In a game played Friday night on the Merrimack Campus, Merrimack played to a
six all tie with the team from Alabama-Huntsville.
 
Personally, I didn't think either team played all that well.  I think Merrimack
 had more chances to win the game than Alabama did, but I don't think Merrimack
played well.
 
Merrimack fell behind 1-0, then scored two goals to take a 2-1 lead into the
second period.  Merrimack and Alabama-Huntsville traded goals in the second,
and going to the third it was a 4-3 Merrimack lead.  Alabama was down 6-5 with
about one minute left, but scored on a shot that hit a leg, and was missed
by Merrimack goalie Mike Doneghey (37 saves on 43 shots).  The overtime saw a
few good chances for both Merrimack and Alabama-Huntsville.
 
I knew it was going to be a long night for Merrimack when Howie Rosenblatt hit
the post on a wide open net from about 10 feet out in the first period, and
when a Merrimack shot dribbled through the Huntsville goalie, and two Merrimack
players couldn't get a stick on it.
 
All in all, I think Merrimack and Alabama Huntsville both played terrible.  It
prompted my friend to say "If they were playing baseball, they'd be handing out
errors, left and right."  I'm just glad Merrimack wasn't playing a good team,
(taking nothing away from Alabama Huntsville) or the game would have been an
absolute joke.
 
The goaltending was suspect.  Mike Doneghey missed shots he should have stopped
and stopped shots he shouldn't have.  I wouldn't be surprised in the next game
to see either Steve D'Amore or Yannick Gosselin in net for the Warriors.
 
The Warriors will try to rebound from this tie this weekend.  I don't know if
they play again before that, but I know they have two games against Western
Michigan here in North Andover, MA.  I'm predicting two blowouts for the
visitors, but I hope I'm wrong.
 
Kevin Yetman
Merrimack College