DURHAM, N.H. - Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario) scored two goals to propel the fourth-ranked University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team to Saturday afternoon's 5-3 non-conference victory against Yale University at the Whittemore Center.
UNH, winners of seven straight games vs. ECAC foes (including three this season), is now 5-1-2 overall. This marked the season opener for Yale, which is now 0-18-1 lifetime vs. the Wildcats.
In addition to Paton, who has recorded a point in all eight games this season, three Wildcats finished with two points. Micaela Long (South Boston, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal and also had an assist while both Angela Taylor (Paisley, Scotland) and Julie Allen (Brampton, Ontario) tallied two assists. It marked the first career points for the sophomore forward, Allen.
UNH starting goaltender Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) played the initial 56:18 and left with the 'Cats leading 5-1 and 18 saves to her credit. Lindsey Minton (Richardson, Texas), in her collegiate debut, allowed two goals and made one save in the final 3:42. Yale starting goalie Jackee Snikeris saw 57:05 of action and made 29 saves before exiting the game due to injury. Genny Ladiges went the rest of the way and was credited with two saves.
Jenn Wakefield (Pickering, Ontario) extended her goal-scoring streak to seven games - and point - scoring streak to eight games – when she rifled a shot from the right side of the slot into the net to give New Hampshire a 1-0 lead at 9:22 of the first period. Taylor, with the drop pass from the slot, and Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario) were credited with assists.
Paton pushed the lead to 2-0 at 5:45 of the second stanza from a scrum in front of the net. Snikeris stopped the initial shot by Courtney Sheary (Melrose, Mass.) from the high slot but Long touched the puck to Paton, who roofed a close-range shot under the crossbar.
Paton potted her second goal of the game 20 seconds into the final frame when Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) stole the puck along the left dashers and centered the puck to Paton, whose one-timer eluded Snikeris.
UNH scored goals 21 seconds apart - despite a Yale timeout - to build a 5-0 lead. Long collected a loose puck in the low slot and lifted a high shot into the open net at 6:28. Allen and Taylor, who were part of the scrum near the left post, set up the tally.
The Bulldogs called time out, but Shannon Sisk (Pipersville, Pa.), with Allen's assistance, kept momentum in the Wildcats' favor with a low shot from the slot that sailed into the net at 6:49.
Yale trimmed the deficit to 5-1 at 13:11 when Aleca Hughes, positioned at the left post, deflected Alyssa Clarke's shot from the slot. Crystal Howser potted goals at 17:57 and 19:49 to close the scoring. Her first tally came from the top of the crease on Hughes' pass from behind the net, and she struck again from the right doorstep on Bray Ketchum’s pass from behind the net.
New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 30 (7 p.m.) at home against Boston University. Tickets are available at the Whittemore Center box office, TicketMaster and online at www.unhwildcats.com.