Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey
Encyclopedia
The Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Merrimack College
. Merrimack has the smallest enrollment of any Division I college hockey program. The Warriors are a member of Hockey East
. They play at the 3,000-seat J. Thom Lawler Arena in North Andover, Massachusetts
, which underwent a major renovation in 2010.
The program struggled in the highly competitive Hockey East, and their record was compared to the championship drought of the Boston Red Sox
. The 2006–07 season, in which they won only 3 games, was the nadir of their struggles. In the 2010–11 season, however, they had unprecedented success against several of the nation's top teams. They finished the regular season 22-8-4 and were ranked 9th in the nation. Merrimack gained a home ice advantage for the first round for the first time since 1997.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Merrimack College
Merrimack College
Merrimack College is an independent college in the Roman Catholic, Augustinian tradition located in North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers undergraduate degrees in business, education, science, engineering, and the liberal arts...
. Merrimack has the smallest enrollment of any Division I college hockey program. The Warriors are a member of Hockey East
Hockey East
Hockey East Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference....
. They play at the 3,000-seat J. Thom Lawler Arena in North Andover, Massachusetts
North Andover, Massachusetts
North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. North Andover is the home of Merrimack College, a private, Catholic four-year institution ....
, which underwent a major renovation in 2010.
History
Merrimack first had an ice hockey team in 1956. They were successful in the late 1970s and early 1980s while playing in the ECAC division II. Merrimack won the division II national title in 1978 and were the runner up in 1984. They became a division I independent team in 1984 but did not play predominantly a schedule against predominantly division 1 teams until they joined the Hockey East conference in 1989.The program struggled in the highly competitive Hockey East, and their record was compared to the championship drought of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. The 2006–07 season, in which they won only 3 games, was the nadir of their struggles. In the 2010–11 season, however, they had unprecedented success against several of the nation's top teams. They finished the regular season 22-8-4 and were ranked 9th in the nation. Merrimack gained a home ice advantage for the first round for the first time since 1997.
Alumni who have played in the NHL
- Greg ClassenGreg ClassenGreg Classen is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently under contract to Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career :...
, Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Mark CornforthMark CornforthMark Cornforth is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played six regular season games for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, during the 1995–96 NHL season. He scored no points and collected four penalty minutes.-External links:...
, Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... - Stéphane Da CostaStéphane Da CostaStéphane Da Costa is a French ice hockey player currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . A forward, Da Costa was the 2010 winner of the Hockey Commissioners’ Association and the Hockey East Rookie of the Year awards. He played college hockey at Merrimack College...
, Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - Matt FoyMatt FoyMatthew Foy is an Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a Free Agent. He most recently played for the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, Minnesota WildMinnesota WildThe Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... - Jim HrivnakJim HrivnakJames Hrivnak is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender.Selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1986 NHL Draft, Hrivnak played parts of four seasons with the Capitals before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Rick Tabaracci. He would also play for the St. Louis Blues.-External...
, Washington CapitalsWashington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, Winnipeg Jets, and St. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... - John JakopinJohn JakopinJohn Jakopin is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks...
, Florida PanthersFlorida PanthersThe Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
, Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, and San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Steve McKennaSteve McKennaSteve McKenna is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played both defense and left wing. He was a veteran of eight seasons in the NHL.-Playing career:...
, Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... - Darrel ScovilleDarrel ScovilleDarrel Scoville is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for Austrian team EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga...
, Columbus Blue JacketsColumbus Blue JacketsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... - Jim VeseyJim VeseyJames Edward Vesey is a retired American ice hockey player.Drafted 155th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, he went to play eleven games for the Blues, scoring a goal and two assists. He signed with the Boston Bruins in 1991 and played four games for them, scoring no...
, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins