Friday, October 30, 1992 at Volpe Complex, North Andover, MA
NON-DIVISION I GAME
Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (2-1-0)       0     3     0  -  3
Merrimack Warriors (2-1-0)                3     1     2  -  6
FIRST PERIOD                                                          MC-UAH
1. MC1, Ryan Mailhiot 2 (Wayde McMillan, Dan Hodge), 4:53. PPG         1-0
2. MC2, Martin Favreau 1 (Matt Adams, Matt Crowley), 15:46.            2-0
3. MC3, Mark Goble 1 (Dan Gravelle, Mark Cornforth), 19:29.            3-0
SECOND PERIOD
4. AH1, Shane Bowler 3 (unassisted), 1:34.  PPG                        3-1
5. AH2, Brian Richard 3 (unassisted), 8:41.                            3-2
6. MC4, Jim Gibson 2 (Hodge, Bryan Miller), 13:09.  PPG  GWG           4-2
7. AH3, Dave Slifka 1 (Logan Lampert, Sheldon Wolitski), 19:39. PPG    4-3
THIRD PERIOD
8. MC5, Rob Atkinson 1 (Goble), 9:48.                                  5-3
9. MC6, Adams 1 (Favreau, Crowley), 17:02.                             6-3
SHOTS ON GOAL: Alabama-Huntsville   6-12--7 = 25
               Merrimack           12-15-13 = 40
SAVES: UAH, Derek Puppa (L, 1-1-0, 60:00, 40 sh-34 sv).
       MC, Mike Doneghey (W, 2-0-0, 60:00, 25-22).
POWER PLAYS: UAH 2 of 5.  MC 2 of 5.
PENALTIES: UAH 8/16.  MC 8/16.
REFEREES: Jim Fitzgerald, Ned Bunyon.  LINESMAN: Andy Hennigar.
ATTENDANCE: 1,029.
THREE STARS: 1. Merrimack, RW Mark Goble (1-1--2).
             2. Merrimack, C Martin Favreau (1-1--2).
             3. Merrimack, C Dan Gravelle (0-1--1).
 
Freshman Mark Goble was inserted into the lineup as the first line right
wing for his first collegiate game, and he responded with a goal and an
assist and was named the game's first star to help Merrimack to a 6-3
win over Division II Alabama-Huntsville.
 
The game was a unevenly played one, slightly of a faster pace in the first
and part of the second periods, but it got a little chippy in the third.
For UAH, goalie Derek Puppa played well but often was the victim of his
teammates getting caught too far up in the play.  Puppa, a sophomore, made
34 saves.  Yes, he is the brother of Daren.
 
Merrimack roared out to a 3-0 lead after one and never trailed, although
UAH fought back in the second to close the gap to 4-3 after two.  All
three first period goals came off the sticks of freshmen.  On a power play
just 4:53 in, last week's Hockey East Co-Rookie of the Week, Ryan Mailhiot,
scored his second collegiate goal when he took a cross-ice pass from Dan
Hodge and easily flipped it into the open net.  Martin Favreau scored
his first college goal with 4:14 left in the period when Matt Adams drew
Puppa out a little and then passed over to Favreau for the easy tap-in.
Goble then got his first with a quick wrist shot after a pass off the
boards by Gravelle.
 
Goaltending was again strong for Merrimack as Mike Doneghey allowed only
three goals, two on the power play, and only one of them was "bad".
 
In the second, UAH scored twice in the first half of the period,
capitalizing on their few chances while Merrimack could not score on
their 10 shots over the first ten minutes.  After Merrimack could not clear
the puck while killing a penalty, the Chargers' Shane Bowler stole the
puck, walked in and beat Doneghey at 1:34.  Then at 8:41, Brian Richard
got the puck in his own end off of a blocked shot and skated up the left
side untouched; his slap shot from about 20 feet out beat Doneghey through
the five-hole, the only bad goal he allowed of the game.
 
Now only up 3-2, Merrimack picked up the pace a little and the result was
another power play goal, this by Jim Gibson at 13:09.  Just 5 seconds
into the power play, Bryan Miller at the right point passed across to
Hodge who quickly found Gibson at the right post for the tap-in and a
4-2 lead.  Hodge has already made a significant impact in just three games,
racking up four assists and giving the Warriors that playmaking ability
from the point that they have lacked, not to mention his solid play in
his own end of the ice.
 
UAH cut it to 4-3 with 21 seconds left in the period, also on the PP, when
Dave Slifka put in the rebound of Sheldon Wolitski's shot from the point.
 
The third period was more chippy but dominated by Merrimack, as the Chargers
had 7 shots on net but only one from within 20 feet.  The insurance goal
came from Rob Atkinson at 9:48 as he was sent in alone by Goble, faked
Puppa and flipped in the forehand shot.  Finally, Matt Adams closed out
the scoring with his first of the year at 17:02.
 
The teams battle again Saturday night at the Volpe Complex.
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*