NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Merrimack and Massachusetts met for the first time this season Saturday night with the game being an up-and-down defensive battle for the most part, even being described as a “man’s game” by UMass coach John Micheletto.
In the end, each team could only muster one goal apiece and the game ended in a 1-1 tie.
“You had to earn every inch of ice that was out there,” said Micheletto. “I was really impressed with the way we played from start to finish and what our guys were able to do from start to finish.”
The first period was held without a goal for either team. UMass was held in check in this period with their chances being limited by the Merrimack defense and only getting three shots on goal.
Merrimack had a great scoring chance when Jace Hennig took the puck from his own end and split the defense and came in on Nic Renyard, but was denied by his glove.
The second period saw each team break the ice and get on the board while some physical play was in the mix as well.
UMass was on the board first just 1:19 in after Kurt Keats fired a shot from the point that squeaked past Merrimack goaltender Collin Delia to give the Minutemen the 1-0 lead.
Aaron Titcomb tied the game for Merrimack after firing a shot from in between the faceoff dots halfway through the period. Hennig went down just moments after the goal after being boarded by Callum Fryer, but later returned to the game.
The third period was much like the first with both teams playing tremendous defense. UMass was awarded a power play seven minutes into the period that saw Delia and the Merrimack penalty kill come through with a big defensive stop.
“I thought we played pretty well tonight,” said Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy. “It was closer to the way we played last season. I thought we didn’t give up very many chances and we worked hard for ours.”
