Tale of the Tape: Holy Cross

	Merrimack	Holy Cross
Record	0-2-0	0-1-0
Hockey East	T-1st	n/a
Head-to-Head	First Meeting	First Meeting
Goals For	2.00	1.00
Goals Against	4.00	2.00
Shots For	17.5	34.0
Shots Against	37.5	37.0
PIM per game	13.0	12.00
Power Play	0.0% [0/6]	0.0% [0/5]
Penalty Kill	84.6% [11/13]	100.0% [5/5]
Top Scorer	Chris Barton, Jr. 2gp, 3-0=3	Everett Sheen, Jr. 1gp, 1-0=1
Top Goaltender	A. Braithwaite, Sr. 0-1-0, 3.07, .914	Ian Dams, Sr. 0-1-0, 2.03, .946
Last 5 Games	L – 2-3 – @ UND L – 2-5 – @ UND	L – 1-2 – @ Providence
Dennehy vs. HC	0-1-1
All-time vs. HC	26-7-2
Top Scorer vs. HC	Fraser Allan, Jr. 1gp, 0-2-2

Scouting The Crusaders

The Crusaders held a pretty talented Providence offense in check last weekend (2-1 loss) thanks to a 35-save effort from senior goaltender Ian Dams.

Really, Dams was the story (HC allowed 37 shots) and could be the story again against the Warriors. He has decent size (6 feet, 185 pounds) and takes up a large portion of the cage. But throughout his collegiate career he’s been hot and cold. As a freshman he went 8-9-0 with a so-so 3.23 GAA and .888 save percentage. He really turned things around as a sophomore posting a losing 2-5-3 mark but a respectable 2.95, .902 numbers. Then as a junior took a step back; despite a 7-7-1 record, Dams’ GAA (3.16) and save percentage (.897) both took a step back.

But Dams has played well against the Warriors. He picked up his first career win in a 29-save effort at Lawler Arenas as a freshman and posted 33 stops in a 2-2 tie two seasons ago.

From what I remember about Dams, at least in the Warriors’ previous meetings, his five-hole was the best scoring option. In the 2-1 loss during the 2006-07 season, Merrimack put a lot of pucks on Dams that hit him right in the chest. In the 2-2 tie, the Warriors were able to pot two goals in the first period before not putting a puck in the net over the final 52:05.

Merrimack’s defense should be able to shut down a relatively average HC offense. In the realm of Hockey East teams, HC would finish at or at least near the bottom of the league in almost every category. Simply put, if the Warriors are to climb out of the Hockey East cellar and escape the stigma as the league’s punching bag, this is a team they have to beat (and the same goes for Saturday vs. Army, but we’ll get to them later).

The Warriors have more talent in all three areas – their forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, as a group, are all better than HC’s – but they need to put together a 60-minute effort.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Andrew Braithwaite and Joe Cannata split the pair of non-conference games this weekend; neither goaltender was the reason for the two losses at North Dakota.

You’d also like to see the offense get rolling a bit more as well. Holy Cross is many rungs down the ladder from North Dakota. It’s all about making a statement. It’s not a league game, but Merrimack still has a lot of “proving” to do to the rest of Hockey East. This is still a team that was picked to finish in the basement by the league’s coaches and, if any of you are USCHO readers, are being picked to get swept by a fairly large chunk of the message board posters.

Say what you will, but a significantly large portion of people don’t respect the Warriors. I’d like to see a team that plays with a bit of a chip on its shoulder, despite that it’s a non-conference game.

Notes

• Merrimack hasn’t beaten Holy Cross since a 6-3 win on Jan. 24, 2003. The last Merrimack-Holy Cross game at Lawler Arena was a 2-1 loss on Oct. 24, 2006. Merrimack tied HC 2-2 on Dec. 4, 2007.
• Merrimack holds an 18-2 record over Holy Cross at Lawler Arena.
• Holy Cross head coach Paul Pearl was considered a candidate for Merrimack’s head coaching position in 2005 before current head coach Mark Dennehy was hired.
• The Holy Cross game kicks off a four-game homestand for the Warriors.
• The Warriors are 5-0 at Lawler Arena over the last two seasons against non-conference teams. They will host Holy Cross and Army this weekend before battling Connecticut next weekend to conclude this season’s home non-conference schedule.
• Merrimack played in front of crowds of over 11,000 both nights at North Dakota last weekend, the most the Warriors have played in front of since making the Hockey East Semifinals in 1998.
• The Warriors are 5-1-2 in their last eight home openers. The Warriors defeated Robert Morris last year in the home opener and edged Niagara in the 2007-08 season.

Source: Da Costa Cleared By NCAA

Merrimack freshman forward Stephane Da Costa has been cleared and is now deemed eligible by the NCAA, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the process.

Da Costa, a native of Paris, missed last weekend’s opening series with North Dakota while circumstances surrounding his eligibility were sorted out by the NCAA.

There has been no confirmation from Merrimack College or the NCAA.

More From The NCAA

In a response to a request for comment on the eligibility process, and where Merrimack freshman forward Stephane Da Costa might be in the process, NCAA Assistant Director of Public and Media Relations Christopher Radford responded:

“All prospective student athletes must qualify from both an academic and amateurism standpoint before participating in NCAA sports.  If there are issues in either area regarding a prospective student athlete, the eligibility process may be delayed while further information is collected.”

A decision regarding Da Costa’s eligibility could come as early as today.

According to the NCAA website, here are some eligibility facts/rules:

• To compete in Division I sports, high school students graduating in 2008 and beyond must complete 16 core courses and graduate with their high school class. Division II student-athletes must complete 14 core courses. Core courses are English, math and science classes. All prospective student-athletes must be in good amateur standing as well.
• Future NCAA student-athletes must be high school graduates, achieve a minimum grade point average in specific high school core courses and present a qualifying score on either the ACT or SAT college entrance exam.
• In Division 1, the NCAA uses a sliding scale that combines the core-course GPA and entrance exam scores to determine eligibility. Basically, the lower the core-course GPA the higher the test score must be and vice versa. Division II requires a minimum SAT score of 820 for the verbal and math sections only or a minimum ACT sum score of 68.
• There is a minimum of a 2.0 GPA or better on a 4.0 point scale for the core courses in both Divisions I and II.
• With global recruiting now the norm, determining the amateur status of prospective student-athletes can be very challenging. All potential student-athletes need to be very careful in this area, especially international students. When future Division I and II student-athletes register online with the NCAA Eligibility Center, they are prompted to fill out a questionnaire on amateurism.
• Additional reviews may be required because of questions about academic or amateur credentials.
• Core courses are primarily English, math, foreign language and science classes with an emphasis on college preparation. To play in Division I, high school graduates must complete 16 core courses.
• Delays typically happen when prospects don’t submit all necessary information on time.

NCAA On Da Costa

Christopher Radford, Assistant Director of Public and Media Relations for the NCAA, responded to a request for comment regarding the eligibility status of Merrimack freshman Stephane Da Costa with the following statement:

“The NCAA cannot comment on the eligibility status of specific student athletes due to FERPA regulations.  I recommend that you contact the institution for more specific information.”

—ANALYSIS—

The NCAA isn’t avoiding the issue here, that’s the response I expected due to limitations beyond their control. Of course, I’m not doing my job unless I ask them for comment.

It’s hard to understand the crux of the issue. Obviously Da Costa has been academically cleared by Merrimack College to attend classes. He has not lost his amateur status.

Da Costa deserves a lot of credit for waiting this issue out. He could easily go back to Europe and make the equivalent to a few hundred thousand dollars per season playing professional hockey, but getting an education must be something he values.

We should hopefully learn more later this week.

Machnik Posts Warrior Podcasts

Merrimack radio analyst Mike Machnik has posted a series of podcasts from last weekend’s trip to North Dakota.

The best way to access the podcasts is to click this link and subscribe through the Itunes Store. The podcasts are free, and will be downloaded directly to your IPod or ITunes every time you log on.

Recruits: Collins Named POTW

Vernon Vipers forward Mike Collins, a 2010 Merrimack recruit, has been named the British Columbia Hockey League’s Player of the Week.

Collins scored a pair of goals and added four assists in three games — and three wins — for the defending RBC Cup Champions. On Friday, the former CM forward scored the opening goal in Vernon’s 2-1 overtime road win over the Penticton Vees. A night later, he scored again and assisted twice in a lopsided win over the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals. Collins then closed out the weekend with a pair of helpers in his team’s 4-1 victory over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

Collins, and the rest of the recruits, have been updated on the Recruit Tracker.

Battle Of The Sheens On Tap

The Warriors will welcome Holy Cross to Lawler Arena on Friday night for the home opener, but sophomore forward Elliott Sheen will also be welcoming his brother, HC’s Everett Sheen, who has been one of the Crusaders best players the past two seasons.

The elder Sheen, a junior at HC, has 49 points in 74 career games, including 26 goals. Both Sheen’s wear No. 11 on their respected clubs.

All tickets to the home opener are $5, and can be purchased by visiting Merrimack’s online ticketing site.

North Dakota Thoughts …

*After falling behind quickly, 2-0, on Friday night, I had assumed the worst. In fact, I turned to my wife and said, “here we go.” Watching almost every game the program has played since 2002, I’ve been programmed to these type of situations. Merrimack teams that fall behind 2-0 early in the game get blown out; that’s how it’s supposed to go. A 2-0 deficit turns into 3-0 by the end of the first period. By the end of two, it’s 5-0 and then it’s 7-1 when the game ends. But not this time. Instead the Warriors tied the score. That shows me a few things – this team doesn’t lack the talent, it’s there. They also don’t lack confidence. Head coach Mark Dennehy told me on several occasions how important it was to change the culture of the program. The roster was full of players who had lost nearly 100 games in their collegiate careers. That’s not the case anymore. Even though they had 21 losses last season, 14 were by one goal. They were in games. This team is used to competing.

*Chris Barton was a big part of the offense, as he needs to be. He surely needs to be one of the team’s top scorers and to net three goals in two games is a nice way to start.

*I thought both Andrew Braithwaite and Joe Cannata looked good in net. I have a hard time blaming Cannata on two of his five goals allowed, especially the 4-on-2 when the Warriors were pressuring to tie the game. Braithwaite looks healthy again, after some nagging injuries last season.

*I liked how Merrimack stretched the ice on Saturday night, trailing by a goal late in the game. In the past when they tried it, they didn’t have enough talent to sustain four-on-four play in their own end, but that’s no longer the case. Not only does that open things up for a possible big play out of transition, but it shows the coaches’ confidence in the players to defend four-on-four against a North Dakota team that, let’s face it, has more talent and a lot of team speed.

*The penalty kill was exceptional, which it needed to be. Ultimately what gave the Sioux the two wins were a little more skill (which you saw in the shot differential), but the Warriors were competitive in every facet of the game, including special teams. The Warriors went 11 for 13 on the PK on the weekend, allowing 27 shots. On the power play, the Warriors struggled (0 for 6, 4 shots), which is an area that could have made a significant difference, especially on Saturday night (a 1-goal loss) in which the Warriors had a five-minute man advantage during which they registered just two shots.

*As for players who stood out … John Heffernan is the real deal. I remember watching him in high school and a big knock was his size/strength. I watched him puck handle through three defenders during the Blue-Gold game last week, and he did the same on Saturday against North Dakota. He doesn’t seem like he minds taking risk, which sometimes results in turnovers, but he’ll go right at defenders with the puck. He has a lot of skill and I like the tenacity. … Kyle Bigos looked excellent. I like his attitude and style he brings to the team. He plays with an edge, which goes from start to finish, including “gesturing” at an opponent from the penalty box — I like the edge. … Jesse Todd seems to have picked up just where he left off last season, which is good news for the Warriors. … Joe Cucci looked like a much improved player, and he was one of the Warriors better offensive talents last year as a sophomore. He made a nice play picking off a North Dakota pass along the boards and immediately (and smartly) threw the puck at the net where Justin Bonitatibus was waiting for the first Merrimack goal of the year. Then later in the same period, he sprung Barton with a nice pass from his own end. … It was great to see Matt Moulakelis back on the ice – he brings a lot of intangibles to the table and will mean a lot to the roster, in areas more than just point production.

North Dakota 3, Merrimack 2

My apologies for the no live blog or any updates throughout the day on Saturday. My wife and I closed on a house this past Tuesday and some unexpected circumstances during our renovations turned today into a 15-hour day.

The Warriors fell to North Dakota 3-2 on Saturday night. I watched the last 10 minutes live and have the rest on DVR and plan on watching it now. So, I’ll be back with some thoughts in a bit.

Chris Barton scores both goals for the Warriors and Andrew Braithwaite made 32 saves in net. Jesse Todd assisted on both Barton goals with J.C. Robitaille picking up an assist on the second goal, late in the third period.

Back with more later …

North Dakota 5, Merrimack 2 – Notebook

The score was 5-2, but this game was not out of reach for the Warriors until the very end.

North Dakota scored two early goals but Merrimack battled back with tallies from Chris Barton and Justin Bonitatibus to close the first tied at 2-2.

Getting back in the game the way they did was a promising sign for this team. In years past, down 2-0 early meant that the Warriors would fold and you’d see a 5-1 or 6-0 game. That wasn’t the case on Friday night and shouldn’t be going forward.

Trailing 4-2 entering the third the Warriors needed a big period and came out flat. Merrimack was outshot 17-5 in the third period (40-17 overall); obviously a gap that isn’t going to be a recipe for success.

Three of ND’s five goals came off of rushes or other plays in which Merrimack attacked and was caught coming back the other way. Joe Cannata played a solid game (35 of 40 on shots) and was tested more often than I’d like to see. But, he held his own and, as he did last season, kept his poise and made his saves.

Quick Hits

*It was great to see Matt Moulakelis back on the ice after missing all of last season due to knee surgery.

*Speaking of returns, a big welcome back to Mike Machnik, who returned to the Merrimack airwaves on Friday night alongside John Leahy.

*Check out a below post for comments from Merrimack AD Glenn Hofmann regarding the next phase of the Lawler renovations, scheduled for next summer.

*I’ll hopefully have more on this later in the week, but word is that the NCAA will hold a hearing next week regarding the eligibility status of forward Stephane Da Costa. My initial thought is that he will be cleared, but that’s purely my speculation. We’ll have to wait and see on this one.

*Merrimack went with a predominantly veteran lineup tonight (Bigos was the only freshman to play). I wouldn’t be surprised to see some rookies get a shot tomorrow.

*The Warriors did a nice job getting pucks deep on the ND defensemen late in the first period and in stretched in the second period. If it was consistent for a full 60 minutes, the results may have been different.

*Joe Cucci had an excellent game for himself, picking up assists on both goals. He intercepted a pass along the boards and threw it to Bonitatibus for the first goal of the night. Then, just a few minutes later, sprung Barton on a breakaway and the junior slipped the puck between the pads of ND goalie Brad Eidsness.

*J.C. Robitaille had a nice night with three shots. He isn’t a shooter, more of a passer, but I really think he can have an impact on this team scoring some goals. Getting pucks to the net is a nice start.

*The Warriors had zero shots on their three power plays (4:49 of total time). Especially on the road, MC can’t afford to not capitalize on their power plays.

*The crowd of 11,135 is the largest crowd Merrimack has played in front of in a long, long time. It might be the biggest crowd they’ve seen since they made the Hockey East semifinals in 1997-98 at the TD Garden. The only game that comes to mind that might even be close was at Mariucci against Minnesota in the Dodge Holiday Classic in 2004-05.

David Toews, UND Forward
On tomorrow’s rematch
“They’re going to come out and be a lot tighter tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll watch video and come out with a lot of energy tomorrow night and we’ll have to match their intensity.”

Dave Hakstol, UND Head Coach
On the game
“We needed to recover from the last few minutes of the first period. There were mental mistakes on our part and good plays by Merrimack and it’s 2-2. We did a good job re-establishing our game in the second period.”

On tomorrow’s rematch
“I expect it to be, as it always is, the second game is always tougher to get. We’ll keep it brief and short tonight. Guys have to get rest and we’ll come back tomorrow and look at some areas we want to improve on. It will be more difficult tomorrow night. We have a young team, can provide that consistency tomorrow night? We’ll see.”

Mark Dennehy, Merrimack Head Coach
On the game
“We need to limit the second and third efforts. We held our own in terms of skating with them. Their third goal started with us missing an empty net, so it could have easily been us up 3-2.”