Box score

2010-11 Men's Hockey Digital Media

Northeastern earned its first victory over a ranked opponent by upending No.18-ranked Merrimack on Saturday night with a 2-1 triumph at Lawler Rink in North Andover, Mass.

Sophomore Garrett Vermeersch and senior Tyler McNeely accounted for the Huskies scoring while second-year netminder Chris Rawlings earned his 18th-career victory by turning away 22 shots.

The Huskies victory over the Warriors spoiled Merrimack's unbeaten home record (4-0-1) thus far in 2010-11. Before tonight's win, Merrimack was 16-3-2 at home at the start of last season.

The contest was infused with penalties from the start, but McNeely's power play marker at 8:03 of the second stood as the game-winner, marking the second of the captain's career. The Huskies went 1-9 with the man advantage while Northeastern stopped MC on all seven of its chances.

The Huskies posed a well-balanced attack to start off the first, highlighted by a sturdy defense play from freshman Anthony Bitetto on Stephane Da Costa near the 4:00-minute mark. Senior Wade MacLeod left off a quick rifle from the slot after Steve Silva won a faceoff near 6:30, but MC goaltedner Joe Cannata moved quickly to block it.

Each squad earned a power play chance in the first stanza after Silva drew a hooking call at 7:07 and Joe Cucci was called for holding at 11:03. Neither team scored, but the Huskies and Warriors both created a couple chances from all points of the zone.

Immediately after Merrimack killed off the Huskies power play, the Warriors came back to full strength and caught the Huskies off guard and tapped in a transitional tally at 13:22 of the first for the 1-0 lead. Cucci carted the puck through Northeastern's zone and rang it off the right pipe. The puck trickled out to a lonesome Da Costa who gathered the puck and roofed it past Rawlings for the first tab of the night.

Northeastern wasted no time cinching the score back up on a put-back goal at 2:29 of the second frame. Sophmore Justin Daniels fed Steve Quailer and the sophomore tore off a blistering wrister atop the right circle. Cannata's chest acted as a springboard and Vermeersch was able to backhand the loose puck to the back of the net to tie the game, 1-1.

The Huskies' swirling penalty kill smothered a 46-second 5-on-3 opportunity for Merrimack around the 5:00-minute mark and eventually yielded a Northeastern power play goal at 8:03 for the 2-1 advantage.

After NU took care of a too many men call (4:18) and freshman Luke Eibler's cross-check at 5:32, Adam Ross' tripping infraction gave way to McNeely's tally. Rookie Brodie Reid and MacLeod set up the play from the top and McNeely was able to convert in close on Cannata just 11 seconds into the extra-man window.

The penalties continued to be doled out by the officials in the middle session, as Merrimack claimed another power play while the Huskies enjoyed two more to close out the second perioid. Neither team was able to capitalize while both penalty-killing units were able to muster a couple short-handed chances in one another's zones.

The third period started off with another 5-on-3 window for the Huskies starting at 4:18 for 1:25 after Jordan Heywood and Carter Madsen took respective seats for tripping and roughing at 3:43 and 4:18. The Huskies offered a couple looks from the point, but the Warriors kept NU's lead to one goal on the Huskies' two-man advantage.

More trips to the box ensued, but neither team was able to cash in despite several opportunities on each end. MC head coach Mark Dennehy pulled Cannata under a minute in the third period and the Warriors knocked in the doorstep with about 20 seconds left, but MacLeod was able to counter and carry in into the Warriors' zone and rattle it off the netting to force Cannata back in net and thwart and chance at a Merrimack comeback.

Northeastern closes out the first half of its 2010-11 schedule with a Wednesday-night tilt at No. 2 Boston University on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. It marks the first meeting with the Terriers this season.

Game Notes
- Justin Daniels and Steve Quailer put together their first point streaks of the season. J. Daniels and Quailer assisted on Garrett Vermeersch's even-strength goal

- Garrett Vermeersch netted his first goal of the season and sixth of his career at Merrimack

- Tonight's win marked Northeastern's first victory over a ranked team this season. The Huskies last win over a ranked team came at home against #8/9 Boston College on Feb. 19, 2010

- The Huskies win over Merrimack curbed their five-game unbeaten streak at home this season. It was their first loss at Lawler Arena this year