Saturday, January 15, 1994 at Volpe Center, North Andover, MA
HOCKEY EAST GAME
Mass Lowell Chiefs (11-5-3, 6-3-2 HE) 1 1 2 0 - 4
Merrimack Warriors (9-10-2, 2-7-2 HE) 0 0 4 0 - 4
FIRST PERIOD ML-MC
1. ML1, Greg Bullock 14 (unassisted), 7:18. 1-0
SECOND PERIOD
2. ML2, Brendan Concannon 3 (Bullock, Mike Murray), 8:23. 2-0
THIRD PERIOD
3. MC1, Matt Adams 11 (Rob Atkinson), 0:37. 2-1
4. MC2, Atkinson 13 (Mark Cornforth, Adams), 4:51. 2-2
5. ML3, Ian Hebert 13 (Kerry Angus), 5:10. 3-2
6. ML4, Ed Campbell 3 (Jeff Daw), 11:36. 4-2
7. MC3, Quentin Fendelet 1 (Atkinson), 11:56. 4-3
8. MC4, Dan Hodge 8 (unassisted), 12:52. GTG 4-4
SHOTS ON GOAL: Mass Lowell 10-14-17--2 = 43
Merrimack 7-10--6--1 = 24
SAVES: ML, Dwayne Roloson (65:00, T, 11-5-3, 24 sh-20 sv).
MC, Martin Legault (65:00, T, 7-10-2, 43-39).
POWER PLAYS: ML 0 for 2. MC 0 for 2.
PENALTIES: ML 5/10. MC 5/10.
REFEREES: Steve McBride, John Gravallese. LINESMAN: Tim Benedetto.
ATTENDANCE: 984.
THREE STARS: 1. G Martin Legault, Merrimack (43 sh-39 sv).
2. LW Greg Bullock, Mass Lowell (1-1--2).
3. C Rob Atkinson, Merrimack (1-2--3).
Rob Atkinson's goal and two assists helped Merrimack fight back from
two-goal deficits twice in the third period (0-2, 2-4) and earn a 4-4
tie with rival Mass Lowell. Lowell G Dwayne Roloson, who had allowed
only one goal to Merrimack through five periods on the weekend, gave up
four in the third. The tying goal was one Roloson will probably be
seeing in his sleep, as Merrimack defenseman Dan Hodge's dump in from
center ice eluded Roloson with 7:08 left to make it 4-4. Hodge's goal
came just 56 seconds after senior Quentin Fendelet tallied his first
goal of the season to bring Merrimack within one. Merrimack G Martin
Legault continued to shine in net, stopping 39 of 43 shots and earning
the first star of the game.
Shane Henry, Lowell's first line LW, was a late scratch with an
abdominal muscle pull after it was determined that he could not play.
Henry leads the Chiefs with 22 assists. Greg Bullock, the leading scorer
in Hockey East, was put on the first line with Mike Murray and Brendan
Concannon, and that line proved to be the most effective for the Chiefs
who showed a return to the offensive playmaking they've lacked for the
last few weeks.
FIRST
It was Bullock who opened the scoring at 7:18 of the first with an
unassisted goal, as he picked up a loose puck at center ice on a line
change and skated to the top of the left circle, firing a rocket past
Legault for his 14th goal of the season. Lowell outskated Merrimack
for much of the period, as the difference was Lowell's ability to
generate quick scoring chances off the transition in center ice. When
Lowell picked up a loose puck, they'd quickly move it up ice with short,
hard passes while Merrimack players tried to carry the puck up alone
instead of developing passing combinations. Roloson did not appear
to be hindered by his apparent injury the night before.
SECOND
Merrimack had killed penalties to Hodge and Tom Costa at the end of
the first and beginning of the second, and when they went on a power
play of their own early in the second, Mark Goble had a golden opportunity
to tie it when he carried the puck up the right side and around the net,
catching Roloson out of position, but he whiffed on the shot with an
open net. However, the momentum generated by the power play carried over,
as Merrimack was starting to skate better and keep sustained pressure
in the Lowell end at times.
Yet, it was Bullock who would be the architect of the second Lowell goal
at 8:23, finding Brendan Concannon high in the slot from on his knees
behind the net. Concannon received the pass, froze Legault with a
quick fake and wristed it upstairs. Bullock, who was unnoticeable in
Friday's game, had an outstanding game tonight as he was making things
happen and hustling all over the ice. It was a surprise to me to hear
Lowell SID B.L. Elfring tell me that Bullock, an early shoo-in for HE
Rookie of the Year, was a late pickup by the Chiefs who weren't even
sure if they wanted him. A lot of other teams have to be kicking
themselves right about now.
Not long after that goal put Lowell up 2-0, Merrimack went on another
power play and again had golden missed opportunities, prompting Merrimack
assistant coach Brian Daccord to ask in between periods whether Roloson
prays more than the Merrimack kids. First Hodge hit the left post with
a shot, then Atkinson had the whole net on the rebound and shot it wide.
Another good chance came with six minutes left, when the Warriors' Tom
Johnson had a breakaway but was turned away by Roloson.
THIRD
Down 2-0, Merrimack came out flying to start the third and quickly pulled
within one at 37 seconds. Atkinson intercepted a clearing pass high
in the slot and fired it at an off-balance Roloson, who made the save.
But Roloson couldn't cover the rebound, and Matt Adams swept in to poke
it into the net for his 11th goal of the year. It was tied at 4:51
when Mark Cornforth got the puck from Adams and carried up ice, finding
Atkinson for his 13th goal.
The momentum suddenly shifted to Lowell and the Chiefs went up again just
19 seconds after Atkinson's goal, as Ian Hebert scored from about 15
feet out. Lowell regained its two goal lead at 11:36 when defenseman
Ed Campbell was allowed to walk in from the point and beat Legault from
in close, and it looked like that might be enough for Lowell to pull
out the win.
Yet, just 20 seconds after that goal, Merrimack's Quentin Fendelet picked
up a loose puck and fired a ten-foot wrist shot over Roloson's shoulder
for his first of the year and only his 4th career goal. And 56 seconds
later, Hodge tied it on the shot from center ice that Roloson misplayed.
Roloson, who had played so well over the first five periods of the series,
stopped only 2 of 6 Merrimack shots in the third.
The overtime was uneventful, as both teams were tired and only managed
a couple good chances. The best came from Hodge, who had another blast
from the blue line saved by Roloson to preserve the tie.
POSTGAME
It wasn't a pretty game, but it was exciting. Legault deserved the #1
star for the way he kept Merrimack in it through the first two periods,
and coach Ron Anderson said he was very pleased with Legault's play
on the weekend. Lowell probably should have swept the weekend, but
then again both games were close enough that either one could have gone
to either team. Since Merrimack returned to HE play last weekend, the
Warriors have come up with four solid efforts against two of the league's
better teams, and they went 1-2-1 in that stretch.
Merrimack has a big weekend coming up with a home and home vs Providence,
as the two teams are tied for 7th. Merrimack won the last meeting in
overtime on Dec 8, 5-4. Friday's game will be at Merrimack with Sat's
rematch coming in Providence. There will be no radio on WCCM this
coming weekend; the next radio game will be Fri Jan 28 vs BU.
Lowell has a big battle coming up with Northeastern, who the Chiefs
beat in OT 6-5 on Dec 10. Friday's game will be at NU, and the teams
will play at Lowell on Saturday.
--- ---
Mike Machnik [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93
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