Women's Ice Hockey Tripped Up at New Hampshire
Links: Box Score
DURHAM, N.H. – The Merrimack College women's ice hockey team was upended at New Hampshire in its second Hockey East game in as many days, as the Wildcats topped the Warriors by a score of 6-2 in New Hampshire on Saturday evening.
The Basics
Score: New Hampshire 6, Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (2-4, 1-1-0 HEA) | New Hampshire (1-5-0, 1-2-0 HEA)
Location: Whittemore Center| Durham, N.H.
How It Happened
- The Warriors kept the game tight in the opening period of Saturday's contest at New Hampshire in what was Merrimack's sixth consecutive road game to start the 2016-17 season. The Wildcats would come away with the lone goal of the first frame, though, as Jonna Curtis netted her first of four scores in the game at the midway point of the first for a 1-0 UNH lead at the first intermission.
- Merrimack would knot the game up at 1-1 at the 5:47 mark of the second period thanks to the second goal of the season from sophomore Annie Boeckers (Otsego, Minn.) off a feed from redshirt sophomore Jackie Pieper (Edina, Minn.) to even the score and give Merrimack a wave of momentum.
- That momentum gained from Boeckers' goal would quickly subside as New Hampshire answered Merrimack's first score less than a minute later, quickly putting them back out in front and taking some wind out of the Warrior sails.
- Trailing by one, the Warriors would suddenly see themselves in a much deeper hole in the latter half of the second. New Hampshire would net two goals in a 2:40 span in the final 6:30 of the middle period, putting the Warriors at a daunting three-score deficit with just one period remaining.
- Like the second frame, Merrimack would again score the first goal of the period, with this one coming 15 minutes into the third. Sophomore Paige Sorensen (Plymouth, Minn.) would net her first of the season on a power play opportunity, putting Merrimack down by just two goals with just under five minutes remaining in regulation.
- The Warriors would look to give themselves the best opportunity to score late, pulling freshman goaltender Léa-Kristine Demers (Repentigny, Quebec) from the net for the extra attacker with more than two minutes remaining. The Wildcats would capitalize and put home two empty-netters to go up 6-2 and put the game out of reach.
Inside The Numbers
- Boeckers' goal on Saturday is her second this season in just six games. That number matches her season total from last year when she scores two goals in 21 games played.
- Sorensen picks up her first goal and second point of her sophomore season with her tally on Saturday to improve to 1g, 1a. She led all Hockey East rookie defensemen in scoring as a freshman in 2015-16.
- Merrimack had its best period statistically in the third, as they racked up 10 shots and it was the only period the Warriors outshot the Wildcats, but a strong effort in net for UNH from Cashin kept Merrimack from scoring more.
- Goaltenders: L – Demers (2-4, 21 saves) | W – Cashin (1-2, 21 saves)
- Power Plays: Merrimack (1-6) | UNH (1-2)
- SOG: MC – 23 | UNH - 27
Up Next
The Warriors play their 2016-17 home opener on Friday when they host Robert Morris for a 3:00 p.m. matchup on Homecoming Weekend, followed by a game with Robert Morris on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
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