NEW HAMPSHIRE BLANKS BROWN, 2-0
Faber and Hekle Net Power-Play Goals

DURHAM, N.H. –The second-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team netted two power-play goals in the first period and Melissa Bourdon (Ile Bizard, Quebec) stopped all seven shots she faced to propel UNH to Friday night’s 2-0 non-conference victory against Brown University at the Whittemore Center.

UNH improved to 6-0-0 with its 20th consecutive regular-season victory, which extended the Wildcats’ regular-season unbeaten streak to 32 games (31-0-1). The ‘Cats, who hadn’t shut out Brown since the 1992-93 season, have 13 shutouts during the unbeaten streak. This was the season opener for the Bears.

It was the second consecutive shutout for Bourdon, who now has three on the season and 24 in her career. Only All-American Jen Huggon, with 26, recorded more shutouts as a Wildcat. Brown goalie Nicole Stock finished with 37 saves, including 12 in the second stanza and 18 in the final frame.

New Hampshire netted goals 3:50 apart midway through the opening stanza to account for all of the game’s scoring. Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) netted her team-leading seventh goal of the season at 10:00. Stock stopped the initial shot from the high slot by Martine Garland (Toronto, Ontario), but Faber collected the puck at the left post and scored. Sadie Wright-Ward (Durham, N.H.), with a pass to Garland from the left circle, was also credited with an assist. Both Faber and Wright-Ward have recorded at least one point in all six games this season.

Hekle increased the lead to 2-0 at 13:50 when she redirected a shot from the right circle by Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario) into the net. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) also had an assist on the play.

Brown opened the second period on the power play, and immediately after the Wildcat skater exited the penalty box, Rylee Olewinski was alone at the right post but Bourdon slid to make the leg-pad save.

One of UNH’s best scoring chances in the middle stanza came with 7:30 on the clock, when Wright-Ward’s shot from close range caromed off the cross bar.

The Bears had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:32 early in the third period but Brown recorded just one shot in that time, then did not have a shot in the remaining 28 seconds of the one-skater advantage.

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 22 (2 p.m.) at Colgate University. The Wildcats’ next home game is Oct. 27 vs. Boston College. Game time at the Whittemore Center is 7 p.m.