Grasso's Four Goals Lead Wildcats past Merrimack, 6-2

Saturday, October 29

Durham, N.H.

7:00 PM

University of New Hampshire

3-3-0, 2-0-0HE

Merrimack College

3-4-1, 0-1-1HE

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Photo by: China Wong

10/29/2016 10:06:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Patrick Grasso (Ankeny, Iowa) scored four consecutive goals to power the University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team to Saturday night's 6-2 Hockey East victory against Merrimack College at the Whittemore Center.

UNH won for the second time in as many nights to improve to 3-3-0 overall and 2-0-0 in Hockey East. Merrimack is now 3-4-1, 0-1-1.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: October 29, 2016
Score: New Hampshire 4, Merrimack 0
Records: New Hampshire (3-3-0, 2-0-0 HE), Merrimack (3-4-1, 0-1-1 HE)
Location: Whittemore Center – Durham, N.H
Attendance: 3,502
Goal Scorers: New Hampshire –1. Tyler Kelleher (unassisted) SHG – 4:31, 1st; 2. Patrick Grasso (van Riemsdyk, Maller) – 5:48, 1st; 3. Grasso (Kelleher, Cleland) PPG – 7:06, 1st; 4. Grasso (Kelleher, McNicholas) PPG – 9:44, 1st.
Merrimack – Marc Biega (Irvine, Gustafsson) – 10:45, third period, Sami Tavernier (Kolquist, Coomes) – third period, 11:43.
Goaltenders: UNH – Danny Tirone - 25 saves - 60:00 played - 3-2-0
Merrimack – Drew Vogler – 4 saves - 20:00 played – 3-3-1
Craig Pantano – 12 saves – 40:00 played -- ND
Next home game: Friday, November 4 vs. Sacred Heart at Whittemore Center (7 p.m.) // Tickets at www.unhwildcats.com

UNH Starters
LW: Jason Salvaggio
C: Michael McNicholas
RW: Tyler Kelleher
LD: Matias Cleland
RD: Cameron Marks
G: Danny Tirone

First Period
New Hampshire scored four goals in span of 5:13 to quickly build a 4-0 lead. Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) netted shorthanded breakaway goal at 4:31 when he picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and raced down the right wing before scoring from close range.

Grasso recorded a hat trick in 3 minutes, 56 seconds. With the assistance of Brendan van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) and Dylan Maller (Parkland, Fla.), he gave the 'Cats a 2-0 lead at 5:48. Grasso potted a power-play goal at 7:06 with Kelleher and Matias Cleland (Longmont, Colo.) getting assists. He struck again on the power play at 9:44 when he was positioned in front and batted Kelleher's pass from the left end line into the cage; Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), with the cross-ice pass from the right circle to Kelleher, picked up the secondary assist.

Second Period
Merrimack began the second stanza with two skaters in the penalty box and Craig Pantano replacing Drew Vogler in goal. The Warriors killed off the remaining time on the penalties to remain within four goals. UNH recorded an 8-7 shot advantage in a scoreless period.

Third Period
Grasso scored his fourth goal of the game – third on the power play -- at 7:56 to give New Hampshire a 5-0 lead as he blasted a one-timer from the right circle on McNicolas' pass; Cleland recorded his second assist of the game.

MC scored goals 58 seconds apart to close within 5-2. Marc Biega's slapshot from the left point sailed into the upper-right corner at 10:45 with Tyler Irvine and Hampus Gustafsson getting assists. Sami Tavernier, with the assistance of Jared Kolquist and Logan Coomes, struck at 11:43.

MC went on the power play and pulled its goalie at 16:24 to create a two-skater advantage. UNH killed off the penalty and scored an empty-net goal 37 seconds later to secure the win. Jason Salvaggio (Hanson, Mass.) stole the puck and skated through the neutral zone before wristing a shot into the net at 19:01 for the 6-2 lead.

PENALTIES
New Hampshire: 6 penalties - 12 minutes
MC: 9 penalties - 18 minutes

SPECIAL TEAMS
New Hampshire: 3-for-8
MC: 0-for-5

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS
Points: Grasso (4)
Goals: Grasso (4)
Assists: - Cleland (2), Kelleher (2), McNicholas (2)
Shots: Grasso (4)

MC LEADERS
Points: Biega (1), Irvine (1), Kolquist (1), Coomes (1), Gustafsson (1), Tavernier
Goals: Biega, Tevernier
Assists: Irvine, Kolquist, Coomes, Gustafsson
Shots: Kolquist (5)