ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine women's ice hockey team dropped a 3-0 decision to UConn on Friday evening at Alfond Arena. The loss drops Maine to 9-12-4 overall and 3-8-2 in Women's Hockey East action while UConn improves to 11-13-1 and 7-4-1 in league play.
UConn would score first on an unassisted goal, 3:20 into the first period. The Black Bears would set up in their offense when Melissa Gagnon (St. Gilles, Quebec) fired a shot from the point that hit off a UConn defender and out of the Maine zone. Alexandra Vakos would race to the loose puck and get behind the Maine defense. Vakos would skate in all alone and beat Maine goaltender Candice Currier (Goffstown, N.H.) five-hole to put the Huskies up 1-0.
The Huskies would extend their lead with a pair of power play goals in the second period. Maude Blain would send the puck to the point to Sami Evelyn. Evelyn would settle the puck and fire a shot towards the Maine net from the center of the blueline. Kelly Horan was able to get a stick on the shot and tip it into the back of the net.
UConn would go up 3-0 on another power play goal 1:19 after the previous score. Jennifer Chaisson would stick handle the puck out from behind the Maine net before giving it to Evelyn in the left circle. Evelyn would give it right back to Chaisson who slipped a wrist shot past Currier from the far slot.
The Black Bears would put the pressure on UConn goaltender Alexandra Garcia with 10 minutes to play in the third period when Brianne Kilgour (Hamilton, Ontario) would clean up a rebound and try to backhand the puck into the back of the net. However, Garcia would slide across the crease and make the save to keep the game at 3-0.
The Black Bears would pull new goalie Brittany Ott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) for the final 2:30 and put the 6-on-5 pressure on. However, Garcia would hold strong as UConn secured the victory 3-0.
Currier picks up the loss for Maine and falls to 2-2-1 on the season after making 10 saves. Ott made two saves in her 17:01 minutes of play. Garcia made 31 stops for the Huskies and improves to 8-12-1 on the season with her third shutout in a row.
Maine outshot UConn by a 31-15 margin. The Huskies were 2-5 on the power play while Maine was 0-3 with the extra skater.
The two teams close out the season series tomorrow at 12 p.m. from Alfond Arena. The game is Maine's annual "Skating Strides Against Breast Cancer" game in which the Black Bears will be wearing special pink jerseys. Maine will be auctioning off these pink, game-used jerseys with all proceeds going towards the Patrick Dempsey Cancer Center.