LEWISTON, Maine - Myriam Croussette (Baie-Comeau, Quebec) scored a pair of goals as the University of Maine women's ice hockey team skated past rival New Hampshire 4-1 on Tuesday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The Black Bears improve to 5-6-2 on the season and 1-2-2 in Women's Hockey East play, while New Hampshire falls to 8-6-0 overall and 2-4-0 in league play.
Maine took a 1-0 lead just 3:28 into the game with a power play goal by Croussette. Melissa Gagnon (St. Gilles, Quebec) found Croussette in the right face-off circle and she was able to wrist a shot just inside the top post and past New Hampshire goaltender Kayley Herman. For Croussette, it was her fifth goal of the season. Chloe Tinkler (Wabush, Newfoundland) also assisted on the goal for the Black Bears.
The Black Bears held the lead the majority of the first period, until the Wildcats tied the game with a short-handed goal at 19:19. Kristina Lavoie picked up the puck off a Maine turnover. She found Arielle O'Neill at the bottom of the right face-off circle and she fired the puck past Maine goalie Brittany Ott (St. Clair Shores, Mich.).
The two teams went into the first intermission tied at one. New Hampshire had a 12-6 edge in shots in the first frame.
Maine took the lead back at 19:49 of the second period. Brittany Dougherty (Chesterfield, Mich.) picked up the puck in the neutral zone, skated in and first a shot just inside the goal post and past Wildcat netminder Herman from the slot. For Dougherty, it was her eighth goal of the season. The Black Bears took the 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
Maine extended its lead to 3-1 just 44 seconds into the third period when Croussette notched her second goal of the game. Jennie Gallo (Castlegar, British Columbia) found Croussette just outside the right face-off circle. She wristed a shot past Herman, giving the Black Bears a 3-1 cushion. Brianne Kilgour (Hamilton, Ontario) also assisted on the goal.
Maine was whistled for a penalty with 15:01 remaining in the game. UNH chose to pull its goaltender in favor of an extra attacker. Just as the penalty expired, Kayla Kaluzny (Calgary, Alberta) cleared the puck out of the Maine zone. Danielle Ward (Lansing, Mich.) gathered the puck at the red line and fired it into the empty net to put the Black Bears up 4-1, a score that would stand until the final buzzer sounded.
Ott picks up her fourth win in net for Maine and her first WHEA victory of the year, moving her overall record to 4-5-2 after she made 32 saves. Herman falls to 2-2-0 on the season after making 20 saves in net for the Wildcats.
New Hampshire outshot Maine 33-24 in the game. The Black Bears finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play, while New Hampshire was scoreless in six opportunities.
The win was the first for Maine over New Hampshire since Jan. 20, 2002 when Maine defeated the Wildcats 2-1. It was just the second win in program history against New Hampshire.
Maine returns to action on Friday, Nov. 26 when they travel to Robert Morris. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM.