When the local paper runs a preview of a Merrimack game, and it's
printed on the front of the sports page the day before the game in
question, you know it is eagerly anticipated around here.
 
Source: Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune, Thursday, February 23, 1995
 
MERRIMACK FACES BU HOCKEY POWER IN WEEKEND TWINBILL
by John McLaughlin, Eagle-Tribune Correspondent
 
Ron Anderson became Merrimack's winningest coach Saturday.
 
This weekend, he'll get a chance to add to his total of 219 wins with
a home-and-home series against his alma mater, Boston University.
 
Merrimack hosts Friday night's game at 7 p.m., while Saturday night's
game is the same time at BU's Walter Brown Arena.
 
The Terriers, currently ranked third in the nation by virtue of a
22-6-3 record, sit second behind Maine in Hockey East at 13-5-3.
 
Merrimack (14-14-5, 7-9-5 HE), riding a record of 13-6-4 since
November 19, comes off a pair of impressive wins over Boston College
and beat BU in the teams' lone meeting this season, 3-2.
 
"They were a little flat (in the earlier game)," said Anderson.  "They
didn't go to the net like they're capable of doing."
 
They put plenty of shots on net in the prior meeting, however, as
Merrimack goalie Eric Thibeault was forced to make a then-Hockey East
record 54 saves to help the Warriors escape BU with the win.
 
It's not certain yet whether Thibeault or Martin Legault, named the
Hockey East Player of the Week for his 53 saves in two wins against
BC, will get the start in net for the Warriors.
 
What is certain, however, is that whoever mans the net will meet up
with Terrier leading scorer Mike Grier, who has 26 goals and 23
assists as a sophomore at BU.
 
Merrimack, which has won just three of the 37 meetings with BU, is led
by Matt Adams of Andover, who has 21 goals and 19 assists.
 
Tickets for Friday's game are on sale today [don't know if this means
Thur or Fri - mike], 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Merrimack's Volpe Center.
Cost is $7 for adults, $3 for students and children.
END
 
I believe the BU rotation will have Tom Noble starting in net for BU
Friday night.  Noble started the game at BU on January 13th and was
replaced after the first period with Merrimack ahead, 2-1.  Derek
Herlofsky finished up by allowing one goal the rest of the way, but
that goal turned out to be the game-winner.
 
I'm tempted to think Legault will get the start on the strength of his
great play of late (8 goals against in his last 5 games).  Thibeault
has not started since a 7-3 loss at Northeastern on February 3rd, and
his only appearance since then was three minutes in relief at the end
of a 6-2 win over UMass-Amherst on February 10th.
 
But Anderson is a strong believer in certain players playing well
against other teams, and he may believe that Thibeault has enough
confidence following his 54-save effort against BU to deserve a start.
I won't be surprised to see both goalies play this weekend, although
if BU roars out of the gate, one of them may see a relief performance.
 
BU certainly has incentive...the Terriers can clinch second with a
pair of wins this weekend, and if they get help from UMass-Lowell
against Maine, they could even stay in the hunt for first.  On top of
that, I am sure they have been waiting for another crack at Merrimack
since the loss in January.
 
Merrimack will have its work cut out for them.  But more important
than winning either game, may be maintaining the strong and confident
level of play they have demonstrated lately.  This will be key with
the playoffs just around the corner.  As with the 3-2 loss at Maine a
couple of weeks ago, a pair of strong showings could be as good as
wins even if they don't gain any points.  Defense will again be a key
to Merrimack's chances, as they were outshot 56-20 in the win over BU
earlier this year but played extremely well in their own end in the
face of the powerful BU attack.  They must not allow BU to establish
an early lead of 2-3 goals.
 
Both games are tv games.  NESN will beam Friday's tilt live, while
WABU-68 will carry Saturday's game at BU live.  I suspect the Saturday
game at BU will be sold out, and while Merrimack has not sold out a
home game for at least 6 years, there is a good chance they will at
least come close Friday.
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Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93