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Northeastern vs. Merrimack
Much like last year, Northeastern and Merrimack wrap up its Hockey East set very early in the season. Last year, the Huskies and Warriors concluded the season series on Nov. 5 (MC won, 2-0-1), but Northeastern got a leg up in this season's series. In the season opener on Oct. 10, Northeastern jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead on the Warriors and never looked back. Freshman
Kevin Roy notched his first-career game-winning goal while senior
Garrett Vermeersch,
Joseph Manno and
Robbie Vrolyk all scored in that contest. The season opener marked the first victory over Merrimack at home since Dec. 5, 2009. In that contest, goaltender
Bryan Mountain picked up his first-collegiate victory (2-1). In the last 10 contests, Merrimack owns the slight 5-4-1 advantage, but over the course of MC coach Mark Dennehy's career, he is just 7-11-4 against the Huskies.
Jim Madigan is 1-2-1 against Merrimack.
Warrior wire
Merrimack started the 2012-13 season with a landmark win at then-ranked No. 5 Union on Oct. 6 but has stumbled a bit since and gone 1-3-1 since that victory. After the Huskies dealt Merrimack a 4-2 loss on Oct. 10, Merrimack took a 4,400-mile trip to take on Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage at the Alaska Gold Rush Tournament in Fairbanks. Merrimack came up shorthanded on the journey, but beat and tied Vermont at home the following weekend. Mike Collins and Josh Myers lead the Warriors with seven points apiece and are tied for 49th in the NCAA in scoring (1.17 ppg). Dan Kolomatis is tied for 25th in scoring amongst all NCAA defensemen (0.83 ppg). Goaltender Sam Marotta owns a .929 save percentage (27th in the NCAA) and a 2.35 goals against average (37th in the country). Offensively speaking, Merrimack is tied for 21st in the NCAA (3.17 gpg) and tied for 43rd defensively (3.17 gpg).
Back-to-back blankings
Northeastern shutout New Hampshire in a scoreless shootout on Oct. 27, 2012. The last time the Wildcats paid a visit to Matthews Arena, Northeastern came away with a 4-0 blanking on Oct. 14, 2011, marking back-to-back shutouts of the same opponent. That phenomenon has occurred only three other times in program history. The last time NU shutout an opponent at home in back-to-back instances occurred against Merrimack on Feb. 2, 2007 (1-0 ot) and Jan. 12, 2008 (3-0). Northeastern also shutout Princeton consecutively at home on Nov. 27, 1999 (3-0) and four years later on Dec. 12, 2003 (4-0). The first time the occurrence took place was on Jan. 7, 1930, when NU blanked MIT (2-0) followed by a 3-0 shutout on Jan. 6, 1931.
Scoreless skating
The 0-0 overtime decision between Northeastern and New Hampshire marks just the fourth time in program history the Huskies and their opponent have gone the distance without scoring a goal. The last scoreless affair occurred at Boston University on Jan. 6, 2007. The last time it happened at Matthews Arena was on Feb. 14, 2004, against Maine. The first ever 0-0 tie in program history happened on Dec. 6, 2000, against Boston College at Matthews Arena. NU's shutout of New Hampshire marked the fourth whitewashing over the Wildcats in program history.
Equally defensible
For the first time in Northeastern's combined hockey history, the men's and women's programs shut out their opponents on the same day. Before the men's team shutout New Hampshire on Oct. 27, 2012, the women's squad set the precedent with a 3-0 triumph over Maine.
Unmovable Mountain
Senior goaltender
Bryan Mountain broke onto the scene against New Hampshire this weekend. The Bryn Mawr, Pa., native earned his first-career shutout with a career-best 44 saves on Oct. 27 against UNH. The night before, Mountain turned aside 18-of-19 shots in relief duty at UNH. Mountain had not seen time in net for the Huskies since keeping Maine off the board for 13 minutes on Feb. 25, 2012. Saturday's outing marked Mountain's first start in net since Jan. 10, 2010 (UMass). Mountain's 44-save shutout marked the most saves by a Northeastern goaltender since senior
Chris Rawlings turned aside 47 shots against Providence on Feb. 18, 2012. Mountain notched his first tie a starter against UNH on Oct. 27. His first-career victory happened almost three years ago in a 2-1 victory against Merrimack on Dec. 5, 2009.
Mountain merits
After a 62-of-63 (.984) collective save performance against No. 12 New Hampshire on Oct. 26-27,
Bryan Mountain was honored as the Hockey East Co-Defensive Player of the Week. It marked his first-career award and Northeastern's third Hockey East decoration of the season.
Kevin Roy and the Huskies were honored on Oct. 15 as Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week and Hockey East Team of the Week, respectively.
Three's company
Northeastern is unbeaten in its first three home games for the first time since 2008-09 and the 18th time in program history. Including this season, the last four times NU has started its first three games without a loss at Matthews Arena took place in 2008-09, 2001-02, 2000-01 (all 2-0-1 marks). Northeastern's best start at home occurred at the start of the 1983-84 season when the Huskies went 7-0-0.
Manno-ing up
Sophomore
Joseph Manno matched his freshman year's goal total with his second tally of the season at UNH on Oct. 26 and is now tied for the team lead (
Kevin Roy) with three points thus far. The Montreal, Quebec, native also logged his first-career point streak to start off the season.
Stiff scheduling
Seven of Northeastern's 13 opponents this season are either ranked or receiving votes in the fifth USCHO.com poll released on Oct. 29. Boston College is the top-ranked squad in the country, followed by New Hampshire (No. 9), Boston University (No. 12), Harvard (No. 13), UMass Lowell (No. 14), St. Lawrence (No. 16) and Providence (RV - 66).
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