LOWELL — Jesse Todd started the season on the bench while his transcript was still being approved by the NCAA.
After missing one game, the freshman power forward from Calgary eventually earned a spot on the top line for Merrimack College.
In last night's 3-2 loss to UMass Lowell, the Warriors' ninth one-goal loss of the season, Todd was one of the two goal-scorers.
He faked out Carter Hutton (28 saves), going to his backhand to make the junior goaltender drop to the ice, and then roofed a shot to the right on his forehand.
It was Todd's fifth goal of the year, and third in his last four games.
"He's a good hockey player," said head coach Mark Dennehy, whose team fell to 5-13-2 on the season. "He's a versatile kid, really a jack of all trades. We've played him at center, at the wing, on the penalty kill, and on the power play. He can play in a bunch of different situations.
"He protects the puck and because of that, he can buy himself some more time to get his linemates open. You usually don't see that from a freshman."
Todd's progression as a rookie has been similar to that of former Warrior Matt Jones, who left the program after his sophomore year to sign a contract with the San Jose Sharks.
"I hope he doesn't take the same path, because I'd like to have him for four years," Dennehy said. "I don't know if he skates as well as Matt did, but he uses his body similarly. He keeps the defensemen at bay with his size (6-2, 190). Sometimes it doesn't look like he's moving that fast, but then all of a sudden he's by you."
Along with striking similarities in their play, both Jones and Todd began their rookie seasons on the third line.
"I've always been a second-half player, at least that's what coaches tell me," Todd said. "I'm starting to feel more comfortable now. The game gets a little easier as you get used to things. You start to learn your linemates."
Todd has skated alongside captain Rob Ricci for the past four games, scoring three goals and an assist.
"We're starting to learn tendencies," Todd said. "Reech likes to carry the puck in the zone and wait for me to come to him; we create a lot of plays like that. I try to use my size to get in position for him to feed me pucks, and at the same time, I'm going to try to open up some space for him to do his thing, because he's a real talented player."
Todd is no stranger to top linemates. Last season with the Camrose Kodiaks, one of the top teams in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Todd skated on the wing of Joe Colborne, the Boston Bruins' first-round pick in last June's NHL Draft. Todd netted 35 goals with the Kodiaks and his former center, Colborne, is now a freshman with the University of Denver.
"I just want to start getting some W's now," he said. "These one-goal losses are tough to swallow."
UMass Lowell 3, Merrimack 2
at Tsongas Arena, Lowell
Merrimack (5-13-2, 2-11-2 HE):................................................1-0-1—2
UMass Lowell (10-12-0, 7-8-0 HE):...........................................0-1-2—3
First Period: 1. MC Jesse Todd 5 (Adam Ross), 10:52.
Second Period: 2. UML Jeremy Dehner 1 (Maury Edwards), ppg, 7:56.
Third Period: 3. MC Jeff Velleca 2 (Karl Stollery, Rob Ricci), 3:50; 4. Jeremy Dehner 2 (unassisted), 4:38; 5. UML Michael Budd 4 (Nick Shaus, David Vallorani), ppg, 11:40.
Shots: Merrimack 12-10-7—29; Lowell 5-12-18—35
Saves: MC Cannata (3-5-3) 5-11-16—32; ML Hutton (4-6-0) 11-10-6—27
Power plays: Merrimack 0 for 4 (6 shots); Lowell 2 for 6 (12 shots)
Attendance: 2,840
Next: Hosts UMass Lowell Saturday, 7 p.m.
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