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University of New Hampshire Athletics
University of New Hampshire
13-18-5
Merrimack College
15-15-6
Tirone Posts 44-Save Shutout in 4-0 Win at Merrimack
3/4/2017 10:01:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Junior netminder Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) posted a 44-save shutout as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Merrimack College 4-0 Saturday night in the second game of the Hockey East Opening Round best-of-3 series.
The 44 saves by Tirone was the most in a shutout by the goalie in his collegiate career. Scoring goals for the Wildcats were freshman Patrick Grasso (Ankeny, Iowa), junior Jason Salvaggio (Hanson, Mass.), junior Michael McNicholas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and freshman Liam Blackburn (Prince George, British Columbia).
Senior forward Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) recorded his 60th point of the season with an assist and is the first Wildcat to tally 60 points in a season since 2001-02 when Colin Hemingway (66) and Darrey Haydar (76) did so.
UNH and Merrimack play again in a winner-take-all game three Sunday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at Lawler Rink.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: March 4, 2017 (7:00 p.m.)
Final Score: New Hampshire 4, Merrimack 0
New Records: New Hampshire (13-18-5, 7-11-4 HEA) // Merrimack (15-15-6, 8-8-6 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink (North Andover, Mass.)
Goal Scorers:
UNH – Patrick Grasso (1), Jason Salvaggio (1), Michael McNicholas (1), Liam Blackburn (1)
Merrimack – None.
Assists:
UNH – Chris Miller (1), Brendan van Riemsdyk (1), Michael McNicholas (1), Ara Nazarian (1), Tyler Kelleher (1)
Merrimack – None.
Points:
UNH – Michael McNicholas (2), Patrick Grasso (1), Chris Miller (1), Jason Salvaggio (1), Brendan van Riemsdyk (1), Ara Nazarian (1), Tyler Kelleher (1), Liam Blackburn (1)
Merrimack – None.
Goaltenders:
UNH – Danny Tirone (13-14-7 – 23 saves) Record: 12-16-5
Merrimack – Collin Delia (13-10-9 -- 25 saves) Record: 9-6-3
UNH Starters Merrimack Starters
LW: Salvaggio LW: Seney
C: McNicholas C: Gustafsson
RW: Kelleher RW: Tavernier
LD: Cleland LD: Biega
RD: Marks RD: Titcomb
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Wildcats got on the board at the 14:43 mark of the second period as Grasso scored his 18th goal of the season. Sophomore Chris Miller (Windham, N.H.) assisted Grasso on the play as he won a faceoff directly to the rookie. Grasso ripped a wrister from the slot that found the back of the net past Merrimack goalie Collin Delia.
Salvaggio gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead at 17:34 of the second period with his 22nd goal of the season. While on a power play, McNicholas found freshman Brendan van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) next to the Merrimack goal. van Riemsdyk played a backhanded pass to Salvaggio who crammed the puck past Delia into the net.
In the third period, the Wildcats upped the lead to 4-0 in a span of 34 seconds with a pair of empty net goals. The first goal came from McNicholas for his second point of the night at 18:48. He was assisted by Kelleher and sophomore Ara Nazarian (Boxford, Mass.) on the play. Blackburn recorded the fourth goal of the night and his ninth of the season at 19:22 on an unassisted play.
