NEW HAMPSHIRE ROLLS PAST WAYNE STATE, 7-1
Maggie Joyce scores goal and adds four assists for Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. – Maggie Joyce (Norfolk, Mass.) recorded a goal and four assists to lead the second-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s hockey team to Friday night’s 7-1 victory against Wayne State University in the first day of the UNH Tournament at the Whittemore Center.

UNH extended its home unbeaten streak to 32 games (28-0-4) by improving to 9-0-1 at the Whittemore Center this season and 13-1-1 overall. Wayne State is now 5-8-0. In the opening game, third-ranked Mercyhurst College (11-1-1) defeated ninth-ranked Boston College ( 9-2-1), 4-0.

Lindsey Caleo (Clinton Township, Mich.; goal, assist), Taylor Palazeti (Calgary, Alberta; two assists) and Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario; two assists) also had multiple points for the Wildcats, who had seven different goal scorers. UNH goaltender Melissa Bourdon (Ile Bizard, Quebec) made nine of her 18 saves in the first period. WSU starting goalie Valery Turcotte stopped 24 shots and exited the game at 2:35 of the third period with the Warriors trailing 6-0. Tiffany Thompson surrendered one goal and was credited with six saves in 17:25 of relief action.

Sadie Wright-Ward (Durham, N.H.) gave the ‘Cats an early 1-0 lead when she scored off a rebound into an open right side of the net at 3:24 of the first period. Joyce, with the initial shot from the left point, was credited with an assist.

Jackie Wedster (Chicago) increased the advantage to 2-0 at 19:52 when her wrist shot from the right point sailed into the upper-left corner of the net. Joyce, with the pass across the blue line from the left point, and Paton set up the tally.

UNH netted three second-period goals to break the game open. Angela Taylor (Paisley, Scotland) extended her goal-scoring streak to four games when Paton, at the left post, sent the puck through the crease to an open Taylor at the right post. Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) recorded her 14th assist of the season on the play.

Joyce, who did not have a multiple-point game in 48 previous career games, recorded her third assist of the night on Caleo’s tally at 16:23. Joyce poke checked the puck at mid-ice, where Caleo gained possession and saucered a pass across the ice to Palazeti. She carried the puck into the right circle and passed across to Caleo, who settled the puck and hit the upper-left corner of the net.

A power-play goal by Jennifer Hitchcock (LaSalle, Ontario) extended UNH’s lead to 5-0 1:35 later. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) initiated the play with a pass from the right point to Martine Garland (Toronto, Ontario), whose shot from the left point was redirected into the net by Hitchcock in the slot. The assist extended Bellamy’s point streak to six games.

Shannon Clement (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario) scored off a rebound at 2:35 of the third period to give the ‘Cats a 6-0 lead and mark Turcotte’s exit. Palazeti’s initial shot from the left point was stopped by Turcotte but Caleo, standing at the left post, pushed the puck across the crease to an open Clement.

WSU, which entered the game ranked 10th in the nation on the power play, converted on its second power-play opportunity of the game to trim the deficit to 6-1 at 8:07. Brandi Frakie scored from a scrum in front of the net when she lifted a shot under the crossbar. Laura Monk was credited with an assist.

Joyce closed the game scoring at 14:35 when her initial shot from the neutral zone was stopped by Thompson. The puck rolled loose at the left post, however, and Joyce tapped the puck across the goal line for her first tally of the season.

In the opening game, Stefanie Bourbeau, with the assistance of Valerie Chouinard, gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead at 15:09 of the first period, then Bourbeau and Meghan Agosta set up Chouinard’s power- play tally 48 seconds into the middle stanza to give MC a 2-0 lead. Stephanie Jones fought off a BC defender in the slot to score at 12:29 of the second, then Agosta scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 19:52 to close the scoring.

MC goalie Laura Hosier made 16 saves for the shutout, while BC’s Molly Schaus stopped 32 shots, many from point-blank range.

The UNH Tournament concludes Nov. 25 with Wayne State vs. Boston College at four o’clock followed by Mercyhurst against UNH at 7 p.m.