Merrimack College’s ice hockey team put its starting goaltender pretty deep on the bench this week.
The Division I hockey program has student manager Spencer Marquis set to play against Stonehill on Sunday. Marquis was just getting started as a manager, as Sunday was supposed to be his first official game on the equipment staff.
However, starting goaltender Max Lundgren was suspended by the NCAA for playing in one minor pro game in Sweden before enrolling, leaving the team with a big hole at that position. Backup goaltender Nils Wahlstrom has struggled with injuries, and third-stringer Ryan Keyes, who had been expected to start, suddenly found himself facing NCAA eligibility issues.
So Merrimack needed Marquis’ services in the net, not in the laundry room.
The senior stepped in and made an impressive 22 saves against Merrimack in his first NCAA game en route to a narrow 3-2 loss.
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The Merrimack Warriors raise their sticks before a game against the Boston University Terriers on Dec. 1, 2023, at Roller Rink in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Richard T. Gagnon/Getty Images)
“It wasn’t the result we wanted, but it was a dream come true for me,” he said. “It was the craziest 48 hours of my life,” Marquis said after the game, via Mac Report. “All kids grow up dreaming of playing college hockey. The opportunity I was given was a little different than most, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Marquis last played hockey at Brunswick High School in 2020, and he didn’t even get a chance to practice with Merrimack at the start.
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Merrimack was forced to get creative during the game. (St. Petersburg)
“I’m happy to be a part of it,” he said. “They knew I was a goalie in high school and they said I might have to dress in reserve, and they said I might have to start. It all happened really quickly.”
Despite the loss, he made a series of clutch saves to give his team a chance to win in regulation. However, they allowed the tying goal with 8.9 seconds left, and in overtime, Stonehill’s Devlin O’Brien scored the winning goal.
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Merrimack Warriors head coach Scott Bolek stands behind the bench during a game against the Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks at the Tsongas Center on November 18, 2023 in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Richard T. Gagnon/Getty Images)
Still, Merrimack coach Scott Bolek praised the performance after the game.
“Spencer played great,” Borek said. “He gave us a chance to win hockey games. I feel so bad for him. He played so hard and came out of nowhere to do it for us. I feel so bad for him. He deserved to win the hockey game, and we couldn’t do it for him.”
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