DURHAM, N.H. - University of New Hampshire senior goaltender Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) stopped 32 of the 34 shots she faced, but the third-ranked Boston University women's ice hockey team skated to a 3-1 Hockey East victory Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center.
UNH, which had won three straight games vs. nationally-ranked teams, slipped under .500 for the season at 13-14-0 and is now 6-11-0 in Hockey East. BU remains atop the league standings at 12-2-3 and has won 14 of 15 overall to improve to 22-3-3.
Herman, who made a school-record 52 saves in Thursday's 4-2 road victory against the Terriers, stopped 13 shots in the second period and 10 in the third as part of Saturday's 32-save effort.
BU goalie Kerrin Sperry remained unbeaten on the season (16-0-2) with 17 saves, nine of which came in the first period.
BU's Marie-Philip Poulin generated a breakaway opportunity at 9:42 of the first period and, while being tripped by a UNH defender, snapped a shot deep on the left side that was stopped by Herman. The Terriers went on the power play and scored one second after it expired to take a 1-0 lead at 11:43. Jill Cardella's initial shot from the low slot was blocked by a defender, but Kasey Boucher shoveled the rebound into the net at the top of the crease. Jillian Kirchner was also credited with an assist.
Three minutes later, UNH's Sarah Cuthbert (East Falmouth, Mass.) led a rush down the right wing and her shot from the top of the circle deflected off Sperry's stick and the left post.
Moments later at the other end of the ice, Jenelle Kohanchuk lifted a shot deep on the right side off the near post. She chased the rebound across the slot and was denied by Herman at the left doorstep.
The fast pace continued as UNH's Emma Clark (East Barre, Vt.) led a 3-on-2 counterattack in which a wrister from the slot off the stick of Sarah Campbell (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was kicked aside by Sperry's extended right leg pad.
BU extended its advantage to 2-0 at 2:33 of the second period when Louise Warren stole the puck at center ice and scored unassisted on a breakaway down the slot.
The Terriers had a 5-on-3 power-play advantage for 65 seconds at 7:55, but Herman turned aside all four shots to keep the 'Cats within two goals.
UNH was held without a shot for the opening 13:45 of the second period, then recorded five shot against Sperry during its first power-play opportunity. The most dangerous chance was a screened backhander by Raylen Dziengelewski (Southwick, Mass.) in the slot.
New Hampshire pulled within 2-1 on an extra attacker goal at 7:21 of the third period. With a penalty pending against the Terriers, the Wildcats capitalized with the skater advantage as Sperry stopped Clark's initial shot but Gifford, stationed at the top of the crease, jammed the puck into the net. Kristine Horn (Utica, Mich.) was also credited with an assist.
BU called time out at the outset of its four power-play opportunity at 10:45, but the 'Cats limited the Terriers to just one shot on goal for a successful penalty kill.
UNH called a timeout with 18:34 remaining and pulled Herman in favor of an extra skater with 58 seconds on the clock. The Wildcats cycled the puck in the offensive zone to set up a Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario) slap shot in the high slot. Her blast beat Sperry but ricocheted off the post.
BU's Tara Watchorn corralled the puck and her long outlet pass was collected by Jenn Wakefield, who weaved around in the left corner before charging to the slot and depositing the puck into the open net at 19:54.
With four games remaining in Hockey East play, UNH is sixth in the league standings, one point ahead of Maine. The top six teams qualify for the Hockey East tournament.
New Hampshire returns to action Feb. 8 (7 p.m.) at 10th-ranked Quinnipiac University. UNH then plays a two-game series at the University of Vermont on Feb. 11-12 before closing the regular season with a home-and-home series against Boston College. The Wildcats' Senior Day is the Feb. 20 (2 p.m.) regular-season finale.