UMass up early again on Merrimack

Hockey
Jeremy Rice

Massachusetts 2, Merrimack 1

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- The Massachusetts hockey team took a 2-1 lead with 18.3 seconds remaining in the first period when Alexander Berry scored his seventh goal in seven games.

James Marcou brought the puck into the zone and made a nice pass in front of the crease, where Berry had time to lose the puck in his skates, find it, and still score on an open net.

The Minutemen opened the scoring 11 minutes into the game when Michael Kostka scored his ninth goal of the year and second this weekend during a 4-on-3 power play. Marcou was also the primary assist on Kostka's goal and is now four helpers away from a UMass freshman record.

Circling wide out by the blue line, Marcou threw the puck down low to Kostka at the right post. Merrimack goaltender Andrew Braithwaite stopped the first attempt by Kostka to lift the puck under the crossbar, but could not contain the rebound, and Kostka buried the second effort.

Merrimack tied the game two minutes later when Francois Ouimet beat UMass goalie Paul Dainton blocker-side. Ouimet broke into the zone virtually uncontested, and Dainton was simply beaten in net.

Lawler Arena at teh Volpe Center is 10 feet narrower than UMass's home rink at the Mullins Center, but the Minutemen appear to be handling the cramped space much better than in the past.

Merrimack had six penalties in the first period, which helped to open up the ice for the Minutemen who play much better with space to work with.

The Warriors tend to like to clog up the neutral zone and play a trap game, looking to catch their opponent in transition. They were successful a few times early, but against a UMass team that has struggled with zone entry in its own right, the Minutemen have a slight advantage in puck possession early on.

More From the Press Box after the second period ...