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 Dan Iliakis scored the game-winner last Friday at Air Force. |
Dec. 6, 2005
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GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University men's hockey team (1-9-2, 1-4-1 CHA) has its lone home series in December this weekend as Merrimack visits the Michigan State Fairgrounds for a pair of 7:05 p.m. face-offs on Friday and Saturday. This Hockey East/CHA match-up will count in the Commissioner's Cup Series.
The Warriors snapped a 12-game winless streak with a 4-3 victory at Air Force last Friday behind a goal and an assist each from Mike Forgie and Jon Grabarek.
WSU scored the final four goals (in less than 12 minutes) of Saturday's game, but could not overcome a 7-2 deficit in falling to the host Falcons 7-6. Stavros Paskaris and Nate Higgins each scored twice for Wayne State.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Bill Wilkinson is in his seventh season as Wayne State's head coach and his 24th year as a collegiate head coach. Wilkinson's overall record stands at 409-409-73, while his mark at WSU is 96-108-20.
Merrimack bench boss Mark Dennehy is in his first season with the Warriors.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS
Wayne State trails the all-time series 1-2-0 which includes a split in North Andover, Mass., last year.
Merrimack won 4-1 in the 2002 championship game of the Rensselaer Holiday Hockey tournament behind 36 saves by Joe Exter.
Wayne State was a 5-1 victor on Oct. 22, 2004, at MC. Jason Baclig led WSU with a goal and two assists as the Warriors from Detroit scored three ppg.
Merrimack won 5-4 the next night scoring the final three goals of the contest.
IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was tabbed for third in College Hockey America, while Merrimack was selected 10th in the Hockey East Coaches Pre-Season Poll.
ON THIS DATE
WSU is 1-0 all-time on Dec. 9 after a 1-0 victory over AIC in 2000. Marc Carlson made 17 saves for his only collegiate shutout.
Wayne State is 1-1-0 all-time on Dec. 10. WSU had a 7-3 victory at AIC in 1999, but lost 5-1 at home to Union in 2004.
SCOUTING MERRIMACK
The Warriors are 1-2-0 in their last three games after starting the season 3-7-0. Freshman forward Rob Ricci leads MC in assists (8) and points (11). Senior forward Matt Johnson leads the team in goals (6) and power-play goals (5).
Junior Jim Healey (4-5-2, 3.08, .903) has started 11 games, while freshman Patrick Watson (0-2-0, 2.61, .918) started the other two contests.
Merrimack's power play has scored 12 times in 78 chances (15.4%), while the penalty-killing units have allowed 18 goals in 110 opportunities (83.6%).
WSU CAPTAINS
WSU ASSISTANT CAPTAINS
Jason Bloomingburg, Mark Cannon, Steve Kovalchik
NOTES
The two-goal outing on Saturday for Stavros Paskaris and Nate Higgins marked the first career multiple-goal game for both Warriors.
Paskaris has six goals in his last five games against Air Force.
The six goals for Wayne State was the most since a 6-4 win over Bemidji State on Nov. 23, 2004, in Plymouth, Mich.
Jason Baclig had a personal-best three assists in Saturday's game.
WSU scored 10 goals in the two games at Air Force after scoring 11 goals in its previous six games.
Wayne State has its second home series of the season this weekend hosting Merrimack in a battle of the Warriors.
WSU scored two extra-attacker goals on Saturday. One on a delayed penalty and the other late in the third period during the Warriors four-goal rally.
Wayne State is 1-4-1 when scoring first and 0-5-1 when the opponent scores first.
The Warriors have allowed a man-advantage marker in 11 of 12 games this season and two power-play goals in each of the last four contests.
The 44 shots on goal allowed in Saturday's setback at Air Force was a season-high for WSU.
Friday's win at Air Force snapped a 12-game winless streak (0-10-2) since a 4-0 victory over Alabama-Huntsville on March 5 of last season.
Despite being outscored 52-25 this season, WSU holds an 11-10 advantage in the first period.
Steve Kovalchik had his second multiple-assist game of the season on Saturday.
Paskaris has five points on three goals and two assists in the last four games since returning to the lineup.
