STORRS, Conn. (February 23, 2008) - Dominique Thibault (L'Orignal, Ont.) recorded two goals as the No. 8/8 University of Connecticut women's ice hockey team defeated Maine 7-2 in Hockey East action on Saturday afternoon in the Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum.
The Huskies improve to 21-5-5 overall and 12-3-3 in the league following today's victory, while the Black Bears fall to 4-24-3 overall and 3-12-3 in the Hockey East. Along with the Huskies' 21st win of the season, head coach Heather Linstad recorded her 100th win with the UConn program and improved her overall head coaching record to 261-94-7.
UConn opened the game scoring in the first period with an early goal by Thibault, who recorded her team-leading 21st goal of the season. Jaclyn Hawkins (Manotick, Ont.) assisted on the goal at the 5:09 with her team-best 23rd assist on the year.
Maine tied the game at 8:21 with Jennie Gallo's seventh goal of the season. The Black Bears followed with another goal at 13:44 in the first, to give them the lead. Jordan Colliton recorded her second goal of the season to help Maine go into the locker room up 2-1 before the second period.
The Huskies began the second period with a new look, as junior goaltender Brittany Wilson (Nepean, Ont.) took over in goal for Jennie Bellonio (Guilford, Conn.). The second period also saw two goals by the Huskies, led by freshman Jennifer Chaisson (Cumberland, Ont.), who fired a shot into the top-left corner of the net past Maine goalie Genevieve Turgeon to tie the game at two.
Sophomore Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass.) added to the UConn tally with her 10th goal of the season as she put the Huskies on top 3-2. Junior Nicole Tritter (Toronto, Ont.) earned the assist on the play, marking her 10th this season for the Huskies.
The third period was dominated by the Huskies, as the UConn program scored four goals to bury the Black Bears. Tritter scored her 11th goal off a pass from freshman Brittany Murphy (Tewksbury, Mass.). Murphy turned around three minutes later and recorded her fourth goal of her career as she took control of a rebound, off a Hollstein shot, and found the back of the net to put UConn 5-2.
Thibault added her second goal of the game as she flipped the puck into the net off a clear by Jody Sydor (St. Albert, Alta.). With seconds on the clock, freshman Lauren Brozowski (Concord, Mass.) won the face off and passed the puck back to defenseman Brianna Uliasz (Chalfont, Pa.), who fired a line drive through the defense and into the net for her third goal of the season. With the assist Brozowski picked up her first collegiate point as a Husky.
Wilson finished the afternoon with 39:57 minutes played and 11 stops in goal while posting her 15th win of the season. Bellonio made nine saves in 20 minutes. Turgeon ended the game with 34 saves for the Black Bears as her record in goal falls to 4-17-3 overall.
UConn will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 24 as the Huskies host Maine, once again, in a 1:00 p.m. Hockey East match-up in the Freitas Ice Forum.