PROVIDENCE COLLEGE SKATES PAST MAINE, 9-2
Seven Friars contribute multiple point games in victory

Junior defenseman Rebecca Morse had two goals and an assist for the Friars

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team earned a 9-2 win after sweeping their season series against Hockey East opponent Maine on Sunday, Jan. 27 at Schneider Arena. The Friars record improves to 12-11-4 overall and 6-6-2 in Hockey East play while Maine falls to 4-18-3 overall and 1-11-2 against Hockey East opponents.

Twenty seconds after the puck drop, Providence grabbed the lead when senior Nicole Anderson (Jordan, Minn.) scored her team-leading 14th goal of the season. Anderson fired a high shot that got past Maine goaltender Brittany Ott at :20 of the first period. Sophomore Alison Micheletti (Inner Grove Heights, Minn.) passed the puck to junior Rebecca Morse (Westfield, N.J.). Morse's pass connected perfectly with Anderson, and allowed her one timer to give the Friars the advantage.

Sophomore Beth Hanrahan (Poolesville, Md.) doubled the lead for Providence at 3:51 of the first period. Freshman Lexi Slattery (Lino Lakes, Minn.) set-up Hanrahan with a beautiful feed, that Hanrahan buried for the Friars. Sophomore Brooke Simpson (Boxboro, Mass.) also assisted on the goal.

Morse completed the scoring for the first period at 17:37 when her shot from the point made its' way past traffic and into the back of the net. Sophomore Haley Frade (Marion, Mass.) and freshman Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapids, Mich.) recorded the assists on the goal.

Providence freshman Courtney Kukowski (Apple Valley, Minn.) opened the scoring in the second period when she gave the Friars a 4-0 lead against the Black Bears. Kukowksi scored from right in front of the Maine goal at the 3:40 mark of the middle period. Slattery and Illikainen each notched their second assist of the game on the play. Illikainen went on to finish the game with a career high three assists and matched her career high in points with four.

Maine responded at 9:10 of the second period when Brianne Kilgour scored to put the Black Bears on the board with a shot that trickled past freshman goaltender Sarah Bryant (Bethlehem, Pa.).

Maine got on the board early in the third period to tighten the score at 4-2 but the Friars quickly put the game out of reach for the Black Bears with an offensive outburst. Providence went on to score five goals in the final period of the game. Micheletti established a career high with three points on one goal and two assists after scoring the first goal of the period for the Friars. Morse scored the fifth goal for the Friars, notching a career high in goals with two and matched a career high in points with three. Juniors Maggie Pendleton (Woodbury, Minn.) and Corinne Buie (Edina, Minn.) wrapped up the scoring for the Friars, as the team set a new season high with nine goals in a game.

Providence outshot the Black Bears, 40-19, in the game. Brittany Ott and Kylie Smith combined for 31 saves for Maine. Bryant stopped 17 shots for the Friars.

The Friars return to the ice next weekend with a home-and-home Hockey East series against Connecticut. Providence will be on the road on Friday, Feb. 1 to face to the Huskies at 7:00 p.m. and will return to Schneider Arena for a rematch on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m.