NORTH ANDOVER — The makeover is complete. Merrimack College and head hockey coach Mark Dennehy are just waiting to show off their new look.
A season that put the Warriors back on the Hockey East map finished a game short of what the Warriors would define as a coming-out party, falling in Game 3 of last week's quarterfinal series with Boston University.
But if one thing was established this season, it's that hockey on the small 2,000-student campus can survive, and even thrive.
No longer are their backroom whispers about a move to Atlantic Hockey or — gasp — dropping the program entirely.
And it's all because of a coach with a plan and a rookie nicknamed the "Parisian Warrior."
Mark Dennehy has been putting the foundation blocks in place for four years. The finishing touch has been a shifty center from Paris, France, Stephane Da Costa.
Most would have laughed or even ridiculed Dennehy in the early stages. Despite a three-win season his first year year on the job, he was content moving ahead with his plan.
Just two years removed from a season in which the Warriors finished with the worst offense in the country — perhaps the worst output ever with just 37 goals in 34 games — the Warriors had one of their best seasons as a Division 1 program to date.
Merrimack's 16 wins set a school Division 1 record, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in six seasons and finishing sixth in the league, the second-highest finish since joining the league. But more impressive, Merrimack was just two points out of third place and, for the first time since joining Hockey East, beat every team at least once.
"It was a great year," said junior Chris Barton. "Obviously it still stings, but we're able to look back and see that we accomplished a lot but we have to keep it up and top it next year. We can't take any steps back."
As Dennehy put the building blocks in place, he struck oil with Da Costa, who finished with 45 points in 34 games, won the league's Rookie of the Year, was named as a forward on the Second All-Star Team and was one of three finalists for Hockey East's Player of the Year.
"Obviously it was a good year, but we came up short in the playoffs," he said. "It would be more special if we won a championship. For me, I'd have to give a lot of credit to my linemates. It's all of us on the ice at once and everyone does something to come up with a goal."
This season was supposed to be just like the others. The Coaches picked the Warriors to finish last in the league and, once again, the Warriors were an afterthought.
But that was OK with this group. They rallied through the regular season and, by year's end, when the coaches voted for postseason awards, the Warriors were top priority. Along with Da Costa's numerous accolades, Dennehy was awarded the Coach of the Year trophy, along with UNH's Dick Umile.
"I would trade it for a championship any day of the week," he said. "And this is a staff award. You can't do this alone and Glenn (Stewart) and Phil (Roy) have earned as much of this as I have."
And with success comes challenges. Heading into next season, the Warriors are no longer a surprise that can sneak up on opponents.
"It's always been a process," Dennehy said. "There are things we have to do and have to be in order to be successful. We always have to be the hardest working team on the ice, always. And when we played well (this season), we were.
"I am forever indebted to our senior class for all they did to make this year what it was and for the hard work they did to get this program back on to stable ground."
With stable ground comes support from not only the Merrimack community, but the Warriors' peers in Hockey East.
"They have a lot more talent," said BU head coach Jack Parker. "They've always worked hard and they have always been tough to beat along the boards, chipping pucks, but now coming up ice they have some talent that you have to prepare for and pay attention to or else they'll beat you badly.
"When we drew Merrimack (in the Hockey East quarterfinals), I was afraid of them. They present a lot of problems."
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