BURLINGTON, Vt. — The Vermont Catamounts scored four straight goals on Saturday night, including three goals in the second period, handing Merrimack a 4-1 defeat and salvaging a split in the weekend series at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Merrimack won the opener on Friday night, 5-2.
Merrimack is currently in 10th place in Hockey East, two points ahead of UMass Lowell, which is in last place. The Warriors have three games remaining — two against Providence, home and away, and home against Boston. College
“[Vermont was] very simple and they kept things moving forward,” said Merrimack coach Scott Borek. “We got complicated with the puck. We tried to make plays in areas that I don’t think we should have. We just weren’t simple, and then the game got stressful and we didn’t handle that well. We had some things going against us, but that’s hockey, and we didn’t handle it well.”
Borek alluded to the officiating and penalties “going against” the Warriors. Merrimack had three players given misconduct penalties, including game misconducts to Ty Daneault and Alex Jefferies.
That said, the Warriors couldn’t have drawn up a better start. Vermont took a penalty just over two minutes into the opening period, and Daneault converted on the power play to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
The goal was Daneault’s 12th of the season, which further helped him climb the ladder among all-time Merrimack players in freshman goals. Daneault is currently tied for ninth in the Hockey East era (since 1989-90), and his goals-per-game rate is third behind only Stephane Da Costa and Anthony Aquino.
The Catamounts scored a pair of goals in the second period at even strength to take a 2-1 lead, and the game turned even later in the second period. Merrimack’s Luke Weilandt was called for boarding after pursuing a puck in the offensive zone. That put the Catamounts on the power play, and they converted with 3.3 seconds left in the period to take a 3-1 lead.
“I didn’t like how we responded,” Borek said. “There are three teams on the ice, including us, and we didn’t handle either of the other two teams very well.”
Merrimack had chances in the third period to get the game back within reach, including a five-on-three power play midway through the period, but the Catamounts held on and didn’t allow the Warriors many chances.
“(Vermont) did a nice job of keeping us away from the net and not allowing us to get second chances,” Borek said. “I liked the fight we showed in the third, but overall we just have to be a better team in those stressful situations. It’s tough.”
The loss almost surely eliminates the Warriors from home-ice contention in the first round of the Hockey East playoffs. Merrimack has a bye week next weekend and will play again on Feb. 29 when they travel to Providence.
NOTES: Ben Brar played in his 151st career game Saturday night, which ties him with former Merrimack defenseman Marc Biea for the most games played in a Merrimack uniform. … Both teams went 1 for 5 on the power play.