NU beats Merrimack, 4-3
Feb. 6, 2009
Matthews Arena (Boston, Mass.)
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final |
| Merrimack (5-17-3, 2-15-2 Hockey East) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| #3 Northeastern (19-6-2, 14-4-1 Hockey East) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Joe Vitale scored the game-winning goal with under three minutes to go to lift Northeastern to a 4-3 victory over Merrimack on Friday night at Matthews Arena. After Merrimack's Chris Barton scored to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead, freshman J.P. Maley scored his first career goal to tie it up. Wade MacLeod had a goal and two assists and goaltender Brad Thiessen made 22 saves for the win.
Northeastern improved to 19-6-2 overall and 14-4-1 in Hockey East while Merrimack fell to 5-17-3 overall and 2-15-2 in Hockey East. The Huskies take on Boston University in the Beanpot final on Monday at 8 p.m.
Northeastern scored the first goal of the game in the ninth minute. Steve Quailer got the puck off a turnover along the right boards, faked a shot and passed it to MacLeod on the left side of the crease. Merrimack goalie Joe Cannata was at the top of the crease and MacLeod put it behind him from the left to make it 1-0 at 8:26 in the first period.
Merrimack tied it on a power play goal at 18:52 in the first. Defenseman Pat Bowen stopped a clear attempt and passed the puck to Fraser Allan in the high slot. Allan shot it through traffic to get the Warriors on the board.
Chris Donovan scored his second short-handed goal of the season early in the second period. Cannata went behind the net to play the puck and Donovan went in to cause a turnover. He came around the front, faked a shot and got the puck past Cannata to make it 2-1 at 1:59.
Thiessen made a great glove save on a wide-open, point-blank shot by Justin Bonitatibus at 11:37 in the second.
The Warriors wouldn't go away, however, and tied it up later in the second. John Jamieson took the puck into the zone, dropped it to J.C. Robitaille, and Robitaille fed Pat Kimball. Kimball shot the puck in as the three rushed the right side of the net to make it 2-2 at 14:50 in the second period.
Northeastern had some chances early in the third, but the Warriors collected the next goal at 9:52 on a power play to take the lead. Frasier Allen and Pat Bowen passed the puck between the points before Bowen shot it on net. Barton tipped it enough so Thiessen couldn't control the save, and Barton put in the rebound to make it 3-2 Warriors.
Maley put in the equalizer at 11:14 in the third. MacLeod passed it across the middle to Quailer on the left side and Quailer put a shot on net. Maley rushed the net and hit a bouncing shot up and over Cannata for the goal.
Vitale put in the game-winner on a rush late in the third. He got the puck out of a pile near the Northeastern blueline and passed it to MacLeod, who took it up the left side. Vitale streaked up the right, beat a Merrimack defender and MacLeod threaded a pass to him. Vitale put it in down low to make it a 4-3 final at 17:16.
Merrimack pulled Cannata for the final 1:38 but couldn't get the equalizer. Merrimack outshot Northeastern 25-24.
Northeastern is back in action Monday when it plays for the 57th Annual Beanpot title at the TD Banknorth Garden at 8 p.m. The Huskies take on Boston University in the championship game. It will be broadcast on 890 ESPN Boston and WRBB Radio and televised on NESN and Rogers Sportsnet.
Hockey Game Box Score (Final)
Northeastern University Hockey
Merrimack vs #3 Northeastern (Feb 06, 2009 at Boston, MA)
Merrimack (5-17-3, 2-15-2 HEA) vs. Northeastern (19-6-2, 14-4-1 HEA)
Date: Feb 06, 2009 Location: Boston, MA Arena: Matthews Arena
Attendance:3801 Start time:7:05 PM End time:9:09 PM Total time:2:04
# Prd Time Team Typ Scored By Assists Visitor On Ice Home On Ice
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 1st 08:26 NU EV MacLeod, Wade/11 Quailer, Steve/11 20,24,27,26,4 19,10,6,4,26
2 1st 18:52 MER PP Allan, Fraser/3 Bowen, Pat/5 2,4,8,23,18 23,22,6,4
3 2nd 01:59 NU SH Donovan, Chris/7 - 16,7,27,24,23 23,22,5,7
4 2nd 14:50 MER EV Kimball, Pat/5 Jamieson, John/2 18,15,16,26,4 17,27,94,8,28
Robitaille, J.C./3
5 3rd 09:52 MER PP Barton, Chris/7 Bowen, Pat/6 23,4,2,18,14 23,22,5,7
Allan, Fraser/7
6 3rd 11:14 NU EV Maley, J.P./1 Quailer, Steve/12 8,21,2,12,23 8,10,19,28,26
MacLeod, Wade/15
7 3rd 17:16 NU EV Vitale, Joe/5 MacLeod, Wade/16 22,8,21,23,2 26,19,7,10,5
TEAM SUMMARY
|-Shots by Prd-|
## Merrimack 1 2 3 Tot +/-
-------------------------------------------
2 Allan, Fraser....... 1 0 0 1 -2
4 *Bowen, Pat.......... 1 1 0 2 0
7 Stollery, Karl...... 1 0 0 1 -1
8 Madsen, Carter...... 0 2 0 2 -2
9 Rego, Mickey........ 0 1 1 2 0
12 Farrell, Grant...... 0 0 0 0 -1
14 Cucci, Joe.......... 0 0 1 1 0
15*Jamieson, John...... 0 0 0 0 +1
16*Robitaille, J.C..... 0 0 0 0 0
17 Bonitatibus, Justin. 1 1 0 2 0
18*Kimball, Pat........ 1 1 2 4 +1
20 Flanigan, Ryan...... 1 0 1 2 -1
21 Ouimet, Francois.... 1 0 0 1 -2
22 Sadlowski, Brandon.. 0 0 2 2 -1
23 Barton, Chris....... 0 1 1 2 -3
24 Ricci, Rob.......... 1 0 1 2 -2
26*Ross, Adam.......... 0 1 0 1 0
27 Todd, Jesse......... 0 0 0 0 -2
TM TEAM................ 0 0 0 0 0
33 Braithwaite, Andrew DNP
Totals.............. 8 8 9 25 -15
|-Shots by Prd-|
## Northeastern 1 2 3 Tot +/-
-------------------------------------------
3 Ginand, Ryan........ 1 1 2 4 0
4 *Driscoll, Jim....... 0 0 1 1 +1
5 Liotti, Louis....... 1 0 0 1 +2
6 *Strathman, David.... 1 0 0 1 +1
7 Nycholat, Dan....... 1 0 2 3 +2
8 Maley, J.P.......... 1 0 1 2 0
10*Quailer, Steve...... 0 1 0 1 +3
12 McCauley, Dennis.... 2 0 0 2 0
17 Silva, Steve........ 0 1 0 1 -1
18 McLaughlin, Mike.... 0 0 0 0 0
19*MacLeod, Wade....... 1 1 0 2 +3
22 Costa, Greg......... 0 0 1 1 +1
23 Donovan, Chris...... 0 1 1 2 +1
26*Vitale, Joe......... 1 0 2 3 +3
27 Tuckerman, Alex..... 0 0 0 0 -1
28 Hewkin, Mike........ 0 0 0 0 0
37 Rassey, Rob......... 0 0 0 0 0
94 McNeely, Tyler...... 0 0 0 0 -1
TM TEAM................ 0 0 0 0 0
30 Binnington, Mike DNP
Totals.............. 9 5 10 24 +14
Goals by Period
Team 1 2 3 Tot
-------------------
MER 1 1 1 - 3
NU 1 1 2 - 4
Shots by Period
Team 1 2 3 Tot
-------------------
MER 8 8 9 - 25
NU 9 5 10 - 24
Power Play Goals-Attempts (Shots)
Prd MER NU
-----------------------------
1st 1-1 (1) 0-1 (2)
2nd 0-2 (0) 0-1 (0)
3rd 1-1 (1) 0-1 (1)
Total 2-4 (2) 0-3 (3)
Penalties/Minutes by Prd
Prd MER NU
-------------------------
1st 2/4 1/2
2nd 0/0 2/4
3rd 1/2 1/2
Total 3/6 4/8
Three stars:
1. Vitale, Joe
2. Barton, Chris
3. Maley, J.P.
Officials:
Referee:Beneddeto, Ritchie
Linesman:Matt Reigert
Linesman:Wayne Silva
GOALTENDERS
Merrimack Dec MIN GA EN 1 2 3 Svs
-----------------------------------------------------
35 Cannata, Joe........ L 58:22 4 0 8 4 8 20
TM EMPTY NET........... 01:38 0 0 0 0 0 0
Northeastern Dec MIN GA EN 1 2 3 Svs
-----------------------------------------------------
39 Thiessen, Brad...... W 59:54 3 0 7 7 8 22
TM EMPTY NET........... 00:06 0 0 0 0 0 0
PENALTY SUMMARY
Prd Player Team Min Offense Time
------------------------------------------------------------
1st Bowen, Pat MER 2 HOOKING 11:03 PP
1st Silva, Steve NU 2 O-INTERFERENCE 17:20 PP
1st Flanigan, Ryan MER 2 CTH ROUGHING 19:28 PP
2nd Vitale, Joe NU 2 SLASHING 01:07 PP
2nd Tuckerman, Alex NU 2 CTH ELBOWING 17:51 PP
3rd Maley, J.P. NU 2 O-INTERFERENCE 08:42 PP
3rd Todd, Jesse MER 2 O-INTERFERENCE 13:59 PP
Win-Thiessen, Brad (19-6-2). Loss-Cannata, Joe (3-7-3).
Merrimack - Faceoffs
## Player W L
------------------------------
24 Ricci, Rob 10 6
15 Jamieson, John 9 11
8 Madsen, Carter 4 7
14 Cucci, Joe 3 1
27 Todd, Jesse 3 2
17 Bonitatibus, Justin 3 4
23 Barton, Chris 1 0
16 Robitaille, J.C. 0 1
18 Kimball, Pat 0 1
9 Rego, Mickey 0 1
Totals......... 33 34
Northeastern - Faceoffs
## Player W L
------------------------------
17 Silva, Steve 9 5
37 Rassey, Rob 9 7
26 Vitale, Joe 6 8
18 McLaughlin, Mike 3 3
19 MacLeod, Wade 2 2
3 Ginand, Ryan 2 2
94 McNeely, Tyler 2 3
22 Costa, Greg 1 3
Totals......... 34 33
Merrimack - Power Play Summary
Prd Start End Elapse Shots (Opp)
----------------------------------
1st 17:20 18:52 01:32 1 0 PPG
2nd 01:28 03:07 01:39 0 1 SHG
2nd 17:51 19:51 02:00 0 0
3rd 08:42 09:52 01:10 1 1 PPG
SUMMARY: 4 opps, 2 shots, 2 goals, time 06:21
Northeastern - Power Play Summary
Prd Start End Elapse Shots (Opp)
----------------------------------
1st 11:03 13:03 02:00 2 0
1st 19:28 01:07 01:39 0 0
3rd 13:59 15:59 02:00 1 0
SUMMARY: 3 opps, 3 shots, 0 goals, time 05:39
