1991-92 MERRIMACK COLLEGE SEASON OUTLOOK
 
   The old saying that "the third time is a charm" is one that Merrimack
hockey followers are hoping will come true this season, as the Warriors
enter their third season of competition in Hockey East.
   Head Coach Ron Anderson has seen his club gradually improve during its
first two seasons in Hockey East, going from a first-year finish of eighth
place to last year's 7-14-0 mark in league play, good for sixth place.
Anderson is looking for that improvement to continue as the ninth-year
Warrior mentor welcomes back 23 letter-winners from last year's 13-19-1
squad.
   "We've gone through two seasons at this level now, and our players know
what to expect in Hockey East," says Anderson, who owns an overall record
of 162-107-7 at Merrimack.  "We know the minimum level of performance that
we are capable of as a team, and now we have to elevate that level."
   Three players that Anderson will count on to help the Warriors' rise are
senior tri-captains Claude Maillet (Memramcook, N.B.), Agostino Casale
(Montreal, Que.) and Brendan Locke (Nahant, Mass.).  Anderson says that the
trio "provides us with a nice blend of styles and personalities.  They have
demonstrated the necessary leadership requisites over the course of their
careers, and I expect them to continue the tradition of providing a good
example."
   Anderson has depth and experience returning in 1992-92, and here is a
breakdown by position of what the Warrior lineup should look like this season:
 
FORWARD: The return of Casale, the team's leading scorer last season, will
certainly be a boost to the Merrimack offense.  Casale scored 22 goals and
added 19 assists for 41 points, marking the second straight season that he
has posted that total.  He has also been the most productive Warrior in
Hockey East play, tallying 15 goals and eight assists for 23 points in the
league.
   "We're happy to have Agostino back," Anderson says.  "He's been one of
our most productive players over the past two years, and he will help us put
together a top scoring unit."
   Also back in the Merrimack attack for a third season is junior Dan
Gravelle (Montreal, Que.).  Gravelle was the surprise scorer of last season,
as he notched 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points, second on the team.
Gravelle's output was a surprise considering that he entered the year having
just scored three points as a freshman.
   "Dan had a tremendous sophomore year, and he established himself as one
of our premier offensive players," Anderson says.  "Hopefully, he will pick
up where he left off last season."
   Three other sizeable and aggressive forwards will aid the offense: Locke,
senior Jeff Massey (Swampscott, Mass.) and junior Teal Fowler (Batavia, NY).
Locke and Massey are both 6'4" and their size and strength will be an asset,
while Fowler is considered as one of the more scrappier players in the
league.  Fowler and Massey finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the
Merrimack scoring race last season, as Fowler scored 12 goals and 15 assists
for 27 points, while Massey tallied 13 times and added eight assists for
21 points.  Locke scored four goals and added nine assists for 13 points in
1990-91, good for ninth on the squad.
   "Brendan, Jeff and Teal all developed into steady, reliable and
consistent performers for us last season," Anderson says.  "They not only
give us good offense, but they play steady defense as well."
   A quartet of juniors and sophomores that have shown excellent scoring
ability also return to the lineup this season, headed by sophomore Rob
Atkinson (Moncton, N.B.), who was the third leading scorer for Merrimack
last year with 13 goals and a team-high 22 assists for 35 points, which
also made him the second leading freshman scorer in Hockey East.  Fellow
sophomore Jim Gibson (Havertown, Pa.) showed potential as a scorer as well,
notching five goals and seven assists for 12 points.  Juniors John Barron
(Billerica, Mass.) and Matt Crowley (Edina, Minn.) will also contribute
on offense, as Barron scored eight goals and added six assists for 14
points, while Crowley had four goals and five assists for nine points last
season.  Anderson says that the four "have showed excellent goal scoring
ability, and I'm looking for increased production from them as well as the
development of their overall game this season."
   Anderson says that five other Warriors will add depth and experience to
the lineup: senior Rob Kelley (Cambridge, Mass.), junior Guy Ragault
(St Jerome, Que.), and sophomores Quentin Fendelet (Saskatoon, Sask.),
Wayde McMillan (Weyburn, Sask.) and Cooper Naylor (Pictou, N.S.).  Anderson
says he is "looking for these potentially explosive players to find their
range and establish themselves as regular players."
 
DEFENSE: The great need in the Merrimack lineup appears to be at defense,
where Anderson must replace three graduated seniors.  However, the
returning veterans should provide a solid nucleus to build on, starting
with Maillet, who is a second year captain for the Warriors.  Maillet
scored three goals and added nine assists for 12 points at right defense
last season, and along with senior Matt Hentges (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and
juniors Bryan Miller (Calgary, Alta.) and Alex Weinrich (Gardiner, Maine),
combined to play in all but six of Merrimack's 33 games last season.
   Weinrich showed offensive flair as well, scoring two goals and adding
12 assists for 14 points.  Miller and Hentges each had seven points, with
Miller scoring one goal and six assists, and Hentges notching seven assists.
Anderson says that the group "has matured into a poised and responsible
blue-line corps" that will have experience on their side.
   In addition, four other defensemen will compete for playing time:
juniors Don MacLeod (Billerica, Mass.), Matt Hayes (North Andover, Mass.),
Jamie Baker (Natick, Mass.) and sophomore Jason Pagni (Wallingford, Conn.).
They will provide additional depth for the Warriors as well.
 
GOAL: Experience will certainly be in evidence between the pipes for
Merrimack this season, as all three goaltenders who have seen playing time
over the past two seasons are back.  Senior Yannick Gosselin (Montreal, Que.)
appears to have emerged as the front-runner for the starting position,
based on his performance of last season.  Gosselin posted an overall record
of 7-8-0 with a 4.53 goals against average in 17 games, making 442 saves
for a percentage of .867.  Gosselin also missed more than a month of
last season with a knee injury.
   Senior Steve D'Amore (Peabody, Mass.) and junior Mike Doneghey (West
Roxbury, Mass.) will compete for starting honors as well, as both split
the remaining time in net just about evenly last season.  D'Amore was 4-7-0
with a 5.30 GAA and 278 saves, while Doneghey was 2-4-1 with a 4.96 GAA
and 259 saves.  D'Amore also became Merrimack's first-ever Hockey East
Player of the Week after making 37 saves in a 6-5 win over Boston College.
   "All three goaltenders have gained considerable experience over the last
two years," Anderson says.  "That experience will be counted on.  They will
be the backbone of our team's defensive posture this season."
 
   Merrimack will also look for contributions from five incoming recruits,
comprised of three forwards and two defensemen.  The forwards are Matt
Adams (Andover, Mass.), Nick Forbes (Rockville, Md.) and Brent Raftery
(Andover, Mass.), while the blue-liners are Mark Cornforth (Montreal, Que.)
and Mike Flaherty (Arlington, Mass.).  Anderson says that this group will
definitely be an asset to the Warrior program in the years to come:  "We
have some specific needs, and I feel that this class will help address those
needs.  I'm excited about the prospects of each incoming freshman, and
they will complement our existing personnel very well."
 
   Two years of Division I hockey are in the books at Merrimack College,
and the third looms on the horizon.  But with experienced veterans back
and promising rookies pushing them for playing time, the prospects for a
charming third season are bright, and that has the Merrimack faithful
excited and looking forward to the October 26th opener with Alabama-
Huntsville.