NORTH ANDOVER - Brandon Brodhag's final year of junior hockey eligibility was nearing its end. The talented winger didn't have any college program offering him after he had scored 62 goals in his two years in the North American Hockey League.
Then entered Merrimack College.
The Warriors offered Brodhag a scholarship at nearly the last minute.The Minnesotan accepted.
Brodhag netted a goal and added an assist to help Merrimack beat 12th-ranked Boston College, 5-3, yesterday at the Lawler Arena.
He also scored two points against Boston College on Friday.
The Warriors improved to 5-3 and 5-0 at home.
"I had a lot of schools with interest but none willing to pull the trigger," said Brodhag, who gave his commitment April 20th. "I came for a visit here and I liked the campus and Merrimack was willing to give me a spot."
Brodhag's options would have been slim if Merrimack did not offer him.
He could have played professional in the minor leagues or attempted to walk on to a college team.
"We came into some money and liked Brandon," said head coach Mark Dennehy. "He obviously knows how to find the back of the net. We had good conversations with some coaches in that league and others who had seen him play. And, he's from Minnesota; there aren't nicer people."
Brodhag is one of three freshmen to have an impressive start this season.
The freshmen could be Merrimack's best recruit class since going Division 1.
Stephane Da Costa is getting looks from a large number of NHL teams. Kyle Bigos was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers (4th round) last summer.
Now Brodhag now has emerged as a talent on a line flanking Da Costa on the right-wing side.
Freshman Rob Morton led the Eastern Junior Hockey League in goals (36) last season but hasn't seen the ice due to injury. Freshman John Heffernan, a former B.C. High product, was fourth in the EJHL in scoring last season.
"(Brodhag) made some one-on-one moves with the puck that show you he knows what he's doing," said Dennehy. "He finds the back of the net. You can't ask for anything more."
Defending home ice
Yesterday was Merrimack's first win over the Eagles in 22 tries (0-20-2).
"Obviously a win like this, upsetting a team like Boston College, is always great," said Brodhag. "This is a big win for us."
Best of seven
Dennehy has split his team's entire season into a series of seven-game series, mirroring the NHL playoffs.
"If you win every best-of-seven, you'll have a lot of wins by the end of the year," said the fifth-year head coach.
Merrimack won its first series 4-2, which victories over Holy Cross, Army, seventh-ranked Vermont and UConn. Their second series started on Friday with a 4-3 loss to BC, but a win yesterday evens it.
If Merrimack were to win ever series 4-3, their record at the end of the season would be approximately 18-14-2, which would be by far the most since joining Division 1 and Hockey East.
Goals, goals, goals
Merrimack's 30 goals in eight games leads Hockey East by a wide margin - the next closest teams — Maine, Providence and UMass Lowell — all have 21.
The Warriors have scored 10 goals against teams ranked in the top-15 in two wins (5-2 win over Vermont and 5-3 win over Boston College).
"That speaks to our depth," said Dennehy. "We're more talented than we have been, we have more skill, but we are deeper, too. Our skill runs deep down our roster."
Whitney given the gate
Reading's Joe Whitney was handed a game misconduct late in the second period after cross checking Merrimack's Elliott Sheen from behind.
Whitney is BC's leading scorer and a fixture on the power play.
"It was a dumb penalty," said head coach Jerry York. "Not much else you can say."
BC struggled much of the game at the bottom of the circles, where Merrimack dominated the Eagles younger defensemen and scored three goals in the second period.
"I was disappointed that we got outplayed down by our own net the way we did," York said. "Give credit to that Merrimack team, though. We limited their chances but they took advantage of the ones they had: three goals on six shots in the second period."
Kreider goes for a ride
Former Phillips Andover star Chris Kreider, who was drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers in June, was sent spinning in the first period by a huge Kyle Bigos hit. Bigos, who stands at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, leveled the Boxford resident as he attempted to cut to the middle.
"He's a bit¬ woozy," said York. "It was a mistake a lot of younger players make. He cut to the middle but left himself exposed."
Merrimack 5, No. 12 Boston College 3
at Lawler Arena, Merrimack College
Boston College (2-2-0, 1-2-0 HE):¬ 1-0-2—3
Merrimack College (5-3-0, 2-1-0, HE):¬ 1-3-1—5
First Period: 1. BC Ben Smith 3 (Brian Gibbons, Chris Kreider), ppg, 4:39; 2. MC John Jamieson 2 (Elliott Sheen, Chris Barton), 5:24.
Second Period: 3. MC Stephane Da Costa 6 (Brandon Brodhag, Jeff Velleca) 4:08; 4. MC Chris Barton 7 (J.C. Robitaille, Pat Bowen), 5:39; 5. MC Brandon Brodhag 2 (Simon Demers, Joe Cucci), ppg, 17:54.
Third Period: 6. MC Jeff Velleca (Stephane Da Costa), 0:22; 7. BC Brian Gibbons 2 (Ben Smith, Paul Carey), 3:41; 8. BC. Jimmy Hayes 2 (Carl Sneep, Brian Gibbons), ppg, 11:30.
Shots: Merrimack 10-6-12—28; Boston College 10-7-15—32
Saves: MC Braithwaite (3-1-0) 9-7-13—29; BC Muse (1-2-0) 9-3-11—23
Power play: Merrimack 1 for 3; Boston College 2 for 7
Attendance: 2,660
Next: Hosts Boston University Nov. 13, 7 p.m.
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