DURHAM, N.H. - Junior forward Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) posted a career-best three points and junior goalie Jakob Hellsten (Ljusdal, Sweden) made 28 saves as the No. 17 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Merrimack, 3-1, on Saturday evening at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex in Hockey East action.
With the win, the Wildcats advance to 14-9-1 (7-6-1 Hockey East), while the Warriors fall to 10-16-1 (3-13-1 Hockey East).
UNH's 14-9-1 start to the season is its best in 11 years when the Wildcats were 16-6-2 in 2012-13. The 7-6-1 Hockey East record is the 'Cats best start in seven years when they were 6-5-3 in 2016-17.
UP NEXT:
- After the 'Cats play at No. 1 Boston College and Merrimack on Feb. 9-10, UNH will take on No. 6 Maine on Feb. 16-17 for White Out the Whitt at 7 p.m. Both games are sold out. Friday will be on NESN and both games will be shown on ESPN+. UNH will then play three more home regular season games versus UMass (Feb. 24), Boston College (March 1) and UMass Lowell (March 9).
- Go to UNHWildcats.com/Tickets.or call the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 to catch the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: #17 New Hampshire 3, Merrimack 1
Records: UNH (14-9-1, 6-6-1 Hockey East); MC (10-16-1, 3-12-1 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024
Attendance: 5,080
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The 'Cats struck first at 1:27 when Cronin scored off a rebound from a shot by junior defenseman Luis Linder (Spittal an der Drau, Austria). The goal was his third of the season. Freshman forward J.P. Turner (East Falmouth, Mass.) also tallied an assist.
- UNH increased the lead to 2-0 at 11:56 of the third period when Cronin stole the puck from behind the net and sent it to senior assistant captain Harrison Blaisdell (Regina, Saskatchewan) who knocked the puck into the bottom left corner for his fifth goal of the season.
- The Wildcats clinched the win when Turner buried the puck into an empty net off a pass from Cronin at 17:47 of the third. Senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan) also recorded an assist.
- Ty Daneault scored the only goal for Merrimack with just two seconds left in the third period.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Merrimack outshot UNH, 29-28.
- The Wildcats and Warriors both went 0-3 on the power play.
- Hellsten recorded 28 saves for the Wildcats to improve to 9-6-1 on the year, while Hugo Ollas tallied 25 saves for the Warriors and is now 4-8-0.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The Wildcats are 9-3-1 at home this season.
- UNH is 8-1-0 after a loss this year.
- The 28 saves by Hellsten was his career-best as a Wildcat.
- Cronin and Blaisdell are on four-game point streaks. Cronin has three goals and three assists for six points during this streak, while Blaisdell has two goals and two assists for four points.
- Turner is currently on a three-game point streak with two goals and two assists for four points.
- This was Cronin's first career three-point game and four career multi-point game
- Turner posted his first multi-point game.
- UNH is 80-31-13 all-time versus Merrimack and 32-9-4 at the Whittemore Center.
