Sophomore forward John Leonard had three assists for the Minutemen
Massachusetts Earns Weekend Sweep With 4-3 OT Win At Merrimack
Sophomore forward John Leonard had three assists for the Minutemen

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team held a one-goal lead against the 16th-ranked team in the country, but visiting Massachusetts tied the game with 33 seconds left and then won it late in overtime, as the Warriors suffered a 4-3 heartbreaker on Saturday night at Lawler Rink.

Junior Patrick Kramer recorded his first career multi-goal game for the hosts, who were bidding for a second straight upset against a nationally ranked team at home and nearly had it secured if not for the late dramatics from the Minutemen.


The Basics

Score: Massachusetts 4, Merrimack 3 (F/OT)
Records: Merrimack (2-5-0, 1-2-0 HEA) | #16/RV Massachusetts (5-1-0, 2-0-0 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 2,549
Game Duration: 2:22


How It Happened

- Merrimack needed only a minute to find the back of the net thanks to Kramer, who gave the Warriors an early lead on his second of the year. But a five-minute major and a game misconduct gave the Minutemen an extended power play late in the first, and they quickly capitalized to tie the game heading to the second period.

- The visitors still had carry-over power play time to start the second period and lit the lamp again just 31 seconds into the frame to give them a 2-1 lead. But Kramer's second of the game and third of the season made it a 2-2 affair at the 7:51 mark of the second. The Warriors had a major power play of their own after a UMass player was levied a game misconduct but were unable to convert, keeping the score even at 2-2 after 40 minutes.

- Junior Tyler Drevitch gave the home side the lead in the opening minute of the third, and the score went unchanged until the final minute of regulation. UMass, skating with the extra attacker, tied it with 33 seconds left, and then ultimately won it at the 3:48 mark of overtime.


Scoring Summaries

Goal #1 (MC, 1-0): Kramer's first of the night gave the Homecoming Weekend crowd early life after scoring at just 1:09 of the contest. The play started with a shot from junior Ryan Cook from the right point that went through traffic and wound up in the far corner, where it was retrieved by freshman Logan Drevitch. The rookie winger beautifully set up Kramer from behind the net for a one-timer in the slot and the early go-ahead goal.

Goal #2 (UMA, 1-1): Jacob Pritchard evened the game with the Minutemen on a major power play at 16:45 of the first. John Leonard carried the puck toward the net where he tried to stuff it home himself, but the puck instead popped up and was batted home by Pritchard on the left side of the crease to tie the game.

Goal #3 (UMA, 1-2): Mitchell Chafee put the Minutemen ahead with his fifth goal of the year just 31 seconds into the second period with the visitors still skating on a major power play. Cale Makar and Pritchard moved the puck along the right side to Chafee at the slot for the go-ahead tally.

Goal #4 (MC, 2-2): Kramer's second of the night came off a turnover at the 7:51 mark of the second, drawing the Warriors even. Kramer started the play by going in hard on the forecheck to force a turnover and, after stealing the puck, dished to rookie Logan Drevitch in the left wing corner. Drevitch waited and then went right back to Kramer in front for the put-back to make it 2-2.

Goal #5 (MC, 3-2): Merrimack needed only 35 seconds to take the lead early in the third period thanks to another aggressive sequence that led to Tyler Drevitch's first of the year. Sophomore Dominic Dockery pounced on a loose puck in the left wing side of the neutral zone and then sprung senior Michael Babcock alone down the left wing corner. With UMass in the midst of a line change, he found Drevitch crashing hard at the back post for the tip-in go-ahead goal.

Goal #6 (UMA, 3-3): Philip Lagunov tied the game at the 19:27 mark of the third; Pritchard carried the puck toward the net and Lagunov knocked it in at the back post to send it to overtime.

Goal #7 (UMA, 3-4): Marc Del Gaizo won it for the Minutemen 3:48 into overtime. Leonard sent the puck toward the net from the right circle, where it glanced off the stick of Anthony Del Gaizo in the crease and to the weak side, where it was punched home.


Highlights

- Kramer's two tallies accounted for his first multi-goal game as a Warrior.

- Six other Warriors recorded a point over the course of the evening.


Notes & Numbers

- Since winning 9-of-10 games over the Minutemen from 2010 through 2013, UMass is now 7-4-2 against Merrimack since the 2014-15 season.

- Merrimack's defense allowed more than two goals for only the third time since the season opener.

- Goaltenders: Craig Pantano (21 saves, 2-4-0) // Filip Lindberg (26 saves, 2-1-0)

- Power Plays (MC/UMASS): 0-4 | 2-5

- Shots on Goal: 4-7 // 16-8 // 9-6 - 29-25

- Faceoffs: 18 // 59


Merrimack Lineup

Forwards
Coomes | Babcock | Tavernier
Gresock | Petti | Irvine
L. Drevitch | Kramer | Seyfert
McKay | T. Drevitch | DeStefani

Defense
Dockery | Kovacevic
McArdle | Cook
Heidt | Carle
Solow

Goaltenders
Pantano | Vogler


Up Next

Merrimack continues league play against Boston College next weekend starting Friday (Nov. 2) at Lawler Rink and concluding Saturday at Conte Forum. Game time is 7 p.m.

Game Summary

Saturday, October 27, 2018

4
3
Game statistics
25 Shots 29
2 / 5 Power Plays 0 / 4
6 / 23 PIM 5 / 21
5-1-0 Records 2-5-0
GOAL SCORERS
Massachusetts Merrimack
Patrick Kramer (2)
1st/1:09
Jacob Pritchard (3)
1st/16:45 PP
Mitchell Chaffee (5)
2nd/0:31 PP
Patrick Kramer (3)
2nd/7:51
Tyler Drevitch (1)
3rd/0:35
Philip Lagunov (2)
3rd/19:27.7  EA
Marc Del Gaizo (3)
OT/3:48  GW
GOALTENDERS
Massachusetts Merrimack
Filip Lindberg
62:58, 26 Saves, 3 GA
(W, 2-1-0)

Empty Net
0:50, 0 GA
Craig Pantano
63:30, 21 Saves, 4 GA
(L, 2-4-0)

Empty Net
0:18, 0 GA