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College hockey notebook

Merrimack carried by its captains

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Globe Staff / November 6, 2009

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Despite being selected to finish last in the Hockey East coaches’ poll, Merrimack has other ideas. The Warriors started out by dropping a pair at North Dakota, but since then have won five of six, including a home victory over Boston College last Sunday.

Merrimack is idle until next Friday, when it kicks off a home-and-home series against Boston University. Junior forward Chris Barton is tied for second in the conference with 10 points, scoring a league-best seven goals in eight games. Senior defenseman Pat Bowen (9 points) is second in the conference with eight assists.

Coach Mark Dennehy is encouraged by the Warriors’ 5-3-0 start (2-1-0 Hockey East), and the example being set by his captains, Barton and Bowen.

“He’s a very proud young man,’’ Dennehy said of Barton. “He’s worked very hard. He’s always let his game speak louder than he speaks in the locker room and he’s always played his best hockey for us against good teams. The thing that’s impressed me the most, the goals will come and go and he’s got seven right now. We know he’ll score more but it’s what he does away from the puck, it’s what he does on the backcheck, he’s one of our penalty-killers, he truly leads by example.’’

Bowen’s experience has also added to Merrimack’s early success. Dennehy said Bowen was one of the team’s best blue liners over the second half of last season.

“He’s parlayed that into coming into camp in great shape and with a great mind-set,’’ said Dennehy. “I’m glad to see him getting off to a good start as well.’’

Dennehy said Bowen’s production stems from how well the forwards are playing.

“There aren’t too many defensemen scoring a lot of goals,’’ he said. “They are usually heavy on assists. I think what you’re seeing is we’re better up front now. Passes he’s made in the past that maybe had gotten dead-ended or we may not have gotten anything out of, we’re now putting into the back of the net.’’

Crowded house
Tonight’s BU-Northeastern game marks the first advanced sellout at Matthews Arena since the Huskies’ home opener last season against BC. Northeastern is struggling at 2-3-0 (0-2-0), but the Huskies have scored at least one power-play goal in five straight games . . . The next victory for Huskies coach Greg Cronin will be his 60th with the program. He’s 59-75-19 in five seasons at NU.

Mesh unit
Last Friday night, BC fans got their first look at freshman netminder Parker Milner. Milner looked shaky in the opening period, allowing three goals to Merrimack on just six shots, but the 19-year-old settled down and made 12 saves over the final 40 minutes to earn the 4-3 victory at Conte Forum. His play bodes well for the Eagles, who don’t want to overburden junior John Muse, who underwent hip surgery in the offseason and had made 83 straight starts before Milner’s debut. “We’ve watched him in practice and he’s just a good athlete and a good goaltender,’’ said coach Jerry York. “There’s an adjustment period. He’s played periods in exhibition games but that was his first time in Hockey East. I feel very excited about the prospects of having depth in our goaltending area. I think it’s important for our team.’’

Blue ribbons
Last weekend was productive for RIT defensemen Al Mazur and Dan Ringwald, who each tallied a hat trick against UConn. All but one of the six goals came on the power play. Mazur scored his three Friday in a 6-2 win. The next night Ringwald had a natural hat trick in the first period of a 7-0 victory . . . AIC freshman goaltender Ben Meisner earned his first career shutout in his second start, making 30 saves in a 3-0 win over Holy Cross last Friday. Meisner turned back 14 shots in the third period.

Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.

© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.