2004-05 Merrimack Captains

(Left to right)
#5 Steve Crusco (C), Senior Forward, Waltham, Mass.
#4 Bryan Schmidt (C), Junior Defenseman, Bloomington, Minn.
#18 Brent Gough (A), Junior Forward, St. Albert, Alb.

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Hockey East: Final Standings | Awards | Statistics

Jeff Caron Heads to Major Junior
Sophomore defenseman Jeff Caron has left Merrimack to play major junior hockey in his home province of New Brunswick for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL. Caron leaves with two years of eligibility remaining. He led the Warriors with 20 assists last season and added five goals for 25 points, ranking him third on the team. Over two seasons, Caron had six goals and 25 assists for 31 points in 68 games. He was the Hockey East Player of the Week in December after recording five assists in two games against Minnesota and Harvard to help the Warriors to third place in the Dodge Holiday Classic. (July 15, 2005)

Car Accident Claims Life of Cam DeYoung
A car accident in Rhode Island early in the morning of Saturday, June 18, claimed the life of Warrior hockey alum Cam DeYoung. Cam was only 23. He played 30 games over two seasons for Merrimack from 2001-03 and was from Bowmanville, Ontario and also played for the Walpole Stars of the EJHL and Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. Please remember Cam and his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. The notice from Cam's hometown paper in Canada reads: "DEYOUNG, Cameron Wesley - Tragically as the result of a motor vehicle collision at Warwick, Rhode Island on Saturday, June 18th, 2005, at age 23. Dearly beloved son of Sherry Keast and Terry DeYoung and brother of Michelle DeYoung. Sadly missed by his grandparents Tom and Helen DeYoung and Marion Copeland and the late John Copeland. Will be sadly missed by his special love Ami Newsham of Rhode Island and his best buddy Steve Puddister. Friends may call at OSHAWA FUNERAL SERVICE "Thornton Chapel", 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) for visitation on Thursday, June 23rd from 2-4 & 7-9 P.M. Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel on Friday, June 24th at 11:00 A.M. Cremation. Memorial Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or Alzheimer Society would be appreciated."

Sullivan Named Hockey East's Top Scholar-Athlete
Merrimack sophomore defenseman Ryan Sullivan was named as the Top Scholar-Athlete in Hockey East for 2004-05 after recording a 3.97 GPA during the school year. It is the second highest GPA ever recorded by a league player and marked the third time in four years, sixth ever, that a Warrior received the honor. Sullivan was also named as one of six Academic All-Stars by position and was one of seven Warriors honored with a selection to the Hockey East All-Academic Team. Also named from Merrimack were sophomore defenseman Brian Boulay, junior defenseman Scott Drewicki, senior goaltender Casey Guenther, senior defenseman Peter Hams, junior forward Nick Pomponio, and junior defenseman Bryan Schmidt. The Warriors' seven honorees ranked third among the nine Hockey East schools.

Schmidt Named Team MVP
Junior defenseman and co-captain Bryan Schmidt was named as Most Valuable Player for the 2004-05 season at Merrimack's annual banquet held on March 31. Senior forward and co-captain Steve Crusco received the Fans' Award and the Francis J. "Buzz" Miller Unsung Hero Award, while senior defenseman Peter Hams was honored with the Coaches' Award. Junior forward Matt Johnson was the Offensive Player of the Year, and sophomore defenseman Ryan Sullivan was the Defensive Player of the Year. Freshman forward Jordan Fox was the team's Rookie of the Year. Also honored was Director of Physical Plant Robert Coppola, who received the Richard Britt Humanitarian Award.

Schmidt Named To Hockey East All-Star Team
Junior defenseman and co-captain Bryan Schmidt was named to the Hockey East All-Star Team after a season in which he led Merrimack with 31 points on 13 goals and 18 assists. Schmidt was a second team honoree. Also a Hockey East All-Rookie Team member in 2003, Schmidt became the fifth Warrior ever named as a Hockey East All-Star and the first defenseman, joining goaltenders Martin Legault (1995, 1997) and Joe Exter (2003) and forwards Rejean Stringer (1999) and Anthony Aquino (2001). The awards are determined by a vote of the nine Hockey East head coaches at the conclusion of the regular season.

Alumni Update: '04 Grad Rosa Runner-Up As ECHL Rookie of the Year
2004 graduate and first-year pro Marco Rosa was the runner-up as ECHL Rookie of the Year. Rosa finished second in the balloting of league coaches after recording 34-31--65 for Long Beach, good for second on the team. His 34 goals were the fourth most in the league, and he was also 16th on the ECHL scoring list. Rosa's efforts helped Long Beach to second place in the West Division, just three points out of first. Long Beach won its first round series against Idaho before falling in the division finals to first-place Alaska.

Alum Heinze Named As EJHL Coach of the Year
Andy Heinze, a 1990 graduate, was named as the Coach of the Year in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL). It is the second time in six years that Heinze, the coach and GM of the EJHL's Valley Jr. Warriors, has received the honor. Heinze directed the Junior Warriors to a 31-17-3 record. At Merrimack, Heinze had totals of 77-89--166, good for tenth on the school's all-time scoring list, and still holds the record for the fastest hat trick in Hockey East playoff history. He is also a former assistant coach at Merrimack and captained the team in its first season as a member of Hockey East.

Warrior Alum Laroche Directs Ohio HS To Best Season Yet
1998 graduate Marty Laroche coached the PRPC Ice Prowlers (28-8-0) to their third straight GCHSCHL title, finishing with their best league record yet. In three years, Laroche has coached PRPC to a record of 73-18-4. Laroche is also a volunteer with Ohio State, which finished second in the CCHA Tournament and earned another bid to the NCAA Division I Tournament. In his four years at Merrimack, Laroche finished with 128 points, 23rd on the all-time list.

Warrior Alum Kesselring Named NH Coach of the Year
Merrimack hockey alum Casey Kesselring was chosen as the New Hampshire Division 1 High School Hockey Coach of the Year. Kesselring, a forward for Merrimack from 1994-98, directed Pinkerton Academy (Derry, N.H.) to an 18-6-0 record and its first-ever berth in the NH state semifinals, where the Astros fell to eventual champion Hanover. In four years at Merrimack, Kesselring recorded 133 points, good for 20th on the school's all-time scoring list. He went on to a pro career before retiring to coach Pinkerton.

Warrior Alums Capture World Title
Merrimack hockey alumni Rob Atkinson, Mark Cornforth, Mark Goble and Cooper Naylor captured their second straight World Pond Hockey Championship on Feb. 20 in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick. The four, who comprise the Boston Danglers, played for the Warriors in the mid-1990s; three of the four went on to a pro career and now all live and work in the Boston area. The Danglers took first place in the tournament which featured 96 teams from all over the world. The tournament was featured in the "Leading Off" section of Sports Illustrated in its Feb. 28 issue. Update: The Milford (Mass.) Daily News had this article on May 2 about Atkinson and the tournament.

Bryan Schmidt Named Semifinalist For Walter Brown Award
Junior defenseman and co-captain Bryan Schmidt was named as a semifinalist for the prestigious Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the top American born Division I college player in New England. Schmidt leads Merrimack with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. It was the second straight year that Schmidt was named as a semifinalist for the award.

"The Team That Time Forgot"
The 1972 U.S. Olympic hockey team won silver in Sapporo, Japan, and is remembered in this article from USA Hockey Magazine. Featured in the article is the story of 21-year Merrimack assistant coach Stu Irving, who was "plucked from the jungles of Vietnam" to play on the team. "To help pass the time, Irving had his father send him a couple hockey sticks and a case of pucks. Using scrap wood from palates as a slide board and sandbags as his goal, Irving would fire hundreds of pucks a night to keep in shape and to keep his sanity." That work paid off as Irving was soon extended an invitation to try out for the team. "According to [Coach Murray] Williamson, it was Irving that provided the heart and soul of the U.S. Team. 'Stu was the glue who kept all the superstars together. He set the standards with his vigorous training. He never let up.'" Irving went on to an 11-year pro career before joining the Merrimack staff in 1984. In 2003 he received the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association, honoring an NCAA assistant coach for his career body of work. (Also see Irving's career statistics from hockeydb.com)

No. 13 UMass Lowell Tops Warriors, 5-1
13th ranked UMass Lowell got goals from five different players on the way to a 5-1 win over Merrimack in the final game of the season for the Warriors before 1,414 at the Lawler Arena on March 3. Mike Alexiou scored his 11th goal of the season to put Merrimack ahead, 1-0, in the first, marking the first time in 10 games that the Warriors had scored first. Steve Crusco and Matt Johnson assisted. Casey Guenther stopped 42 shots in a losing effort as the Warriors were outshot, 47-24. Merrimack was scoreless on four power play tries, while the River Hawks were 1-for-5. The loss extended the Warriors' school-record losing streak to 14 games. It was Senior Night at Merrimack, and honored before the game were five Warriors playing their final game: Brendan Clark, Crusco, Guenther, Peter Hams, and Jeremy Wilson, along with team manager Chris Kelley and sports information student assistants Adam Busalacchi and Dan O'Reilly.

Warriors Fall To Friars, 4-2
Colin McDonald scored a pair of goals 2:12 apart in the third period to lead Providence to a 4-2 come from behind win over Merrimack before 1,023 at the Schneider Arena in Providence on Feb. 26. The Warriors had taken a 2-1 lead after two on the strength of power play goals in the second period by Matt Johnson and Jeff Caron. Caron added an assist for a two point night. Caron's goal gave Merrimack the lead for the first time in ten games, ending a span of 526:05 over which the Warriors had not led in a contest. It was the 13th straight loss for Merrimack, a new school record. Jim Healey stopped 30 shots as the Warriors were outshot, 34-22. Merrimack was 2-for-6 on the power play, while PC was 2-for-5. The night before, the Friars got a goal and an assist each from Bryan Horan and Bill McCreary in a 4-1 win over Merrimack before 1,789 at the Lawler Arena. Casey Guenther was named as the game's No. 2 star with 32 saves as the Friars outshot the Warriors, 36-27. Freshman Hank Carisio scored his fourth of the year to pull Merrimack within one at 2-1 in the third before McCreary scored a late insurance goal and PC added an empty netter for the 4-1 final. Carisio was set up by rookie linemates Jordan Fox and Mike Fournier on the goal. The Warriors killed all six Friar power plays, but were held scoreless on their own four extra man tries. The game was telecast live in Rhode Island on Cox Cable.

Huskies Defeat Warriors, 4-1
Jason Guerriero and Tim Judy each had a goal and two assists and Keni Gibson made 29 saves as Northeastern defeated Merrimack, 4-1, before 1,843 at the Matthews Arena in Boston on Feb. 18. Combined with Providence's 3-2 win over Maine, the Warrior loss means that Merrimack has been eliminated from playoff contention in Hockey East for the first time since 1996. Brent Gough scored the Warrior goal on a power play in the second period, with Mike Fournier and Bryan Schmidt collecting assists. Jim Healey stopped 26 of 30 as shots were even at 30-30. Each team was 1-for-5 on the power play, with NU adding a shorthanded goal as well. On Feb. 16, No. 8 New Hampshire got a goal and three assists from Jacob Micflikier in a 6-1 win over Merrimack before 2,041 at the Lawler Arena. Matt Byrnes scored a power play goal for the Warriors, assisted by Bryan Schmidt and Hank Carisio. Schmidt's assist gave him 30 points on the season, tying him for the national lead among all NCAA Division I defensemen. Jim Healey stopped 34 shots as the Warriors were outshot, 40-36. Merrimack was 1-for-5 on the power play while UNH was 1-for-6 and added two shorthanded goals. The game was telecast live on NESN.

No. 1 Eagles Skate By Warriors
No. 1 Boston College scored three goals in each of the first two periods and went on to an 8-3 win over Merrimack before 5,020 at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill on Feb. 11. Bryan Schmidt (power play), Brent Gough and Ryan Sullivan scored for the Warriors, while Jordan Black set up two goals. Casey Guenther (17 saves) and Frank McLaughlin (nine saves) split time in net for Merrimack, which was outshot by the Eagles, 34-19. BC scored three power play goals on six chances, while the Warriors were 1-for-6. BC swept the season series from the Warriors for the first time since 1995-96. Guenther made his first start of the season, while Schmidt's power play goal was his team-leading eighth.

Minutemen Top Warriors, 3-1
Massachusetts got goals from Tim Vitek late in the second and Matt Burto early in the third to snap a 1-1 tie and go on to a 3-1 win over Merrimack before 1,871 at the Lawler Arena on Feb. 5. Rob LaLonde scored for the Warriors, his fifth of the year, and Steve Crusco and Matt Johnson picked up assists on the goal, which tied the game at 1-1 midway through the second. Jim Healey stopped 22 of 25 for Merrimack, which outshot UMass, 27-25. The Minutemen were 1-for-4 on the power play, while Merrimack was 0-for-4. LaLonde matched his career high for goals in a season with the goal, while Johnson continued his best season ever and now ranks second in scoring on the team with 9-15--24. The week before, No. 14 Boston University took a 2-0 lead after one and held on for a 2-1 win over Merrimack before 6,073 at the Agganis Arena in Boston on Jan. 27. Justin Mills scored for the Warriors, assisted by Mike Fournier and Matt Byrnes. Jim Healey stopped 23 shots for Merrimack, which was outshot, 25-19. The Warriors were 0-for-4 on the power play and held BU scoreless on five man advantage situations, including a five-minute major penalty. It was the second straight loss for Merrimack by one goal.

Huskies Edge Warriors, 4-3
Northeastern led 3-1 after one and 4-1 after two before fighting off Merrimack in the third period to edge the Warriors, 4-3, before 1,124 at the Matthews Arena in Boston on Jan. 24. Matt Johnson and Brent Gough each had a goal and an assist for the Warriors, and Scott Drewicki also scored. Jim Healey stopped 30 shots as Merrimack outshot the Huskies, 36-34. The Warriors were 1-for-8 on the power play, while Northeastern was 1-for-6. It was the sixth straight loss for Merrimack. On Jan. 21, No. 7 New Hampshire scored twice early in the third period to turn a 3-2 game into a 5-2 advantage and went on to a 6-2 win over Merrimack before 6,501 at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. The Warriors fought back from two two-goal deficits to pull within one, but could get no closer. Bryan Schmidt had a goal and an assist for Merrimack, and Jordan Fox set up two goals while Gough added the other Warrior tally. Frank McLaughlin stopped 26 shots as shots were even at 32-32. The Warriors were 1-for-4 on the power play, and UNH was 2-for-5. Merrimack lost Mike Alexiou to injury early in the game.

Warriors Fall to River Hawks, 5-2
Massachusetts-Lowell scored three goals in a 3:22 span in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit and went on to a 5-2 win over Merrimack before 1,743 at the Lawler Arena on Jan. 15. Merrimack took a 2-1 lead after two after goals in the first by Matt Johnson and Jordan Fox in the second, but UML outscored the Warriors 4-0 in the third to extend its nation-leading unbeaten streak to 11 games. Johnson's goal was his third in three games, while Fox's was the first of his career. Jim Healey stopped 34 shots as the River Hawks outshot Merrimack, 39-19. UML was 1-for-8 on the power play, while Merrimack was 0-for-5. The night before, UML scored once in each period on route to a 3-1 win over Merrimack before 1,989 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. Cleve Kinley set up two goals for UML, and Ben Walter's 18th goal of the season was the winner midway through the second. Johnson scored for the Warriors, a power play goal assisted by Bryan Schmidt and Jeff Caron which cut the UML lead to 2-1 in the second. Healey had 34 saves, including a stop of a penalty shot by UML's Brad King, as Merrimack was outshot, 37-21. Both teams were 1-for-5 on the power play.

No. 3 BC Skates By Warriors, 3-1
No. 3 Boston College snapped a scoreless tie with two goals 2:11 apart midway through the second and went on to a 3-1 win over Merrimack before 1,922 at the Lawler Arena on Jan. 8. Ryan Shannon led the way for the Eagles with a goal and two assists. Matt Johnson scored the Warrior goal, assisted by Jeff Caron and Bryan Schmidt, and Jim Healey stopped 31 shots as BC outshot the Warriors, 34-21. BC was 1-for-8 on the power play while Merrimack was 1-for-9. It was the first time the Eagles had ever won two regular season games at Merrimack in the same campaign, and the first back-to-back losses for Merrimack in 12 games. The Warriors got forwards Jordan Black and Steve Crusco back from injury, but were without Jordan Fox and Nick Pomponio, lost to injuries in practice earlier in the week. On Jan. 4, BC got goals from four different players to defeat Merrimack, 4-1, before 2,306 at the Lawler Arena. Brendon Clark gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead after one before BC responded with two goals in each of the final two periods. Jim Healey stopped 26 shots for Merrimack, which was outshot, 30-18. BC was 2-for-5 on the power play while Merrimack was 0-for-5. NOTES: Clark's goal was his first of the season and was set up by Rob LaLonde and Matt Johnson...It was the return to Hockey East play for both clubs...Senior forward Jeremy Wilson appeared in his first game of the season after receiving an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA...Both teams were without several players due to illness and injury...Out for Merrimack were forwards Black and Crusco, while BC was minus Patrick Eaves and Stephen Gionta.

Warriors Top Huskies, 4-1
Jeff Caron and Bryan Schmidt each had a goal and an assist as Merrimack defeated host Connecticut, 4-1, to capture third place in the Toyota UConn Hockey Classic in Storrs, Conn. on Dec. 31. Matt Johnson's shorthanded goal in the second snapped a 1-1 tie and was the game winner, and Hank Carisio added insurance in the third. Jim Healey made 24 saves to pick up the win, and Brent Gough added two assists. Merrimack outshot UConn, 45-25, and was 2-for-10 on the power play while UConn was 1-for-7. NOTES: Johnson's goal was the 50th point of his career...Merrimack won on the road for the first time this season (1-6-1) and finished its nonconference slate at 7-4-1, its most nonleague wins since 1994-95...The Warriors remained perfect all-time against UConn (18-0-0)...The night before, Brown scored two goals in the second and two more in the third to capture a 4-1 win over Merrimack in the first round of the Classic. Justin Mills scored for the Warriors, assisted by Ryan Sullivan and Carisio, and Healey stopped 20 shots. The Warrior power play was held off the board on five chances while Brown went 1-for-2, and shots were even at 24-24. It was Merrimack's first loss this season to an ECAC team (4-1-1). Brown went on to claim the Classic Championship with a 5-2 win over Holy Cross. Mills' goal broke the shutout with 2:19 left and was his third of the year...Merrimack lost for the first time this season on neutral ice (3-1-1)...Steve Crusco and Rob LaLonde returned from injury, but Jordan Black remained out...It was the fourth tournament of the season for Merrimack, who finished with one first-place finish, one second and two thirds.

Warriors Upset No. 10 Harvard, 6-4
Jeff Caron had four assists and Matt Johnson and Bryan Schmidt each had a goal and two assists as Merrimack upset No. 10/11 Harvard, 6-4, to capture third place in the Dodge Holiday Classic at the Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis on Dec. 23. Caron was named to the Classic All-Tournament Team. The Warriors were 4-for-5 on the power play while holding Harvard's fourth-ranked power play scoreless in four tries. Jim Healey stopped 36 shots in the win. Merrimack also got goals from Mike Alexiou (10th), Scott Drewicki, Mike Fournier and Brent Gough. It was the first time the Warriors had ever played Harvard, which entered the game on a six game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) and had lost only once in its last 11. NOTES: Merrimack never trailed, leading 1-0 after one, 3-1 after two and 6-2 in the third before two late Crimson goals...Drewicki's goal was his first as a Warrior and the first of his career...Fournier and Gough each scored their second goal in two games...Schmidt (10-11--21) and Caron (3-16--19) rank 1-2 in the NCAA Division I in defenseman scoring...Schmidt leads all NCAA defensemen in goals...The night before, No. 1 Minnesota got goals from six different players on route to a 6-2 win over Merrimack before 10,008 in the first round of the Classic. The Gophers led 2-0 after one and 5-0 after two in winning their 19th straight at home. Merrimack got goals from Gough and Fournier, and Healey stopped 29 in the loss. The Warriors were outshot, 35-22, and went 2-for-5 on the power play while Minnesota was 2-for-4. It was the first ever meeting between the two schools. Gough scored his first of the season in his first appearance since missing 14 games due to a broken arm...Fournier's goal was the first of his career, while Derek Pallardy recorded his first career point with an assist...Junior defenseman Drewicki played his first game for the Warriors since transferring from Denver and collected his first point as a Warrior on Fournier's goal...Merrimack lost forwards Jordan Black and Steve Crusco to injuries in the second period...Unofficially, it was the largest crowd Merrimack has ever played in front of.

Holiday Skate Held Sun. Dec. 12
Merrimack held its annual "Skate With The Warriors" on Sun. Dec. 12 at the Lawler Arena. As is the tradition, the team collected several boxes of new, unwrapped toys for the local "Toys for Tots" campaign, making it a tremendous success yet again. A good time was had by all, including pizza and cake, and a surprise visit from Santa Claus.

Warriors Sweep Princeton, 4-2
Steve Crusco snapped a 2-2 tie with the eventual game winner late in the second as Merrimack completed a home sweep of Princeton, 4-2, in a nonconference game before 736 at the Lawler Arena on Dec. 11. Matt Byrnes and Matt Johnson each set up two goals, while Mike Alexiou, Justin Mills and Jordan Black also scored. Jim Healey made 25 saves to earn the win as Merrimack outshot the Tigers, 37-27. The Warriors were 1-for-3 on the power play and held Princeton to one goal in seven tries. NOTES: The Warriors have lost just one of their last six (3-1-2)...Alexiou and Black each moved into a tie for the team lead with their ninth goals...Byrnes now has the team lead in assists with 13, while Johnson is third with 10...On the weekend, Merrimack held Princeton's power play to one goal in 13 chances...Princeton entered the weekend second nationally in power play, while Merrimack's penalty kill is now sixth best in the country...The Warriors had never beaten Princeton before 2004 but have won all four meetings this calendar year against the Tigers and never trailed in any of the four games...The all-time record between the teams is now tied at 4-4-2...On Dec. 10, Bryan Schmidt scored two goals, including the game winner with 8.6 seconds left, and added two assists for a four-point night as Merrimack edged Princeton, 4-3, before 841 at the Lawler Arena...Schmidt had also scored to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead with 8.8 seconds left in the second period...Crusco had a goal and an assist, and Chris Murphy scored his second of the year...Healey stopped 33 shots in the win as Princeton outshot Merrimack, 36-30...The Warriors were 1-for-3 on the power play and held Princeton's power play scoreless on six tries...Schmidt leads all defensemen in the NCAA with nine goals and his 18 points are tied for the national lead among defensemen...With 24 goals in his career, Schmidt, a junior, is third all-time among Merrimack defensemen...He needs just eight more to tie for the all-time lead...Hank Carisio and Brendon Clark returned to the lineup after missing several games each...It was Merrimack's first win ever at home against Princeton...The Tigers had won the only meeting between the teams at Lawler Arena, 2-0 on Nov. 28, 1997.

Warriors Tie No. 9/10 Maine, 2-2
Jim Healey made 37 saves as Merrimack tied No. 9/10 Maine, 2-2, before 5,350 in Orono, Me. on Dec. 3. Jordan Black and Bryan Schmidt scored back-to-back goals in the second period as the Warriors overcame a 1-0 first period deficit to take a 2-1 lead after two, before the Black Bears tied it early in the third. Healey made 19 of his saves over the final 25:00 to preserve the tie, Merrimack's first point in Orono since 1997. Maine outshot Merrimack, 39-12, but was held scoreless on six power plays while the Warriors were 0-for-1. NOTES: Derek Pallardy was a late scratch due to illness, leaving the Warriors with only 10 forwards and seven defensemen dressed...With the tie, the Warriors were unbeaten in their last three (1-0-2)...Black's goal was his third in three games and team-leading eighth...Schmidt's goal was his seventh and first this season at even strength...That goal came on a delayed penalty call against Maine with Merrimack skating 6-on-5...The next night, Maine broke open a 2-0 game with three third period goals and went on to win, 5-0. Healey stopped 36 of 40, with Frank McLaughlin turning aside seven of eight in relief.

Warriors Capture Coffee Pot, 5-2
Mike Alexiou scored two goals, including the game winner with four seconds left in the second period, as Merrimack defeated host Providence, 5-2, in the championship game of the Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Pot Tournament at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., on Nov. 28. Alexiou was named as the tournament MVP and was one of four Warriors named to the All-Tournament Team along with Jordan Black, Bryan Schmidt and Jim Healey. Healey backstopped the win with 36 saves, while Black, Rob LaLonde and Brian Boulay also scored. The Warriors were 3-for-8 on the power play while holding PC to 1-for-7, and PC outshot Merrimack, 38-16. NOTES: Alexiou was named as the CCM Hockey Player of the Week by Hockey East and was also the runner-up as Hockey East Player of the Month...Boulay's goal was the first of his collegiate career...Jordan Fox and Jarrett Sousa collected their first collegiate points with assists...Black had two points on a goal and an assist, while Matt Johnson set up two goals...The Warriors never trailed, leading 2-0 after one and 3-2 after two...Merrimack snapped a five game winless streak (0-4-1)...LaLonde was lost to an injury in the second period and did not return.

Warriors Tie Union In Coffee Pot, Win Shootout
Bryan Schmidt scored on the fifth round of the shootout to put Merrimack into the championship game of the Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Pot Tournament at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. on Nov. 27. Schmidt had scored the game-tying goal in the third period on the power play as Merrimack and Union skated to a 4-4 tie through a five-minute overtime period. Jeff Caron (power play), Mike Alexiou, and Jordan Black (shorthanded) also scored for Merrimack, with Caron adding an assist for a two point night. Black and Schmidt both scored during the shootout, won by Merrimack, 2-1. Jim Healey stopped 25 shots during the game and four of five to help the Warriors advance. Merrimack outshot Union, 37-29, and was 2-for-8 on the power play while Union was 1-for-5. NOTES: The tie snapped a four game losing streak for Merrimack and a six game winning streak for Union...Union outshot the Warriors in the first period, 12-5, and took a 3-1 lead after one. The Dutchmen extended their lead to 4-1 in the second before Merrimack scored the last three goals of the game. The Warriors outshot Union 19-3 in the second and 32-13 over the second and third while forging their comeback...It was the first time Merrimack outshot an opponent this season, while the 37 shots in the game and 19 in the second period were season game highs.

Huskies 5, Warriors 1
The first line of Brian Swiniarski, Jason Guerriero and Joe Santilli combined for nine points to lead Northeastern to a 5-1 win over Merrimack before 1,743 at the Lawler Arena on Nov. 23. Rob LaLonde scored for the Warriors, assisted by Mike Alexiou and Matt Johnson. Frank McLaughlin took the loss with 10 saves in one period of action, while Jim Healey played the final 40 minutes and stopped 17 of 19. The Huskies took a 3-0 lead after one and added two more in the third following LaLonde's goal in the second. NU outshot the Warriors, 32-29, and was 1-for-6 on the power play while holding Merrimack scoreless on three chances. It was the fourth straight loss for Merrimack, the last three coming at home.

No. 6 UNH Tops Warriors, 4-1
Jacob Micflikier scored the game-winner midway through the second and added an empty-netter and Preston Callander had three assists as No. 6 New Hampshire defeated Merrimack, 4-1, before 2,383 at Lawler Arena on Nov. 16. Steve Crusco scored the Warrior goal, assisted by Rob LaLonde and Mike Alexiou, and goaltender Frank McLaughlin turned aside 30 of 33 in a losing effort. Crusco gave Merrimack the lead in the second period before the Wildcats scored three goals in less than four minutes for the decisive margin of victory. UNH outshot the Warriors, 34-31, and was 0-for-4 on the power play while Merrimack was 0-for-2. NOTES: The loss was Merrimack's third straight and fifth in six games...The Warriors were without leading goal scorer Jordan Black (shoulder)...Merrimack had 27 shots through two periods before being held to just four in the third...It was the only game of the week for Merrimack.

Terriers Sweep, 3-1
Bryan Miller scored two goals, including the game-winner with 13:04 to play, as Boston University defeated Merrimack, 3-1, before 2,611 at Lawler Arena on Nov. 13. Bryan Schmidt scored for the Warriors, while Frank McLaughlin took the loss with 30 saves. BU outshot Merrimack, 33-24, and was 1-for-7 on the power play while the Warriors were 1-for-8. NOTES: Schmidt's goal moved him into a tie for the team lead with five, all coming on the power play this season...Jeff Caron and Matt Johnson assisted on the goal, with Caron notching his team-leading ninth helper...Merrimack lost leading goal scorer Jordan Black to a shoulder injury in the first period...The Warriors were already also without Brent Gough (broken arm), Jeff Royston (wrist) and Brendon Clark (broken finger)...BU swept the weekend series as the Terriers got goals from six different players in a 6-4 win over Merrimack before 3,799 on Nov. 12 in Boston...Black put the Warriors ahead early with a shorthanded goal, but BU took leads of 2-1 after one and 5-3 after two...Ryan Sullivan, Justin Mills and Mike Alexiou also scored for Merrimack, while Jim Healey took the loss in net with 31 saves...BU outshot Merrimack, 37-24, and was 2-for-6 on the power play while the Warriors were 1-for-6...It was the final game between the teams at BU's Walter Brown Arena, where BU has a 34-5-1 all-time advantage...Black and Alexiou each scored their team-leading fifth goals, while Sullivan and Mills returned to the lineup after missing time due to injury and scored their first of the season...The Warriors are 0-4 on the road...BU's first period power play goal snapped a string of 37 straight penalties killed by Merrimack.

McLaughlin, Warriors Top UMass, 5-2
Junior goaltender Frank McLaughlin made 41 saves in his first career start and was named the game's No. 1 star as Merrimack picked up its first Hockey East win of the season, 5-2 over Massachusetts on Nov. 6 at the Lawler Arena. McLaughlin stopped 21 of 22 in the third period to preserve the win in only his second career appearance. Mike Alexiou, Rob LaLonde and Bryan Schmidt each had a goal and an assist, while Jeff Caron and Hank Carisio also scored. The Warriors killed off all 11 UMass power plays and went 2-for-8 with the man advantage. UMass outshot Merrimack, 43-30. NOTES: Merrimack has now killed off 36 straight penalties over four games and has a league-leading kill ratio of 96.6%...Freshman defenseman Jordan Hart collected his first collegiate point with an assist on Carisio's goal...Merrimack's Matt Johnson was awarded a penalty shot at 11:05 of the first period with the Warriors ahead 1-0 but was stopped by UMass's Gabe Winer...It was the Warriors' first penalty shot since Steve Crusco was stopped against Mass.-Lowell (Jan. 16, 2004)...The Warrior win avenged an 8-2 loss to UMass the night before in Amherst...In that game, the Warriors got power play tallies from Johnson and Alexiou, and Caron had two assists...Jim Healey and Casey Guenther combined for 25 saves in the Merrimack net as UMass outshot the Warriors, 33-23...The Warriors were 2-for-8 on the power play while UMass was 0-for-4.

Black Bears Blank Warriors
Jim Howard made 21 saves and Jon Jankus scored two goals as defending Hockey East champion and NCAA runner-up Maine (No. 7/9) shut out Merrimack, 3-0, before 2,041 at the Lawler Arena on Fri. Oct. 29. Merrimack goaltender Jim Healey stopped 30 of 33 in a strong losing effort as Maine outshot the Warriors, 33-21. Merrimack went scoreless on six power plays but also held Maine without a goal in seven tries.

Merrimack, Wayne State Split
Bryan Schmidt scored two third-period power-play goals, including the game-winner with 6:41 left, as Merrimack came from behind to defeat Wayne State, 5-4, at the Lawler Arena on Oct. 23. Matt Byrnes had a career-high four points, all assists, and Jeff Caron set up three goals for his second three-point game of the season. Schmidt added an assist for a three-point night as well. Jordan Black, Rob LaLonde and Chris Murphy also scored, with Murphy tallying his first collegiate goal in his first game. Merrimack led 1-0 after one and 2-1 in the second before Wayne State scored three straight to take a 4-2 lead in the third. But the host Warriors then scored three unanswered goals to claim the win. Jim Healey stopped 36 shots for Merrimack, which was outshot 40-30, but the Warriors went 4-for-12 on the power play while holding WSU scoreless on 12 chances. Merrimack posted a win for Hockey East in the new Commissioner's Cup Series for 2004-05. The winner gets two points for its league, with the league that amasses the most points throughout the season slated to receive the Cup at its conference championship weekend in March. Friday: Wayne State scored three power-play goals and added a shorthanded goal to defeat Merrimack, 5-1, in the Warriors' home opener at Lawler Arena on Oct. 22. Five different players scored for WSU, which led 1-0 after one and 3-1 after two. Blake Stewart scored for Merrimack, which was outshot, 30-24. All three Merrimack goaltenders (Jim Healey, Casey Guenther, Frank McLaughlin) saw time in net. WSU was 3-for-9 on the power play while holding Merrimack scoreless on eight tries. McLaughlin, a junior, saw his first regular season intercollegiate action and stopped all six shots he saw. Merrimack lost junior forward and assistant captain Brent Gough for ten weeks with a broken right arm suffered midway through the second period. Gough led the Warriors in scoring each of his first two seasons.

Friars Edge Warriors, 5-4
Bill McCreary scored two goals, including the game-winner to snap a 4-4 tie with 12:22 left, to give Providence a 5-4 win over Merrimack in a Hockey East game before 1,755 at Schneider Arena. Jordan Black and Matt Johnson each scored two goals for the Warriors, while Jim Healey had 30 saves. PC outshot the Warriors, 35-29. Merrimack was 1-for-6 on the power play, while PC was 1-for-7. NOTES: Black leads all Warriors with three goals in three games...He had two all of last season...One of Black's goals came on the power play, while one of Johnson's was a short-hander and the other came just :02 after a PC power play expired...Johnson's two goals in three games match his total from last season, when he missed 19 games due to injury...The teams combined for 19 penalties for 38 minutes...The Warriors have scored 12 goals in three games, with nine of those 12 coming from freshmen or sophomores...Merrimack is 1-2 away from home so far this season.

Mavericks Edge Warriors To Take Stampede
Bill Thomas scored two goals including the game-winner with 12:31 left to give host Nebraska-Omaha a 4-3 win over Merrimack in the championship game of the Maverick Stampede in Omaha, Neb. on Oct. 10. Merrimack got a goal and an assist from Mike Alexiou as well as the first collegiate goal from Jeff Royston and a score by Jeff Caron. Caron and Alexiou were named to the All-Tournament Team as the Warriors captured second place in Omaha. Jim Healey stopped 34 of 38 shots as the Mavericks outshot Merrimack, 38-21, and went 2-for-7 on the power play while the Warriors were 1-for-7. NOTES: It was the first of four regular season tournaments for Merrimack...Caron finished with 1-3--4 on the weekend, while Alexiou had 1-2--3...Caron and Alexiou sandwiched goals around the second intermission to enable the Warriors to erase a 3-1 UNO lead...UNO won its own tournament for the first time ever in five tries...UConn finished third after tying Rensselaer, 3-3, in the consolation game and winning a sudden death shootout, 2-1.

Warriors Advance To Stampede Final
Jim Healey made 29 saves and Jeff Caron had three assists to lead Merrimack to a 5-3 win over Rensselaer in the first round of the Maverick Stampede in Omaha, Nebraska on Oct. 9. Bryan Schmidt and Matt Byrnes each had a goal and an assist, while Mike Alexiou's goal 3:51 into the third snapped a 3-3 tie and was the game-winner. Freshman Hank Carisio added insurance eight minutes later with his first collegiate goal, and Jordan Black also scored. The Warriors were outshot, 32-16, but went 3-for-13 on the power play while the Engineers were 1-for-8.

Schmidt Featured By InsideCollegeHockey.com
Junior defenseman and co-captain Bryan Schmidt is featured in InsideCollegeHockey.com's 'A to Z' look at a key player from each NCAA Division I team. An excerpt from the feature by Nate Ewell: "In any key situation - heck, any situation at all - Schmidt is the first defenseman head coach Chris Serino wants to send over the boards. It's been that way for two years in North Andover, as Schmidt has successfully used his size, offensive skills, and heavy shot to become one of Hockey East's top defensemen." ( INCH A to Z Feature on Schmidt )

2004-05 Schedule Announced
The 2004-05 Merrimack hockey schedule features trips to four regular-season tournaments around the nation, as well as the grueling 24-game Hockey East slate. A highlight is the first-ever meeting between the Warriors and five-time NCAA champion Minnesota at the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minneapolis on Dec. 22, followed by the first-ever meeting with either Harvard or Northern Michigan the next night. Merrimack will also make appearances in the Maverick Stampede (Omaha, Neb., Oct. 9-10), the Dunkin Donuts Coffee Pot Tournament (Providence, R.I., Nov. 27-28) and the UConn Hockey Classic (Storrs, Conn., Dec. 30-31), and will host Wayne State and Princeton in weekend sets as well. Defending Hockey East champion Maine comes to town on Oct. 29, a week after the home opener against Wayne State, and defending regular season Hockey East champion Boston College visits the Lawler Arena on Jan. 4 and 8. The Warriors will play a total of 17 home games, including an exhibition game versus St. Thomas University of Canada on Oct. 2.