The Merrimack Warriors scratched out a victory in Troy, NY last
night, upending the highly-touted RPI squad favored by many to win the
ECAC this year. However, the Warriors were outplayed and outshot for much
of the game, relying on the sharp play in net of frosh dufflebag Martin
Legault.
The Engineers outshot the Warriors in every period, but too often
couldn't get to the rebounds before they were cleared by the Merrimack
defense.
The Warriors also had trouble staying out of the penalty box in
the first period, with Mark Cornforth in the box twice for holding in the
first 13:32. Patient penalty killing and excellent netminding kept the
Engineers from capitalizing. Even so, Merrimack had trouble generating
shots at even strength, even unable to score when junior right winger Matt
Adams beat a charging Neil Little (G) to a loose puck but couldn't make
the tough angle shot. The first period ended scoreless.
It didn't end quietly, though, as Merrimack's Jim Gibson was given
a 5 minute major and a match disqualification for spearing.
But just like last Friday against newcomers Umass-Amherst,
Merrimack opened up the offense in the second period, scoring three goals
in 31 seconds. The scorers were sophomores Mark Goble, who impressed at
the end of last season with a gamewinning goal that helped Merrimack
defeat Umass-Lowell and solidifed their 6th place finish, Ryan Mailhiot,
and co-captain Cooper Naylor. Naylor's goal was controversial, as his
shot from the right wing circle appeared to hit the far corner and then
bounced out. Although play continued and the goal judge did not signal a
goal, the referee, standing in that left wing corner, signaled a goal.
RPI was undaunted, and staged a comeback in the third period on an
unassisted goal by junior Wayne Clark and a pretty score by junior Kelly
Askew, who showed speed and poise, assisted by Craig Hamelin and Patrick
Rochon. But Legault walled up the net for the Warriors after Askew's
goal, and with netminder Neil Little pulled in favor of an extra skater in
the final :47, a long clear by frosh blueliner Steve McKenna dribbled
across the goal line in the final second of play to seal the win, 4-2.
The Warriors had been outplayed for much of that third period,
managing to hang on because of Legault's play and because too often the
Engineers seemed to delay a fraction of a second too long before pulling
the trigger.
This game could have an effect on the way both teams are viewed by
the press, dependent on the next few games (both teams play Army this
weekend as well). Merrimack, finished to place 8/8 in Hockey East and
having lost 12 players, including their experienced goaltending and at
least three of their top scoring forwards, may be a better team than their
youth would indicate. Last year, an RPI squad nearly identical to this
one traveled to the Volpe CENTER and was caught from behind in a 3-3 tie.
After losing only D Kuumu, this year's squad had more trouble with the
Warriors that might have been expected.
Box score follows:
Merrimack 0-3-1--4
RPI 0-0-2--2
1st. No Scoring.
Penalties: M Cornforth (holding) 2:42. R Kiley (hooking) 6:27. M
Cornforth (holding) 13:22. M Costa (roughing) 16:37. R Kiley (hooking)
19:16. M Gibson (5M Spearing) 19:54.
2nd. Scoring: M Goble 1 PPG (Krauss, Beck) 12:55. M Mailhiot 2 (Fendelet,
Johnson) 13:11. M Naylor 2 (Adams, Atkinson) 13:26.
Penalties: R Layzell (holding) :43. M Costa (roughing) 9:41. R
Matthews (roughing) 9:41. R Rochon (hit behind) 11:15. M McKenna
(holding) 15:04. R Askew (roughing) 19:34.
3rd. Scoring: R Clarke 1 (Unn.) 6:15. R Askew 1 (Hamelin, Rochon)
13:05. M McKenna 1 (Unn) 19:59.
Penalties: R Layzell (kneeing) :51. M Krauss (holding) 1:32. M
Jakopin (hit behind) 2:00. M Atkinson (roughing) 7:47. R Rochon
(roughing) 7:47. R Askew (charging) 9:07.
Powerplays: MC 1/6 RPI 0/7
Shots on goal: MC 08-10-10--28 RPI 14-19-11--44
Goalie saves: MC Legault, 42. RPI Little, 24.
Attendance: 4,600.
David M. Josselyn
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GO MERRIMACK! GO ARGUS! /\
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