Monday, December 30, 1991 at Volpe Complex, North Andover, MA
NONCONFERENCE GAME
Air Force Falcons (7-7-0) 1 0 1 - 2
Merrimack Warriors (8-8-0) 1 2 5 - 8
FIRST PERIOD MC-AF
1. MC1, Dan Gravelle 7 (Rob Atkinson, Mark Cornforth), 2:37. 1-0
2. AF1, Jason Mantaro 8 (Anthony Retka, Mark Liebich), 19:24. PPG 1-1
SECOND PERIOD
3. MC2, Agostino Casale 14 (Jim Gibson, Brendan Locke), 12:44. 2-1
4. MC3, Casale 15 (Bryan Miller, Cooper Naylor), 19:44. GWG 3-1
THIRD PERIOD
5. AF2, Terry Courtney 4 (Mantaro, Bob Ingraham), 2:44. 3-2
6. MC4, Claude Maillet 3 (Jim Gibson), 5:14. 4-2
7. MC5, Guy Ragault 2 (Atkinson, John Barron), 5:39. 5-2
8. MC6, Gravelle 8 (Jeff Massey), 6:38. 6-2
9. MC7, Maillet 4 (Locke), 6:47. 7-2
10. MC8, Barron 5 (Atkinson, Ragault), 14:08. 8-2
SHOTS ON GOAL: Air Force 16--7--3 = 26
Merrimack 12-16--8 = 36
GOALIES: Air Force, Mark Liebich (5-7-0, 46:47, 33 shots-26 saves),
Darec Liebel (13:13, 3 shots-2 saves).
Merrimack, Steve D'Amore (6-7-0, 51:05, 25 shots-23 saves),
Mike Doneghey (8:55, 1 shot-1 save).
POWER PLAYS: Air Force, 1 of 3. Merrimack, 0 of 1.
PENALTIES: Air Force 2/4. Merrimack 4/8.
REFEREE: Drew Taylor. LINESMEN: Jim Bletzer, Tim Benedetto.
ATTENDANCE: 1,203 (capacity 3,617).
THREE STARS: 1. Jim Gibson, Merrimack (0-2--2).
2. Brendan Locke, Merrimack (0-2--2).
3. Agostino Casale, Merrimack (2-0--2).
Merrimack scored a school-record four goals in 1:33 early in the third
period to break open a 3-2 game and go onto an 8-2 win over Air Force.
The teams meet again at 2 pm on New Year's Day in the second of this
two-game set. This was the first game for both teams since Dec 10.
The game was played closely until the second half of the second period,
when Merrimack started putting more pressure on USAF goalie Mark Liebich.
The first period saw each team net a goal with Dan Gravelle scoring for
Merrimack on a breakaway, and Jason Mantaro tying it up for USAF on the
power play with just 36 seconds left in the period when his shot from
the slot got through Steve D'Amore's pads.
Agostino Casale was making his first appearance since early December,
returning from suspension, and the former Warrior leading scorer got right
back into the thick of things with two goals in the second period to
give Merrimack a 3-1 lead after two. Jim Gibson also returned, from an
injury that kept him out of ten games, and earned his #1 star by
forechecking well and setting up two goals. It was clear how much the team
missed his muckwork in the corners; he was an immediate factor upon his
return.
Air Force's top line of John Sullivan-John Decker-Eric Rice was kept off
the board, but it was the third line of Brett Gallagher-Jason Mantaro-Terry
Courtney that gave Merrimack fits while they were on the ice. On one
sequence in the first, Mantaro and defenseman Bob Ingraham (brother of
Maine's Cal, a former USAF player himself; both are from nearby Georgetown,
Mass., and there was quite a bit of local support for Bob) combined for
three point-blank shots that D'Amore was able to stop somehow. Ingraham
was impressive at both ends of the ice, throwing hip checks into opposing
players who were over thirty pounds heavier, yet his forte seems to be
offense and he wasn't afraid to join the rush. At times this would leave
the Falcons helpless on defense when no one covered, but it didn't really
cost them until the latter half of the game.
Air Force seemed to really tire in the last half of the second period while
Merrimack kept plugging away. Liebich was a victim of his defense's
inability to move guys away from the front of the net. That's where both
of Casale's goals came from, along with the five goals Merrimack got in
the third. The Falcons weren't able to keep up their offensive thrust, and
even while shorthanded early in the third they sent two forecheckers in
deep to try to generate something. Courtney was sent in by Mantaro right
after the penalty expired, and he beat D'Amore to bring USAF within one
at 3-2 at 2:44.
But then four goals in 1:33 broke the game wide open as Claude Maillet,
Guy Ragault, Dan Gravelle, and Maillet again all beat the defense to score
goals. Gravelle's goal (2nd of the game; 8-22--30 overall to lead the
team) came on a breakaway when he pulled Liebich out and down and flipped
the puck over him. But the other three were all plays where Merrimack
centered the puck from the corner to an uncovered man right in front.
After Gravelle and Maillet scored within nine seconds of each other at
6:38 and 6:47, Major Chuck Delich decided to pull Liebich for backup Darec
Liebel, but Liebich can't be faulted on most of the goals he allowed.
John Barron added a goal at 14:08 to round out the scoring; he was
assisted by Rob Atkinson and hockey-l member Guy Ragault. Ragault's 1-1--2
gave him his first multiple-point game as a Warrior. Ron Anderson
mentioned Ragault on the pregame show as one of the players he was looking
to in the second half to come into his own, and he responded immediately
with a strong game offensively.
The eight goals was the most Merrimack scored in the past ten games against
DivI teams (discounting the 12-1 win over AIC) and it came at a good time,
since the team will need to score more goals if they're to get on the
winning track in Hockey East. Merrimack has allowed 4 or fewer goals in 10
of their 16 games and Steve D'Amore has played superbly in net, so defense
isn't really a concern. But the Warriors have scored more than four goals
in only 7 games - and that's where six of their eight wins have come from.
The return of Casale and Gibson to the fold should be a plus for the
second half of the season.
The win also means that all but one of the eight Hockey East teams are
at or above .500 overall; BC is 7-9-1.
---
Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]
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