeastern win. The teams split the four games they played last season.
— Northeastern goaltender Lawton Zacher has been one of the top goalies in the country this season. A junior transfer from Brown, he ranks second nationally at 0.80 goals saved above expected per game, trailing only Rorke Applebee of Lake Superior (0.88). Zacher enters tonight with a 2.01 GAA and a .934 save percentage. That said, he’s shown some streakiness. He allowed just one goal over four games from Oct. 25 through Nov. 7, but more recently had a stretch where he surrendered three goals or more in five of seven starts (Nov. 14 through Jan. 9). Last weekend, he stopped 56 of 58 shots against UNH in a pair of wins.
— The Huskies are 9-4 at home this season and 3-5 on the road. In their last six road games, Northeastern is 1-5 (0-1 in OT).
— Mark Hillier will reach the 100-game plateau this weekend. He’s the only player still on the roster who skated in the Hockey East championship game in 2023. Merrimack coach Scott Borek is also one win away from 100 for his career behind the Warriors’ bench, which would make him the fifth coach in program history to reach the century mark.
— Max Lundgren was named a Hobey Baker Award nominee this season. He’s played every minute for the Warriors and enters tonight with a 2.63 GAA and a .918 save percentage.