Telegraph photo by TOM KING Merrimack's Zach Stimeling tries to maneuver past Alvirne-Milford's Saige Paradise during the Tomahawks' 7-0 victory on Wednesday at Manchester's West Side Arena. Stimeling had a hat trick, including his 50th career goal and 100th career point.

MANCHESTER – Zach Stimeling was a little nervous before Wednesday’s Division II clash between his Merrimack High School boys hockey team and local rival Alvirne-Milford.

As he should be, because his next goal would be the 50th of his high school career and 100th career point. Stimeling shook off the nerves and wasted no time, scoring the first of his three goals just 2:38 into a 7-0 win at West Side Arena.

“Today was definitely a big milestone,” said the senior captain Stimeling, who ended up with a hat trick along with junior teammate Dom Carozza. “It was funny, everyone before the game told me if I scored I was going to hit 100 points. I kept telling them, just let me play my game, once I score, it was going to be a big monkey off my back.”

And then the Tomahawks settled in and dominated the Admirals, especially in the final two periods, to improve to 4-1 with a fourth straight win.

Stimeling’s goal set the tone, much to the chagrin of Admirals coach Dave Thibeault, whose young team has now been outscored 11-0 in its last two games to fall to 2-4.

He knew a bit of what his team was in for.

“(Stimeling) scored his 50th career goal today so we knew he was going to be a big player to watch,” he said. “Honestly, for us it came down to turnovers, which is what we’re trying to limit in our zone. Three of those goals came off of turnovers, and that’s the message, if we can limit our turnovers,we at least have a chance.”

But the Tomahawks also scored two shorthanded goals, which was a sign that didn’t happen. But Stimeling’s goal got the ‘Hawks started in a big way.

“Absolutely,” Tomahawks coach Dan Belliveau said. “It’s something that a kid like him strives for and dreams about. To get it like that, first goal for your team, it sets the tone. We’ve got a lot of bodies this year, it was nice to skate the way we like to skate.”

Stimeling’s milestone goal was assisted by Jason De Beacourt. The senior captain, as well as Carozza, then fed freshman Kyle Dunn at 13:47 of the first period for a 2-0 Tomahawks lead. Merrimack has 11 freshmen, and Stimeling knows their success is a key.

“We are very young, we have 11 freshmen this year,” Stimeling said. “What’s good is they can all keep up with the pace of the game. And that is crucial.

“And when the freshmen have that insane drive, it’s going to pick everyone else up.”

It did just that, as the ‘Hawks made it 5-0 after two periods, with two more Stimeling goals and the first of Carozza’s three, both of them scoring shorthanded.

Stimeling and Carozza have formed a formidable duo.

“They have great chemistry together, and they make smart hockey plays together,” Belliveau said. “Dom plays a similar game in that he plays all 200 feet,doing a great job defensively, while also possessing the skills to score.”

And to prove it, Carozza added two more third period goals, with assists from Evan Roy and Andrew Frothingham (both had two on the day). Owen Sadowski also had an assist for Merrimack, while netminder Ben Hardy had 14 saves, half of them in the first period.King finished with 31 stops for the Admirals.

“The depth is definitely helping us,” Belliveau said. “And not only that, the kids’ attitude at practice, because they’re working so hard. The challenge will be to keep focused like that.”

They just need to follow Stimeling’s lead.

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