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Senior forward Sami Tavernier had a goal and an assist for the Warriors
Merrimack College Downs Holy Cross, 3-1
Senior forward Sami Tavernier and sophomore forward Logan Drevitch each had a goal and an assist for the Warriors

WORCESTER, MASS. - Behind a career-high 34-save performance from freshman goaltender Troy Kobryn and a pair of power play goals from senior Sami Tavernier and sophomore Logan Drevitch, the Merrimack College men's ice hockey program won its first game of the 2019-20 season, 3-1, at the College of Holy Cross on Thursday night at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass.

Kobryn stopped 27 straight shots in the second and third period, including 16 saves in the third to hold off the charging Crusaders. Tavernier's tally less than two minutes into the second period proved to be the deciding strike, while Drevitch added a third-period goal with the man-advantage to complete Merrimack's scoring.

The Warriors improved to 1-3 with the win while Holy Cross dropped to 1-1 after the Crusaders started the season with a 3-2 win over then No. 6/7 Providence College.


The Basics

Score: Merrimack 3, Holy Cross 1
Records: Merrimack (1-3-0) | Holy Cross (1-1-0)
Location: Hart Center | Worcester, Mass.


How It Happened

- Holy Cross scored on a breakaway early in the first period. Both teams missed on a power-play opportunity, but Merrimack potted one late in the opener to even the score. Senior Griff Jeszka worked the puck back to the left point, where junior Dominic Dockery fired a shot that senior Tyler Drevitch tipped home to make it a 1-1 game through 20 minutes

- Merrimack snapped an 0-for-11 drought on the power play in the second period. A loose puck dropped to the stick of senior captain Sami Tavernier at the right dot, who riffled in a shot off the crossbar to give Merrimack the lead, 2-1

- The Warriors' penalty-kill then stole the show the rest of the period, killing off three changes for the Crusaders. Kobryn outdueled Holy Cross' Matt Radomsky, making 11 saves in the period to maintain Merrimack's advantage

- Kobryn's play in the second period carried over to the third, when he stopped more shots in the final 20 minutes (16) than he did in the entirety of his first start of the season at Lake Superior State (15)

- Merrimack went on the power play with less than 10 minutes to go in the period that ended with a one-timed goal from Logan Drevitch. Senior Patrick Kramer started the play by finding Tavernier to the left of the blue paint, who then sent a cross-crease pass to Drevitch who was unmarked at the right post


Merrimack Lineup

Forwards
Welsher | Irvine | Kimens
Walsh | Seyfert | Nolan
L. Drevitch | Kramer | Tavernier
Brar | Jeszka | Esselin
T. Drevitch

Defense
Carlile | Uens
Vinnell | Dennison
Dockery | Modry

Goaltenders
Kobryn | Huhtamaa | Corcoran


Up Next

Merrimack continues its trek west on Saturday when the Warriors battle RIT for a 7 p.m. puck drop in Rochester, N.Y.

Game Summary

Thursday, October 17, 2019

3
1
Game statistics
27 Shots 35
2 / 5 Power Plays 0 / 6
7 / 14 PIM 6 / 12
1-3-0 Records 1-1-0
GOAL SCORERS
Merrimack Holy Cross
Conner Jean (1)
1st/5:37
Tyler Drevitch (1)
1st/15:04
Sami Tavernier (1)
2nd/1:56 PP GW
Logan Drevitch (1)
3rd/12:41 PP
GOALTENDERS
Merrimack Holy Cross
Troy Kobryn
59:44, 34 Saves, 1 GA
(W, 1-1-0)

Empty Net
0:16, 0 GA
Matt Radomsky
60:00, 24 Saves, 3 GA
(L, 1-1-0)