BOSTON — There are storylines that don't make a lot of sense.
Take Merrimack, for instance, which finished dead last in the Hockey East standings for five consecutive seasons from 2004-05 through 2008-09. The program was so bad that fans of the league suggested replacing the Warriors with another New England school, like UConn, Yale or Quinnipiac.
That logic is laughable now, as Merrimack defeated New Hampshire, 4-1, Friday night in the Hockey East semifinals at the Garden. As a result, the Warriors will play in their first ever championship game Saturday, taking on a budding college hockey dynasty in Boston College.
The historic turnaround has captivated college hockey supporters, especially Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna, who attended Merrimack's quarterfinal series against Boston University and is thinking about following them to their assigned location in the NCAA tournament.
"I think it's a great story, and I'm also very fond of [Merrimack coach] Mark Dennehy," Bertagna said. "It's a great story, and it's almost been wire to wire [this season]. … I think it's terrific."
It's no fluke, either. Merrimack has a legitimate chance to make even more history Saturday, and it's already guaranteed its first NCAA tournament berth since 1988, which is far and away the league's longest drought.
"We're excited," said Merrimack junior goalie Joe Cannata, who made 30 saves against UNH. "It's something we've worked for since we came here, and that's why we committed here, to change the culture of this program, get to the Garden and get to this championship game."
The Warriors shook off a slow start and a 1-0 deficit on Friday, but midway through the first period, they really owned the ice against a much more experienced UNH team. They took the lead for good with Elliott Sheen's goal at 16:15 of the first period, and they started to celebrate when Mike Collins made it 3-1 at 14:11 of the final frame.
After the final buzzer, the Warriors celebrated in deserving fashion, understanding that they accomplished something special.
"Our main goal was to get to the Garden, and sure enough, we did," said Sheen, who added an empty-netter in the final seconds. "Just getting here now, it's really not going to hit us until [Saturday], I think."
Merrimack still has to temper that excitement. It will take on BC, the defending national champion and a team that is consistently unfazed by the environment. But the fact that the Warriors will play in Hockey East's final game is already quite the accomplishment.
"The storyline is about the players," Dennehy said. "It's about these guys, and they deserve a shot at the title. It's something that was on our list of goals, so I'm happiest for them.
"It's very humbling to see how hard these guys work on a daily basis, so I am truly happy that they are going to have the opportunity to play for a championship."
