NORTHEASTERN TOPPLES CONNECTICUT IN SHOOTOUT
NU's Leah Sulyma (28 saves) and UConn's Alexandra Garcia (18 saves) each earn shutouts

Leah Sulyma stopped 28 shots in the game for the Huskies

STORRS, Conn. - The No. 7/7 University of Connecticut women's ice hockey team honored the six members of its graduating class before a 0-0 tie with No. 8/9 Northeastern on Saturday. Sophomore Alexandra Garcia (Pointe-Claire, Que.) made 18 saves for her sixth shutout of the season and third in front of a home crowd at Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum. The Huskies lost the extra point in Hockey East action with the other Huskies escaping with a shootout win.

UConn denied Northeastern an advantage on the scoreboard after squelching the other Huskies attempts during a 5-on-3 power-play situation after a pair of Husky minor penalties. Freshman Elisabeth Stathopulos (Toronto, Ont.) had perhaps the greatest scoring opportunity going in alone on Leah Sulyma while shorthanded. The Northeastern Huskies did have an advantage in shots on goal after the first period, 5-3, while the teams went into the first intermission in a scoreless tie.

In the second period, UConn (19-7-7, 10-4-6-1) determined the pace of play and outshot Northeastern 13-5 including another pair of shorthanded opportunities. Neither team was able to score in their respective power-play opportunities as each had two power-play chances.

The game remained scoreless through regulation despite Northeastern narrowly edging UConn, 8-6 in shots on goal in the third. UConn held the other Huskies scoreless in two power-play opportunities despite three scoring chances with the man advantage. The Huskies once again held Northeastern scoreless in another 5-on-3 power-play situation. Northeastern was 0-for-7 on the power play on Saturday.

An onslaught of close calls for UConn near the end of regulation continued through its sixth overtime of the season. Sulyma remained a strong final defense for Northeastern and turned aside each of the six UConn shots in the extra session. The Huskies controlled the pace of play with senior Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass.), senior Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont.) and junior Jennifer Chaisson (Cumberland, Ont.) all stopped by Sulyma.

The Husky power play ended with less than two minutes into overtime and Northeastern failed to convert on its own manadvantage with the greatest scoring opportunity earned by UConn's junior Brittany Murphy (Tewksbury, Mass.).

With a 0-0 tie remaining after 65:00 minutes of play, for the second time against Northeastern, UConn went to a shootout. Sulyma denied each Husky opportunity while it was Kristi Kehoe who made the difference. The Northeastern (16-8-7, 8-6-6-4) leading goal scorer secured the Huskies the second point in the Hockey East standings with the shootout goal. Sulyma finished the game with 28 saves, including three in shootout. Coming into the game she was ranked third in the NCAA with a .948 save percentage.

UConn plays a 1 p.m. game at Matthews Arena in Boston, Mass. to close out the regular season against Northeastern.

Game Notes

- This is the second time in the last four games that UConn has been unable to score on the power play.

- The Huskies are winless in their last four Senior Day games.

- The UConn Huskies have a 15-6-7 lead in the all-time series against the Northeastern Huskies.