Jan. 14, 2017
By Dan Colleran
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Jordan Gross and Andrew Oglevie scored for the 13th-ranked University of Notre Dame hockey team but the Irish were edged by Merrimack, 4-2, on Saturday evening at Lawler Rink.
Oglevie’s 11th tally of the season cut the Merrimack lead to 3-2 early in the third period but that was as close as the Irish would get before the Warriors added an empty net goal to close out the scoring.
The Irish (13-8-2, 6-4-1 HEA) forced Merrimack (8-11-3, 2-6-3 HEA) goaltender Collin Delia to make 35 saves on the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame took a 1-0 lead on a Jordan Gross power-play goal at 6:18 of the first period. Gross was set up for an open look at the point after quick a cross-zone pass from Anders Bjork to Andrew Oglevie. It marked Gross’ sixth goal of the season and his fourth on the power
But Merrimack answered back with a Chris LeBlanc power-play goal at 13:19, followed by a Mathieu Tibbet goal 52 seconds later to take a 2-1 lead.
Notre Dame appeared to tie things up with just over two minutes remaining in the opening frame but after official review, Mike O’Leary’s tip was waved off and Merrimack took a 2-1 lead to the locker room.
The Warriors came out and made it 3-1 just into the middle frame, taking advantage of a bounce behind Petersen to convert a wrap-around tally.
Jace Henning made it a 3-1 Merrimack lead when he scored 11 seconds into the second.
Just under four minutes later, a broken stick at the offensive blue line on a one-timer gave Henning a breakaway chance, but Petersen turned that bid aside.
Notre Dame increased the pressure as the period wore on, including good chances for Cam Morrison and Dylan Malmquist down low, but Delia made 15 saves in the frame.
Andrew Oglevie made it a 3-2 game at 3:41 of the third when he wired a shot from the slot high past Delia for his 11th of the season, with assists going to Jake Evans and Dennis Gilbert.
Evans had one of Notre Dame’s best chances down the stretch, but Delia made a glove save with four minutes left to keep Merrimack in front.
After several more chances down low after Cal Petersen was pulled for the extra attacker, Merrimack’s Tyler Irvine scored an empty net goal with four seconds remaining.
Petersen finished with 24 saves on the night.
On special teams, Notre Dame was 1-for-3, while the Warriors were 1-for-2.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Irish return home next weekend to play host to New Hampshire in a pair of Hockey East games on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21.To purchase tickets visit UND.com/BuyTickets.
NOTRE DAME – MERRIMACK GAME NOTES
- Junior goaltender Cal Petersen made his 73rd-consecutive start in the Notre Dame net.
- Jordan Gross skated in his 102nd consecutive game, dating back to the first game of his freshman season.
- Luke Ripley became the third Notre Dame player to reach 100 career games played this season, joining Gross and Jake Evans.
- Andrew Oglevie has a three-game point streak (2-2-3).
- In four career games against Merrimack, Oglevie has five points (4-1-5).
- The Irish have a three-game winning streak against Merrimack and lead the all-time series 8-4-1.
- Anders Bjork scored his fifth game-winning goal of the season.
— ND —
Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).