NEW HAVEN, Conn. - For the second straight game, the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team found themselves down by a goal at the start of the third period. The Wildcats would score two goals in that period to retake the lead and hold on for their second-straight come-from-behind win, beating the Yale Bulldogs by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday evening.
Scoring her second game-winner in a row was junior Taylor Wenczkowski (Rochester, N.H.) who now has 10 goals on the season. Wenczkowski tallied both of UNH's goals Saturday against #10 Boston College to rally back from a one-goal deficit. On Tuesday, it was senior captain Marie-Jo Pelletier (Dalhousie, New Brunswick) who started the third period rally 10 minutes into the final frame. Pelletier also tallied an assist earlier in the contest.
With the win, the Wildcats have extended their unbeaten streak to nine games (7-0-2), having not lost since November 10 at #6 Northeastern.
The Wildcats got 21 saves from senior captain Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) who has backstopped the 'Cats in all nine games of the unbeaten streak. Her record on the season now stands at 7-4-2.
UP NEXT:
UNH is now finished with non-conference play and heads to UConn this weekend for a two-game series with the Huskies, beginning Friday, January 11 at 6 P.M.
The Wildcats are in the midst of a five-game road trip and don't return to the Whittemore Center until Saturday, January 26. They host Holy Cross at 2 P.M. in the Hockey Fights Cancer game. For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000.
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Jan. 8, 2019
Location: Ingalls Rink - New Haven, Conn.
Attendance: 153
Score: UNH 4 (8-9-4), Yale 3 (3-12-0)
Goals:
UNH (4) - Devan Taylor, Carlee Turner, Marie-Jo Pelletier, Taylor Wenczkowski (GW)
Yale (3) - Claire Dalton, Emma Vlasic, Julia Yetman (PP)
Assists:
UNH (8) - Marie-Jo Pelletier, Nicole Dunbar, Devan Taylor, Emily Rickwood, Meghara McManus, Lauren Martin (2) (GW), Kyra Smith (GW)
Yale (6) - Saroya Tinker, Emma Seitz (2) Greta Skarynski, Jordan Chancellor, Charlotte Welch
Goaltenders:
UNH: Kyra Smith - 9-10-2 - 21 (3 GA) {60:00} (W)
Yale: Tera Hofmann - 7-11-4 - 22 (4 GA) {58:42} (L)
GAME RECAP
- After a back-and-forth first 10 minutes of play, the Wildcats were able to strike first when Marie-Jo Pelletier passed from behind the net to an awaiting Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.), who dragged the puck from the left of the crease all the way around to the right and snuck it past a diving Hofmann for a 1-0 lead.
- In the closing minutes of the first the Bulldogs equalized on a long stretch pass breakaway play from Claire Dalton.
- Yale took its first lead of the game 5:38 into the second period on a rebound chance that just went past the glove-side of Smith.
- Just under 20 seconds later, Carlee Turner (Scottsdale, Ariz.) got a rebound from Devan Taylor and knocked it home to tie the game for the second time.
- Yale continued the action-packed second period, scoring another go-ahead goal 8:07 into the period, as New Hampshire went on the penalty kill for a hooking. Yale tallied their goal 56 seconds into the power play as Julia Yetman got free to the right of the net and hit the tough-angle shot.
- The third period rally began 10:17 into the period when Meghara McManus (Milton, Mass.) shot a rocket towards the crease and Marie-Jo Pelletier redirected it around Hofmann and tied the game.
- The game-winner came just over two minutes later on a save from Kyra Smith that went to Taylor Wenczkowski. Wenczkowski sent the puck up-ice to Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario) who crossed into the offensive zone and dropped it back to Wenczkowski who skated past three defenders and beat Hofmann stick side for the go-ahead goal.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- The Wildcats are now on their longest unbeaten streak (nine games) since the 2007-08 season. That streak would end up going to 19 games from December 8, 2007 to March 15, 2008 (18-0-1). That streak saw the Wildcats make a run to the NCAA Frozen Four, where they eventually fell to Minnesota Duluth, 3-2.
- In this current unbeaten streak (7-0-2), the Wildcats have outscored opponents 23-13.
- Kyra Smith recorded an assist on the game-winning goal by Wenczkowski. It's the first assist by a Wildcat goaltender since Lindsey Minton in the 2010-11 season. She was the lone assist on a goal by Arielle O'Neill on October 16, 2010 at Union. It was the Wildcats' fourth goal in a 4-1 victory.
- UNH has now outscored opponents 15-14 in the third period.
- New Hampshire remains unbeaten when scoring the first goal of the game (5-0-2) and finishes non-conference play with a 3-1-3 record against ECAC opponents.
- Lauren Martin once again extends her point streak, tallying four assists in three games. It's the second time this season she's tallied two assists in one game.
- Devan Taylor and Marie-Jo Pelletier notch their 2nd multi-point games of the year.
PENALTIES
UNH: 2-4 Yale: 2-4
POWER PLAYS
UNH: 0-2 Yale: 1-2
NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS:
Points (2): Three players
Goals (1): Four players
Assists (2): Lauren Martin
Shots (4): Taylor Wenczkowski, Tori Howran
Faceoffs (12): Lauren Martin
YALE LEADERS:
Points (2): Emma Seitz
Goals (1): Three players
Assists (2): Emma Seitz
Shots (4): Dalton Claire
Faceoffs (13): Charlotte Welch
