ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine Women's Ice Hockey team defeated Northeastern University by a score of 4-1 Sunday afternoon. Maine improved to 2-18-2 and 1-6-2 in Hockey East while Northeastern fell to 5-14-2. It was Maine's first win since defeating Sacred Heart 6-1 to open the season.
In the first period, both teams came out shooting. There were chances on goal at both ends of the ice but nothing seemed to be between the two teams. Maine ousthot the Huskies in the period 14-10.
In the second period, Maine got on the board at 13:54 into the period when sophomore Abby Barton picked up a rebound off a Taryn Peacock shot and put it past Northeastern goaltender Leah Sulyma. It was her second goal of the season. Junior Vanessa Vani also assisted on the play. But Northeastern pulled even with 22 seconds remaining when Colleen Sanborn stole the puck in her own end and got a pass to Erin Reil. Reil skated up the middle of the ice and her shot from just inside the blue line sailed past Turgeon. The period ended with a score of 1-1. The Black Bears again outshot the Huskies 16-11.
In the third period, Maine got on a roll. 5:21 into the period, freshman Courtney Fox stole the puck in her own zone. She shot a pass to junior Robyn Law who left it just inside the attacking zone for sophomore Taryn Peacock. Peacock skated in one-on-one and put it five-hole on Sulyma for the Black Bears' second goal and her fourth of the season. Three minutes later at 8:27 into the period. Pam Patterson took a centering pass from herself and shot it from almost no angle. The puck hit the inside of Sulyma's pads and into the net. Patterson's goal was her first of the season and it was unassisted. With 2:34 remaining, just as Maine was coming of a shorthanded five-on-three, sophomore Lexie Hoffmeyer stole the puck in the neutral zone and skated in all alone on goal. Hoffmeyer put two dekes on Sulyma and put it in the net blocker-side. Hoffmeyer's goal was her second of the season and was also unassisted. The Black Bears outshot Northeastern 13-5 in the period.
Maine goaltender Genevieve Turgeon totalled 25 saves in the game. Northeastern goaltender Leah Sulyma tallied 39 saves. Turgeon improved to 2-12-2 on the season while Sulyma went to 5-11-2. Maine was 0-for-4 on the powerplay while Northeastern went 0-for-2.
Maine's next games are at Boston University on Jan. 26-27. Maine returns home the following weekend to host rival New Hampshire for a two-game set. The puck drops at 7pm on Sat., Feb. 2 and at 2pm the next day.