WAKEFIELD STELLAR AS UNH TOPS DARTMOUTH, 8-3
Jenn Wakefield registers five-point game for Wildcats

Jenn Wakefield had two goals and three assists for UNH

DURHAM, N.H. - Jenn Wakefield (Pickering, Ontario) recorded two goals, including the game-winner, and three assists and Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass.) tallied four assists to lead the eighth-ranked University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team to Friday night's 8-3 victory against seventh-ranked Dartmouth College in non-conference action at the Whittemore Center.

UNH improved to 10-5-5 and Dartmouth, which entered the game with a four-game winning streak, fell to 12-6-2. The teams combined to go 7-for-9 on the power play, and that included a 5 of 7 mark for the Wildcats.

Wakefield recorded a career-high five points with a new personal best in assists; the two goals tied her career high. For Bellamy, both the four assists and points are career highs. Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario) tallied two goals and an assist to equal her personal best of three points.

Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.; three assists), Micaela Long (South Boston, Mass.; goal, assist) and Angela Taylor (Paisley, Scotland; two assists) were the other Wildcats with multiple points. Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario), Maggie Joyce (Hudson, Ohio) and Courtney Sheary (Melrose, Mass.) netted UNH's other goals.

UNH goaltender Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) finished with 25 saves, including 11 in the third period. DC counterpart Carli Clemis stopped 16 shots.

Sheary scored in the first period - both of her career goals have been vs. the Big Green at the Whittemore Center - to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead at 9:35. Taylor won the puck behind the net and slid a pass through traffic. Sheary advanced from the blue line to open ice and wristed a shot inside the left post.

New Hampshire extended it lead to 4-0 with three goals in less than six minutes. Birchard began the flurry at 6:33 when Faber kept the puck in the zone at the left point, moved the puck to Wakefield in the far circle and cut to the slot. Wakefield's return pass deflected off Faber to the left of the slot. Birchard charged from the blue line to the open space and shot the puck into the open left side of the net.

Paton, with the assistance of Wakefield and Bellamy, netted a power-play goal at 9:46. The Wildcats' power play struck again at 12:14 when Bellamy's pass from the right dashers found Wakefield unmarked at the left post; Paton was also credited with an assist on the play, which gave UNH a 4-0 advantage.

Dartmouth stormed back with goals 18 seconds apart. Sarah Parsons (two goals) scored off her own rebound at the left post at 15:59; Shannon Bowman, with the initial shot on goal from the slot, and Maggie Kennedy set up that power-play tally. The visitors pulled within 4-2 when the puck escaped Herman's control on Sarah Toupal's shot and Kelly Foley tapped the puck across the goal line.

UNH responded with goals at 18:39 and 19:32 to take a 6-2 lead into the second intermission. Long score the team's third power-play goal of the night with the assistance of Faber and Raylen Dziengelewski (Southwick, Mass.), then Wakefield completed a tic-tac-toe play from Bellamy and Taylor.

Early in the third period, Bowman was denied twice by Herman at the left post. But the 'Cats regained momentum and extended the margin to 7-2 at 6:33 on Joyce's power-play goal from a scrum in front of the net; Long and Faber were credited with assists.

Parsons made the score 7-3 with her second power-play tally of the night at 9:12. Julia Bronson's initial shot from the right point sailed wide of the cage, but the rebound caromed out to the left post and Parsons deposited the puck into the net.

Paton, with the help of Wakefield and Bellamy, capped the scoring with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 16:24.

New Hampshire returns to action Jan. 18 (2 p.m.) at Northeastern University. The Wildcats' next home game is Jan. 23 (7 p.m.) vs. Maine. Tickets for that game are available at the Whittemore Center Box Office, through TicketMaster and online at www.unhwildcats.com.