March 3, 2007

Box Score

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Sophomore defenseman Matt Taormina (Washington Township, Mich.) scored the game-winning goal at 2:09 of the third period to lift the Providence College men's hockey team to a 2-1 win over Merrimack in the regular season finale Saturday night at the Lawler Arena in North Andover, Mass. It marked the Friars' first three-game winning streak this season as they finished the regular season with a 10-21-3 overall record, including a 9-15-3 mark in league play. Merrimack concludes the season with a 3-27-1 overall record and a 3-22-2 mark in Hockey East action.

The Friars, seeded No. 8 in the Hockey East Playoffs, will play top seed New Hampshire in a best-of-three Hockey East Quarterfinal series beginning on Thursday, March 8 at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H.

The Friars used the power play to take a 1-0 first period lead. Freshman John Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.) pounced on a rebound at the right side of the net and lifted a wrist shot past Merrimack goalie Jim Healey at 14:24. It marked Cavanagh's first collegiate goal as senior Chase Watson (Media, Pa.) and sophomore Cody Wild (North Providence, R.I.) were credited with the assists. The Warriors tied the game at 10:35 of the second period when Justin Bonitatibus scored from in close. Derek Pallardy and David Burkholder assisted on the goal.

Taormina's goal came off a rebound as he was able to tuck the puck past Healey for his fifth goal of the season. In goal, junior Tyler Sims (Grand Blanc, Mich.) finished with 24 saves to earn his seventh win of the season. Healey recorded 29 stops for Merrimack.