Thursday, March 10, 1994 at Tully Forum, Billerica, MA
HOCKEY EAST QUARTERFINALS - GAME ONE
Merrimack Warriors (16-18-2)      0     1     0  -  1
Mass Lowell Chiefs (22-8-5)       2     2     3  -  7
FIRST PERIOD                                                          ML-MC
1. ML1, Aaron Kriss 5 (Ian Hebert), 4:38.  SHG                         1-0
2. ML2, Ed Campbell 6 (Jon Mahoney, Brendan Concannon), 9:07. GWG      2-0
SECOND PERIOD
3. ML3, Christian Sbrocca 13 (Campbell, Greg Bullock), 1:25.  PPG      3-0
4. ML4, Dave Barozzino 4 (Mike Murray), 10:13.  4x4                    4-0
5. MC1, Rob Beck 5 (Daryl Krauss, Matt Adams), 13:20.                  4-1
THIRD PERIOD
6. ML5, Jeff Daw 6 (Neil Donovan, Bill Riga), 10:14.                   5-1
7. ML6, Hebert 17 (Angus, Bullock), 15:30.  5x3                        6-1
8. ML7, Campbell 7 (David Mayes, Sbrocca), 15:43.  PPG                 7-1
SHOTS ON GOAL: Merrimack     10--6-10 = 26
               Mass Lowell   10-10-12 = 32
SAVES: MC, Martin Legault (L, 12-19-2, 50:14, 22 sh-17 sv),
           Eric Thibeault (9:46, 10-8).
       ML, Dwayne Roloson (W, 20-8-7, 60:00, 26-25).
POWER PLAYS: MC 0 for 8.  ML 3 for 7.
PENALTIES: MC 18/42.  ML 17/34.
REFEREES: Jim Fitzgerald, John Gravellese. LINESMAN: Bill Jones.
ATTENDANCE: 857.
THREE STARS: 1. C Greg Bullock, Mass Lowell (0-2--2).
             2. D Ed Campbell, Mass Lowell (2-1--3).
             3. G Dwayne Roloson, Mass Lowell (26 sh-25 sv).
 
Mass Lowell jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one and a 4-0 lead halfway
through the game on the strength of three special teams' goals to
defeat Merrimack, 7-1, and take a one game to none lead in this best 2
of 3 Hockey East quarterfinal series.
 
In all, Lowell went 3 for 7 on the power play and held Merrimack to
0 goals on 8 chances.  The Chiefs, who have the nation's best penalty
killing, added a shorthanded goal and a 4x4 goal to account for a
total of 5 special teams goals to Merrimack's none.  That was the
difference in the game.  Merrimack actually got a break on many of the
penalty calls, but they were not able to do much on the power play.
 
Lowell played an outstanding game start to finish and looked like a
team capable of winning the HE championship and possibly even the
national title.  They dominated Merrimack in every facet of the game
tonight.
 
Merrimack again suffered from a lack of scoring that has plagued the
team all season.  Lowell goalie Dwayne Roloson played well in keeping the
Warriors off the board while his team built a 4-0 lead, but a lot of
the credit should go to his defense.  They prevented Roloson from
facing almost any breakaways or 2x1s, and they frustrated the Merrimack
forwards by tying them up in the zone and not allowing many passes
to the front of the net.  If Lowell's defense continues to play this
way, they could go far, especially in front of Roloson who many have
penciled in as the HE Player of the Year.
 
The Chiefs were led offensively by 4 goals from defensemen - Kriss,
Barozzino, and Campbell (2), with Kriss scoring a shorthanded goal
just 4:38 into the game after a 2x1 and Campbell adding another at
9:07 to stake Lowell to a 2-0 lead.
 
Merrimack still had a chance to get back in the game in the second,
but Christian Sbrocca converted a nice feed from Greg Bullock just 1:25
in to make it 3-0, and Barozzino's shot from the point deflected in
off a Warrior at 10:13 on a 4x4 to make it 4-0.
 
Merrimack got on the board 3 minutes later when Matt Adams found
Rob Beck alone in front, but that was one of the few outstanding
chances Merrimack had in the game.  The goal seemed to spark the
Warriors, who picked up the pace for the rest of the period and the
first half of the third, but when Jeff Daw picked up a loose puck
in front and banged it past Martin Legault to make it 5-1 with 9:46
left in the game, it was all but over and Legault was replaced by Eric
Thibeault for the remainder.
 
The rest of the game got chippy as Merrimack vented its frustration and
Lowell didn't back down; 18 of the game's 35 penalties were called
from the 11:53 mark on.  The Chiefs added two PPGs, one a 5x3, within
a span of 13 seconds for the 7-1 final.
 
The teams meet again at Tully Forum for Game Two Friday night.  Lowell
will be seeking to wrap up the series and earn its second straight
trip to the HE Final Four (it would be their 6th in 10 years), while
Merrimack will hope to end its 6 game losing streak and force a
third game, which would be played Saturday night.  Friday's game is
scheduled to be shown on tape delay on NESN at 10 pm.
---                                                                 ---
Mike Machnik                                          [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                  *HMM* 11/13/93
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