Merrimack College Edged By Colorado College, 2-1

Sophomore forward Logan Coomes scored a goal for the Warriors
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
2nd 17:05  CC1-0 EV Nick Halloran (11)Mason Bergh/14
3rd 10:15  MER1-1 EV Logan Coomes (2)Derek Petti/3, Johnathan Kovacevic/10
3rd 18:55  CC2-1 EV GW Tanner Ockey (3)Ben Israel/7, Andrew Farny/6
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Merrimack  0011
Colorado College  0112
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Merrimack  510722
Colorado College  861327
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Merrimack (5-10-4)  0/3 7/25 0
Colorado College (9-8-3)  0/6 3/6 0
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Craig Pantano (L, 5-5-2)59:362 851225
Empty Net0:240     
Colorado College Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Alex Leclerc (W, 9-7-3)59:351 510621
Empty Net0:250     

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to Colorado College on Saturday night at Broadmoor World Arena. The Warriors tied the game at 1-1 midway through the third before the Tigers won it on a goal with 1:05 left.

The Basics

Score: Colorado College 2, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (5-10-4, 2-6-2 HEA) | #RV/-- Colorado College (9-8-3, 3-5-2 NCHC)
Location: Broadmoor World Arena | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Game Duration: 2:15

Rapid Recap

- A back-and-forth first period saw little in terms of quality scoring chances, although junior Craig Pantano was on his game and made a few impressive stops over the course of the frame - including two big saves with Colorado College on the power play midway through the stanza - to keep the game scoreless entering the break.

- Both sides nearly went the entirety of the second without scoring either, but the Tigers would eventually break through with just under three minutes left in the middle stanza. The goal came moments after Merrimack fended off a major power play that was levied midway through the period, while C.C. netminder Alex LeClerc denied all 10 shots he saw in the period.

- Colorado College controlled the first half of the third period, outshooting Merrimack 8-0 thanks to an early power play before the Warriors registered their first shot 8:41 into the period while on the man advantage. Merrimack would finally break through on that man advantage, with sophomore Logan Coomes netting his second to draw the Warriors level. But the Tigers would get the game-winner with just 1:05 left, as Tanner Ockey gave the hosts the win with a 4-on-4 marker at 18:55, and that proved to be the difference.

Scoring Summaries

Goal #1 (CC, 0-1): Colorado College took the lead with 2:55 left in the second period on a goal from Nick Halloran. Mason Bergh forced a turnover at the C.C. blue line and thread a pass up to Halloran, who got behind the defense and beat Pantano five-hole to get the Tigers on the board.

Goal #2 (MC, 1-1): Merrimack finally got on the board 10:15 into the third period after Coomes pushed a loose puck past LeClerc to tie the game moments after a Warrior power play had expired. Classmate Johnathan Kovacevic toe-dragged at the blue line and sent a shot toward the net that junior Derek Petti got a piece of, but Coomes finished off the sequence to make it a 1-1 contest.

Goal #3 (CC, 1-2): Ockey's third goal of the season was the difference for Colorado College, which came at 18:55 of the third with both sides skating 4-on-4 hockey. Andrew Farny and Ben Israel helped set up the play off a giveaway at the blue line, which ended with Ockey one-timing it home from the near circle.

Notes and Notables

- Merrimack saw its four-game unbeaten streak end at 3-0-1, its longest such streak of the year.

- Colorado College improved to 3-0-0 all-time against the Warriors, who had not scored a single game in either of the previous two games before lighting the lamp in the third.

- Merrimack fell to 0-10-2 when being held to fewer than three goals, as well as 0-8-1 when trailing after two periods.

- Goaltenders: Craig Pantano (25 saves, 5-5-2) // Alex LeClerc (21 saves, 9-7-3)

- Power Plays: Merrimack (0-3) | Colorado College (0-6)

- Shots on Goal: 5-8 // 10-6 // 7-13 -- 22-27

Merrimack Lineup

Hennig | Seney | Irvine
Coomes | Petti | McBride
Babcock | Bales | Tavernier
A. Larsson | McKay
Kolquist | Cook
Biega | Carle
Dockery | Kovacevic
Lööf
Pantano
Vogler
Halladay

Up Next

Merrimack opens the 2018 portion of its schedule with a two-game road trip next weekend, as the Warriors travel to UConn and Providence Jan. 5-6 for 7 p.m. tilts.