HEQF: BU vs Merrimack

Tonight, BU and Merrimack will take the ice in Game One of the 3vs6 series at Agganis Arena. This marks the fourth straight year that BU is the three seed. These two teams met in 2010, BU winning in three games. The following year, BU failed to qualify for the semis for the first time in ten years ending the longest such streak in Hockey East history to date. That was to Northeastern in three games. Boston College can match that number this weekend with a series win over Vermont. Finally, BU defeated New Hampshire in one of the most exciting Quarterfinal series in memory last year.

From The Vault
Kieran Millan makes a save in the third period of Game 3
back in 2010.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Merrimack and BU were only separated by three points in the final league standings, but that only shows how close the league was this year. The Warriors come into this series with a 15-15-6 record and barely are still considered a "Team Under Consideration" (TUC) in the Pairwise rankings. This maters to BU because the numebr of TUC victories determines a lot of the PWR. If BU was to win the series they would nock MC off the the TUC Cliff (teams with an RPI grater than .500) and that would lower the number of TUC wins BU has. All previous wins vs Merrimack would be taken away for TUC prepossess, thus lowering their PWR. Confused? So am I.

Scouting the Warriors
Merrimack is lead by junior Mike Collins, who has 37 points, 16 goals and 21 assists in 36 games played this year. Some 18 points behind Collins is defenseman Jordan Heywood. Heywood has posted 8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points.

In goal, Sam Marotta has held the fort, going 12-9-4 in 25 appearances. He holds a .927 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against in 1486 minutes played.

----> Garrett Noonan is again out this weekend with a shoulder injury. If BU advances to the Garden, he may return.

----> BU has out scored the Warriors 12-4 this year and did not score a single power play goal in those three games.

----> BU has lead the Warriors for 137:21 out of the 180:00 played this season (from Mike McMahon)

----> BU has gone three games the last six years. They have won five series in that stretch.