| Prd | Time | Team | Score | Type | Scored By | Assists |
| 1st | 0:34 | UNH | 1-0 | EV | Michael McNicholas (5) | Jason Salvaggio/4, Patrick Grasso/8 |
| 1st | 6:57 | MER | 1-1 | EV | Derek Petti (2) | Cole McBride/2, Ludvig Larsson/7 |
| 1st | 8:52 | MER | 2-1 | EV | Sami Tavernier (6) | Evan Bell/1 |
| 1st | 16:36 | MER | 3-1 | EV | Alfred Larsson (1) | Logan Coomes/4, Laine McKay/2 |
| 2nd | 6:43 | MER | 4-1 | EV GW | Tyler Irvine (3) | Evan Bell/2, Brett Seney/10 |
| 3rd | 2:07 | UNH | 2-4 | EV | Marcus Vela (4) | Ara Nazarian/6, Shane Eiserman/3 |
| 3rd | 3:50 | UNH | 3-4 | PP | Patrick Grasso (2) | Michael McNicholas/12, Max Gildon/8 |
| Scoring | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final |
| Merrimack | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Shots on Goal | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | SOG |
| Merrimack | 9 | 11 | 3 | 23 |
| New Hampshire | 14 | 6 | 8 | 28 |
| Team Stats and Records | PP | PIM | SHGF |
| Merrimack (4-9-3) | 0/4 | 7/14 | 0 |
| New Hampshire (9-7-1) | 1/6 | 5/10 | 0 |
| Merrimack Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Craig Pantano (W, 4-4-1) | 60:00 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
| New Hampshire Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Daniel Tirone (L, 9-7-1) | 26:43 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Mike Robinson | 32:17 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| Empty Net | 1:00 | 0 |
DURHAM, N.H. - With the Wildcats trailing 4-1 in the third period, junior forward Marcus Vela (Burnaby, British Columbia) and sophomore forward Patrick Grasso (Ankeny, Iowa) each scored a goal to cut the Warriors lead to 4-3, but the No. 13/15 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team fell to Merrimack, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Whittemore Center.
Senior forward Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Grasso each posted two points with one goal and one assist. The Wildcats are now 9-7-1 (4-5-1 HEA) and the Warriors are 4-9-3 (2-6-1 HEA).
NEXT HOME GAME:
The Wildcats will return to the Whittemore Center on Saturday, Jan. 6, to take on Brown at 7:00 p.m. The game will be "Youth Hockey Night" and there will be a hockey lace bracelet giveaway. Tickets can be purchased at the Whittemore Center Box Office, online at UNHWildcats.com or by calling 603-862-4000.
Score: Merrimack 4, New Hampshire 3
Records: New Hampshire (9-7-1, 4-5-1 HEA); Merrimack (4-9-3, 2-6-1 HEA)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Sunday, December 10, 2017
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Attendance: 3,731
HOW IT HAPPENED
- McNicholas put the Wildcats on the board first, just 34 seconds into the game. Senior linemate Jason Salvaggio (Hanson, Mass.) and Grasso each had an assist on the goal.
- Merrimack's Derek Petti tied the game at 6:57 of the first with a wrist shot from in front of the net.
- Merrimack's Sami Tavernier put the Warriors on top shortly after at 8:52 of the first.
- Then at 16:36, Merrimack's Alfred Larsson found the back of the net as the Warriors took a 3-1 lead.
- Tyler Irvine made it a 4-1 game at 6:43 of the second.
- Freshman netminder Mike Robinson (Bedford, N.H.) took over for the Wildcats after the goal.
- Vela found the back of the net at 2:17 of the third period. Junior Ara Nazarian (Boxford, Mass.) and senior Shane Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass.) had assists on the goal.
- Then just 1:33 later, Grasso capitalized on a power play chance to cut the difference to 4-3. McNicholas and freshman defenseman Max Gildon (Plano, Texas) each tallied an assist on the goal.
- UNH was unable to score the equalizer as the Warriors posted the 4-3 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Senior goaltender Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) made seven saves, while Robinson posted 12. Craig Pantano tallied 25 saves to earn the win and improve to 4-4-1.
- UNH outshot Merrimack, 28-23, while the Wildcats went 1-6 on the power play and the Warriors went 0-4.
- Merrimack won 28 faceoffs to New Hampshire's 20.
UP NEXT
- The Wildcats will compete at the Ledyard Classic on Dec. 29-30 in Hanover, N.H., at Thompson Arena. The Wildcats will take on Dartmouth on Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m. and Yale on Dec. 30 at 4:00 p.m.