DURHAM, N.H. - Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) scored a shorthanded third-period goal to lift the fifth-ranked University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team into a 2-2 tie against eighth-ranked Boston University in Hockey East action Thursday night at the Whittemore Center. BU's Melissa Anderson and Tara Watchorn scored in the shootout to give the Terriers a 2-0 decision and the extra point in the league standings.
UNH is now 5-1-3 overall and 1-1-2 in Hockey East. Three of the Wildcats' four league games have gone to the shootout frame, and the 'Cats have won once. BU moved to 5-2-2 overall and 3-0-0 in the league.
New Hampshire trailed 2-1 entering the third period despite a 27-10 shot advantage. Faber tied the score with her breakaway shorthanded goal at 5:39 when she drove down the left side of the slot, shifted across at the top of the crease and lifted the puck into the upper-right corner. Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario), with the outlet pass, and Angela Taylor (Paisley, Scotland) were credited with assists.
UNH goaltender Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) recorded four saves in every period, including OT, to finish with 16 overall. BU goalie Allyse Wilcox made 15 of her 34 saves in the second stanza.
As the home team, UNH opted to shoot last in the shootout. In Round 1, Anderson rushed down the slot and wristed a shot inside the right post. Wilcox then turned aside UNH's Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario), who attempted to deke the goalie in the low slot. Gina Kearns opened Round 2 and failed to beat Herman 5-hole to keep the score 1-0. Faber then skated down the slot and Wilcox stopped her quick wrist shot. Watchorn then ended the game by dragging the puck across the slot towards the left post and sliding a shot into the open net.
Boston University took a 1-0 lead at 4:17 of the first period off a UNH turnover in the slot. Lauren Cherewyk's poke check knocked the puck free and Caroline Bourdeau beat Herman glove side from the low slot.
The Wildcats tied the score two minutes later with a power-play goal. Taylor skated from the left corner to behind the net and centered the puck to Julie Allen (Brampton, Ontario), who fired a low one-timer into the net for her first career goal.
BU regained the lead, 2-1, on Jenelle Kohanchuk's power-play tally at 16:47. Sarah Russell's initial shot from the left circle was blocked at the top of the crease by a UNH defenseman, but Kohanchuk slapped the rebound into the open net from close range.
With her 70th career goal, Faber moved into a tie for 10th place on UNH's career points leaderboard with Michelle Thornton at 157. Taylor tied her career high of two assists for the second consecutive game and Paton extended her point-scoring streak to nine games with her assist.
New Hampshire returns to action Nov. 1 (5 p.m.) at home against the University of Vermont. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to donate to UNH's Food Drive. Tickets are available at the Whittemore Center Box Office, TicketMaster and online at www.unhwildcats.com.