HAWKINS LEADS UCONN PAST MAINE, 8-3
Junior Jaclyn Hawkins registers hat trick and two assists

STORRS, Conn. — Sophomore Jaclyn Hawkins (Manotick, Ont.) netted three power play goals for her second hat trick of the year and the University of Connecticut women’s hockey team set an NCAA record with six power play goals as the Huskies downed Maine, 8-3, in Hockey East action on Saturday afternoon at the Freitas Ice Forum. UConn ups its mark to 4-1 with the win and 3-0 in league play while the Black Bears dip to 1-6 overall and 0-3 on their Hockey East slate.

UConn converted on six of its 10 power play tries on Saturday. The previous NCAA benchmark was five power play goals, a feat done thrice and most recently by Ohio State against Minnesota State-Mankato on Oct. 11, 2002. Records date back to 2001 when the NCAA first began to administrate women’s hockey.

At 4-1, it is by far the fastest start in school history for the Huskies. UConn had never before today won its fourth game of any season prior to Nov. 10 (2003 vs. Quinnipiac). UConn is also 3-0 in Hockey East play for the first time ever, The Huskies’ previous best after three games was a 2-1 mark last fall.

Hawkins’ hat trick was her second in five games this year, the other coming in an 8-2 win over Vermont on opening night, Oct. 6. Hawkins had a five-point day against the Black Bears as she also added a pair of assists this afternoon. Freshman Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass.) scored twice while senior Natalie Vibert (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and freshman Cristin Allen (Pickering, Ont.) each had three assists.

Hollstein and Hawkins scored power play goals in the game’s first 4:22 to give UConn a quick 2-0 lead. Hollstein’s was on a 5-on-3 advantage for UConn, one of two the Huskies would score with a two-man advantage. Leslie Hurlburt (Markham, Ont.) scored at 8:40, shorthanded and unassisted, when she intercepted a clearing pass by Maine goaltender Genevieve Turgeon and deposited it into the open net. Hollstein added another power play strike at 11:42 to put UConn up 4-0, but the Black Bears roared back. Tallies by Vanessa Vani and Robyn Law cut the deficit in half and sent the teams to the locker rooms for the first intermission with UConn leading 4-2.

Maine made it a 4-3 game 9:13 into the second when Kelly Law’s shot from the top of the face off circle was deflected home by Brigette LaFlamme on the power play. Before the end of the period, UConn upped its lead to 5-3 with its lone even strength goal of the game. Freshman Dominique Thibault (L’Original, Ont.) deflected a slap shot by Vibert into the Black Bear net.

Hawkins tipped in a Vibert shot 4:14 into the third period to put the Huskies up 6-2, and the Huskies iced the contest with a pair of goals 36 seconds apart midway through the frame. Hawkins got the first of those goals at 10:10, followed shortly by a redirection goal by senior Alicia Ramolla (Barrie, Ont.).

Brittany Wilson (Nepean, Ont.) went the distance in the Husky net, making 24 saves. Turgeon made six saves for Maine, allowing three goals, before giving way to Lundy Day who stopped 31 shots and surrendered five scores.

The Huskies return to action on Sunday, Oct. 22 when they travel to Providence for a 2:00 p.m. game.