NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — The top-ranked team in the nation, Providence, battled Merrimack on Friday night in a typical Hockey East game that ended in a 2-1 score in favor of Providence.
Garrett Gamez popped the game-winning goal midway through the second period.
“I thought we played two really good periods of hockey and then in the third period, I thought we stopped moving our feet,” said Providence coach Nate Leaman. “I thought overall it was a good college hockey game. It’s a tough place to win, so it’s a good, gutsy road win for us.”
The first period was played close with Providence getting a slight edge in play. Both teams battled in this period with Providence opening up the scoring 7:46 into the period as Anthony Florentino scored from a shot from the point with traffic in front to give the Friars a 1-0 lead.
Merrimack kept Providence from extending the lead after killing a late first-period power play.
The middle frame was quite different than the first with two goals being scored and the special teams coming alive for Providence.
Merrimack got right to it with freshman Mathieu Foget taking a feed from linemate Hampus Gustafsson and going top shelf over the glove of Nick Ellis to tie the game at 1-1.
Providence answered on Gamez’s power-play goal that was tipped past Merrimack goaltender Collin Delia to give Providence the go-ahead goal.
The third period seemed to go Merrimack’s way with the home team controlling the majority of the play in that period. There were five different penalties called that period which made the flow of the third much more difficult for either team to sustain momentum.
The last minute of the period had Merrimack with a flurry of chances in the offensive end, but Ellis stopped them all.
“Hard-fought game,” Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy said. “I thought the first period was a feeling-out process. [Providence] got the better of the play, but it was close. Second period, they tilted the ice a little on us and then in the third, I thought we played our best period of hockey all season.
“Now, it’s about getting ready and regroup for tomorrow and finding out how we have to play off the get go.”
