Sacred Heart Stands Tall Against No. 20 Merrimack Until Third-Period Breakdown Ends Upset Bid

J.J. Pavlick | Fairfield, Conn. | October 2, 2026

Ajeet Gundarah’s stellar afternoon and a strong second-period response carried Sacred Heart into the third period tied against a nationally-ranked Merrimack squad, but a costly turnover and untimely penalties ultimately proved the difference in a 3-1 preseason setback at Martire Family Arena.

Fairfield-Sacred Heart spent the better part of Friday afternoon answering one of the most important questions facing any team entering a new season: can it hold its own against elite competition?

For forty minutes against No. 20 Merrimack, the answer appeared to be yes. After surviving an opening-period onslaught behind the play of goaltender Ajeet Gundarah, the Pioneers steadily found their footing, established pressure below the goal line, generated a power-play equalizer and entered the third period tied against a program expected to contend near the top of Hockey East. A neutral-zone turnover and a late penalty ultimately tilted the game in Merrimack’s favor, but Sacred Heart’s 3-1 exhibition loss revealed considerably more promise than the final score suggests.

Gundarah Refuses to Let the Game Get Away

Before Sacred Heart could discover anything about its forward combinations, special teams structure, or offensive identity, the Pioneers first had to survive an opening period that belonged almost entirely to Merrimack.

From the opening faceoff, the Warriors established the pace of the game. Their forecheck arrived with purpose, their puck support through the neutral zone was crisp, and they consistently forced Sacred Heart defenders into rushed decisions under pressure. Exit attempts that normally become transition opportunities instead turned into extended defensive-zone shifts as Merrimack repeatedly recycled pucks below the goal line and worked them back toward dangerous areas around the slot. By the midpoint of the period, the shot clock was heavily tilted in the Warriors’ favor, but the territorial advantage was even more telling than the numbers themselves. Sacred Heart was spending too much time defending and not enough time dictating where the game was being played.

That reality could have produced a multi-goal hole if not for the player occupying the blue paint at the opposite end of the sheet.

Ajeet Gundarah was the single biggest reason the game remained manageable through twenty minutes. The veteran netminder turned aside 14 of the 15 shots he faced in the opening frame, but the save total alone fails to capture the quality of his work. Merrimack generated traffic around the crease, attacked from sharp angles, put pucks to the net from the points, and looked for second-chance opportunities around loose rebounds. Throughout it all, Gundarah remained composed. He tracked pucks cleanly through layers of bodies, controlled rebounds when opportunities presented themselves and forced Merrimack shooters to earn every inch of net they were attempting to expose. Several of the Warriors’ best opportunities never became true scoring chances because the initial save was followed immediately by Gundarah smothering the rebound before anyone could attack it.

The lone breakthrough arrived at 15:07 when Jacob Frasca redirected a puck in front of the net following sustained offensive-zone pressure. It was a goal created through persistence rather than defensive negligence. Merrimack had earned momentum throughout the period and eventually converted it into a lead, but even then the scoreboard remained favorable to Sacred Heart considering how the first fifteen minutes had unfolded. A one-goal game left room for adjustments. A two- or three-goal deficit would have fundamentally changed both the strategy and psychology of the afternoon.

What made Gundarah’s performance significant was not simply the saves themselves. It was what those saves allowed Sacred Heart to do afterward. Because the deficit remained at only one goal, the coaching staff could focus on correcting structure rather than chasing offense. Players could remain patient within the system rather than attempting low-percentage plays to force a comeback. The game remained within reach, and that distinction became increasingly important once Sacred Heart found its footing after intermission.

The second period would eventually belong to the Pioneers in a way the first never did. That opportunity only existed because their goaltender prevented a difficult opening twenty minutes from becoming a disastrous one.

Sacred Heart’s Pushback Changed the Game

Whatever was said inside the Sacred Heart dressing room during the first intermission translated almost immediately onto the ice. The frantic, reactive hockey that defined much of the opening period was replaced by a far more organized and aggressive approach, allowing the Pioneers to establish the type of territorial game that had been completely absent during the first twenty minutes. Rather than attempting difficult exits under pressure or settling for low-percentage clears, Sacred Heart began moving pucks with greater purpose through the neutral zone, creating cleaner entries and forcing Merrimack to defend on its heels.

The change was evident long before it appeared on the scoreboard. Shifts became longer in the offensive zone. Retrievals that had belonged to Merrimack in the opening period were suddenly turning into second and third opportunities for Sacred Heart. Defensemen became increasingly active, joining the rush and pinching along the walls, allowing the Pioneers to sustain pressure rather than watching possessions die after a single shot attempt. The Warriors spent much of the first period dictating where the game was played. During the second, that control began to shift.

The Eye Test Showed

The numbers reinforced the eye test. After generating only three shots in the opening frame, Sacred Heart produced twelve in the second period and repeatedly challenged Merrimack’s defensive structure with traffic around the net and pressure below the goal line. More importantly, those opportunities were being generated from dangerous areas. Jack Hillier struck the post less than twenty seconds into the period, providing an early indication that the Pioneers had no intention of spending another twenty minutes defending. Later in the frame, Christian Chouha found iron as well, while several extended offensive-zone possessions forced Merrimack into the kind of defensive work it had largely avoided during the first period.

Aiden VanRooyan was among the most noticeable players driving that change. The defenseman finished the afternoon with four shots on goal, but his impact extended beyond the scoresheet. He repeatedly activated into offensive sequences as a second wave option, helping maintain possession and forcing Merrimack’s forwards to account for an additional threat. Those activations were particularly important because they prevented the Warriors from loading numbers against Sacred Heart’s forwards and allowed the Pioneers to create offense from multiple points on the ice. When defensemen are confident enough to join attacks without compromising structure, it is often a sign that a team has settled into its game.

By the midpoint of the second period, the matchup bore little resemblance to the one-sided contest that unfolded before the first intermission. Sacred Heart was winning more puck battles, creating cleaner looks off the cycle and forcing Merrimack to spend significant time defending in its own zone. Against a nationally ranked Hockey East opponent, that development carried real significance. The Pioneers were no longer surviving the game. They were influencing it, and the equalizer that eventually arrived felt less like an upset of the run of play and more like a deserved reward for a period spent steadily tilting the ice in their favor.

The Buttazzoni Brothers Provide an Early Glimpse

By the time Sacred Heart finally broke through in the second period, the momentum shift had been building for nearly fifteen minutes.

What began as a game dominated by Merrimack had evolved into a far different contest. The Pioneers were winning more puck battles, spending longer stretches in the offensive zone and forcing the Warriors to defend rather than attack. The equalizing goal eventually arrived at 13:58 of the second period, but it felt more like the culmination of sustained pressure than a sudden breakthrough.

Appropriately, the play belonged to two players Sacred Heart will likely depend upon throughout the season.

Working on the power play, Vitaly Levyy directed a puck toward the front of the net, where traffic had begun to accumulate around the crease. Diego Buttazzoni never lost sight of the play. As the puck dropped into a scrum at the top of the blue paint, he reacted first, won the race to the rebound, and buried it past Merrimack goaltender Linards Feldbergs to knot the game at one. The secondary assist went to his brother, Mirko Buttazzoni, placing both names on the scoresheet during the most important offensive sequence of the afternoon.

What It Showed and Why It Matters

The significance extended beyond a preseason goal; it showed signs of what this duo can bring to SHU as it makes a run for its 3rd conference title and NCAA birth.

Sacred Heart lacked offensive consistency at times a season ago and entered this campaign looking for players capable of creating offense in critical moments. Diego’s finish showcased the type of scoring instincts that cannot be taught. The rebound arrived in a congested area with defenders collapsing toward the crease, yet he located the puck instantly and converted before Merrimack could react. Those are the types of goals every successful program needs from its top forwards because they are generated through awareness, anticipation, and a willingness to operate in difficult areas of the ice.

Mirko‘s contribution was equally important, even if it was less visible on the scoresheet. Throughout the second period, Sacred Heart’s strongest offensive shifts came when forwards moved pucks decisively and supported one another below the hashmarks rather than attacking as individuals. The sequence that produced the goal embodied that approach. Instead of searching for the perfect play, the Pioneers repeatedly funneled pucks toward dangerous areas and trusted their skill players to create chaos around the crease.

For a Sacred Heart team searching for offensive identity heading into the regular season, there was something fitting about the tying goal arriving through effort, positioning, and execution in front of the net rather than a highlight-reel individual play. Against one of the better defensive teams on the schedule, the Pioneers generated offense the same way winning hockey teams generate offense throughout the season: by getting bodies to the crease, creating traffic and capitalizing on loose pucks when opportunities appear. The names attached to the goal happened to be Diego and Mirko Buttazzoni. The larger takeaway was that Sacred Heart’s most dangerous offensive sequence of the afternoon came from playing direct, hard-nosed hockey in the areas of the ice where games are often decided.

Merrimack Capitalized on the Mistake Sacred Heart Could Not Afford

For all the positive work Sacred Heart accomplished over the final forty minutes, the difference between competing with a nationally ranked opponent and defeating one ultimately came down to game management.

By the start of the third period, the Pioneers had successfully erased the effects of a difficult opening frame. They had adjusted to Merrimack’s pace, established a stronger forecheck, generated sustained offensive-zone pressure, and climbed back into the game through a second-period power-play goal. More importantly, the contest had settled into the type of tight, structured hockey game where a single mistake often determines the outcome.

That mistake arrived at 3:14 into the final period; while it is a preseason game, this is a mistake in the AHA or against bigger clubs that can cost you 3 points in the standings.

Anatomy of The Turnover

A turnover through the neutral zone immediately handed Merrimack the transition opportunity it had struggled to generate during much of the second period. Frasca needed little invitation. The Warriors forward jumped on the loose puck, created separation, and finished the breakaway chance to restore Merrimack’s lead. The goal was clinically executed, but from Sacred Heart’s perspective the more significant issue was how the opportunity originated. After spending the better part of a period limiting dangerous chances and forcing Merrimack to work for its offense, the Pioneers surrendered a Grade-A look without requiring the Warriors to establish possession inside the offensive zone.

That distinction matters against teams of Merrimack’s caliber. Throughout the second period, Sacred Heart demonstrated that it could compete effectively when the game was played within its structure. Merrimack’s offense became considerably less dangerous when it was forced to attack against an organized defensive posture and navigate traffic through the neutral zone. The turnover removed those obstacles entirely, allowing one of the Warriors’ most dangerous forwards to attack open ice with speed and time.

The goal altered the complexion of the remainder of the game. Instead of continuing to trade chances in a one-goal contest, Sacred Heart was once again forced into pursuit mode against an experienced Hockey East opponent comfortable protecting a lead. The Pioneers continued to battle, but the margin for error had largely disappeared. Against quality teams, those moments are often the difference between a competitive performance and a winning one, and Merrimack proved adept at taking full advantage when the opportunity presented itself.

Discipline Must Improve Before Games Count

The turnover that produced Merrimack’s second goal forced Sacred Heart into chase mode. The penalties that followed made the climb significantly steeper.

While the Pioneers finished the afternoon with only a one-for-five mark against them on the penalty kill, that statistic fails to capture how much time Merrimack spent controlling the final period with the man advantage. Every trip to the penalty box removed valuable minutes from Sacred Heart’s comeback effort and allowed the Warriors to dictate pace, possession, and territory during the most important stage of the game. Instead of building momentum through sustained offensive-zone pressure, the Pioneers repeatedly found themselves defending against a skilled power-play unit capable of moving the puck quickly and creating traffic in front of Gundarah.

The issue was not merely the number of penalties but when they occurred. Sacred Heart entered the third period tied against a nationally ranked opponent and remained within one goal after Frasca’s breakaway marker. Under those circumstances, every shift carried increased importance. The Pioneers needed to spend the remainder of the period applying pressure, establishing possession, and forcing Merrimack to defend. Instead, much of their energy was devoted to killing penalties and protecting their own end of the ice.

The Reality

That reality finally caught up to them during Bernardo’s cross-checking minor at 16:42. Merrimack needed only nineteen seconds to capitalize, moving the puck efficiently before Pierre finished the opportunity to extend the lead to 3-1. The sequence effectively ended any realistic path back into the game, not because the deficit became insurmountable, but because the Warriors were once again able to play from a position of control rather than being forced to withstand sustained pressure from a desperate opponent.

For a coaching staff reviewing the tape, that sequence may prove just as instructive as the turnover that led to the game-winning goal. Sacred Heart demonstrated throughout the second period that it could compete with Merrimack when play remained at five-on-five and the game was dictated by structure, forechecking pressure, and puck management. The challenge moving forward will be ensuring those opportunities are not undercut by avoidable penalties that hand momentum and possession back to the opposition. Against quality teams, particularly in close games, disciplined hockey is often less about avoiding the penalty box and more about preserving opportunities to play on your own terms.

The Bigger Picture

Exhibition games rarely provide definitive answers, but they often reveal where a team stands entering the final stages of preparation for the regular season. Sacred Heart left Friday with a clearer understanding of both its strengths and the areas requiring immediate refinement.

Gundarah delivered the type of performance expected from a goaltender capable of stealing games over the course of a season. The power play generated results and showed encouraging chemistry. The Buttazzoni brothers combined on the tying goal. VanRooyan was active throughout the afternoon, while the Pioneers matched Merrimack in the faceoff circle despite spending much of the opening period under pressure. Most notably, after being overwhelmed during the first twenty minutes, Sacred Heart spent the next two periods proving it could compete with a nationally ranked Hockey East program when the game settled into a structured, five-on-five battle.

Pre-Season Frustration

The frustrations from Friday are equally apparent. Neutral-zone puck management directly influenced the game-winning goal, while untimely penalties prevented the Pioneers from building momentum during the final minutes. Against experienced teams, particularly those capable of capitalizing on mistakes as efficiently as Merrimack, those details often determine the outcome long before the final horn sounds.

Yet buried beneath the disappointment of a preseason loss was a far more encouraging reality for Sacred Heart. After being outshot 15-3 in the opening period, the Pioneers did not fold, unravel, or spend the remainder of the afternoon hanging on for survival. They adjusted, responded, and forced one of the better teams on their schedule to earn every inch of ice over the final forty minutes. That resilience, combined with the flashes of offensive creativity and disciplined structure that emerged after the first intermission, may ultimately prove more valuable than the result itself as Sacred Heart turns its attention toward the games that count.