Breaking Down the Season Series With Merrimack

The Terriers and Warriors have had some epic battles this season, with BU edging Mack for the 2-1 season series victory.  However, the games were about as close as they come, with a ton of goals along the way.

Let's take a closer look at the three game set between BU and MC in 2009-10.

GAME ONE: MACK 6 -- BU 3

NOVEMBER 13 @ MERRIMACK

The Terriers dropped their fourth game in a row to get off to a surprising and ugly 2-6 start to the season.  The victory for Merrimack was the first time they defeated the Terriers since 2004.  BU got their first look at the ridiculous Freshman Frenchman Stephane Da Costa, who scored a second period goal that gave the Warriors their first lead of the night.  They never relinquished that lead, adding 2 goals from Brandon Brodhag as well as tallies from Matt Moulakelis, Kyle Bigos and Elliott Sheen.

Fabulous Frenchie Freshman

The Terriers got Wade Megan's first collegiate goal in the loss as well as scores from Vinny Saponari and Corey Trivino.  

The game got a bit chippy when Colby Cohen got tangled up with Moulakelis early in the third, giving Colby roughing and hitting after the whistle penalties, as well as earning him an early exit from the game.  Mack's Ryan Flanigan also took a contact to the head penalty with about 2 minutes left.  All told, the teams combined for a whopping 70 penalty minutes in the game.

Kieran Millan also left a bit early, as Parker pulled him from the game  after Merrimack's fifth goal 2:56 into the final frame.  Millan's record, like the team's slipped to 2-6-0 on the season in the loss.

GAME TWO: BU 6 -- MACK 4

NOVEMBER 14 @ BOSTON U

The then #17 BU Terriers salvaged a split in the weekend series with the then 3rd place Merrimack Warriors by bouncing back from a 6-3 loss with a 6-4 win.

Kevin Shattenkirk earned the first star of the game with a goal and an assist, while Grant Rollheiser made the most of his first game action of the young season, getting the win despite allowing 4 goals on 29 shots.

BU came out flying in the first period, scoring 4 goals in the first frame alone to set the tone.  Included in those scores were first collegiate goals from Ross Gaudet and Max Nicastro, as well as a goal from Shatty and the first of two on the night for Chris Connolly.  All four of those first period goals were even strength, breaking a lengthy 215:31 minute streak of play without a 5 on 5 goal.

The First of Many Goals Came For Gaudet vs Mack

Frenchie Da Costa shined again for Merrimack in the loss, scoring once and helping twice more to continue his emergence onto the Hockey East scene.

The eventual game-winner for the Terriers looked like adding to a laugher when it hit the twine, as Colby Cohen scored one of his five game winners on the year with a power play goal with 2 minutes to play in the second.  The goal put BU up 5-2 at the time.

Mack showed some fight though, proving that they were not the same old Warriors.  Mack scored two consecutive goals to make it 5-4, getting Terrier fans to bite their nails a bit, but the Terriers held off the rush until Connolly iced it with an empty net goal with seven seconds on the clock.  BU moved to 3-6-0 on the year, while Mack dropped to 6-4-0 on the season.

GAME THREE: BU 6 -- MACK 4

JANUARY 16 @ BOSTON U

BU earned a season series victory by knocking off Mack for the second time by a count of 6-4.  It was a huge win for BU, as they bounced back from a brutal loss on the road to Providence with a home victory over the upstart Warriors.

It was a back and forth game, but BU never trailed.  The game was tied at 1, 2, 3 before the Terriers pulled away with the first consecutive goals of the night.  

Colby Cohen continued his hot play with a two goal night, both on the power play, to lead BU to victory.  Rollheiser was in net again for BU, and he faced an absolute barrage of Mack shots, saving 39 of the 43 he saw.  Rollie the Goalie moved to 2-0-3 on the season, and some of us began to wonder if he should get a more serious look as the every day goalie.

The Year of Colby Continued Against Mack

Connolly, Gaudet, Saponari and Pereira all added scores, while Nick Bonino pitched in with 4 assists on the night.

BU went to 7-10-3 on the season with the win (3-1 in 2010), while Mack dropped to 7-12-0 with the loss.

SEASON SERIES: BU 2 -- MACK 1

GOAL TOTALS: BU 19 -- MACK 14