UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team wrapped up its two-game road series with Penn State University on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats netted two power play goals in the second period to defeat the Nittany Lions, 2-1 in game two.
Goals in the contest came from seniors Meghara McManus (Milton, Mass.) and Tori Howran (Bancroft, Ontario) both within the first 10 minutes of the frame. It was McManus' team-leading 11th goal of the season, and was Howran's first of the season, and her first career game-winning goal.
Rookie netminder Nikki Harnett (Plymouth, Minn.) got the start in net and stopped 25 of 26 shots faced in the contest, picking up her first career win. Her record on the season moves to even at 1-1-1.
UP NEXT: New Hampshire returns home to the Whittemore Center next Friday (Jan. 10, 6 P.M.) and Saturday (Jan 11, 2 P.M.) to face off with the UConn Huskies. The weekend series will feature UNH's participation in the annual Hockey East Skating Strides game. For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com/tickets or call (603) 862-4000.
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: January 4, 2020 - 2 P.M.
Location: Pegula Ice Arena - University Park, Pa.
Attendance: 566
Score: UNH 2 (10-8-2, 7-6-1 HEA), PSU (7-9-4, 2-3-1 CHA)
Goals:
UNH (2) - Meghara McManus (PP), Tori Howran (PP) (GW)
PSU (1) - Mallory Uihlein
Assists:
UNH (3) - Tori Howran, Julia Scammell (2), Annie Berry
PSU (2) - Brooke Madsen, Shea Nelson
Goaltenders:
UNH - Nikki Harnett - 8-7-10 - 25 (1 GA) {59:47} (W)
PSU - Chantal Burke - 12-7-5 - 24 (2 GA) {57:56} (L)
GAME RECAP
- The first period remained scoreless, despite UNH's 12 shots on goal and two power play opportunities in the frame.
- The Wildcats came out of the first intermission with a bang, scoring on their third power play opportunity of the game. Tori Howran saved a puck from exiting the zone off a deflection and she fired one towards the net that was redirected in mid-air by teammate Meghara McManus for the 1-0 lead 1:16 into the second period.
- The lead was short-lived as just 1:31 later, the Nittany Lions scored even strength on a shot from the point that trickled through the pads of Harnett for the 1-1 tie.
- New Hampshire would get another power play opportunity eight and a half minutes into the period, and the Wildcats would only need six seconds of that power play to capitalize. McManus won a faceoff to linemate Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) who passed to Julia Scammell (Truro, Nova Scotia) at the point, who continued the puck to Howran. Howran fired a shot from the slot and it found its way into the net for the 2-1 lead.
- Each team got one more power play opportunity in the third but neither could convert. The Wildcats looked to have their third power play goal of the game off the stick of sophomore Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario), but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference, keeping UNH's lead at just one goal.
- PSU pulled the goalie with two minutes to go in the third period; a series of strong defensive stops, with several saves from Harnett and several blocks by her defenders in front of her, UNH held on to win 2-1.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Julia Scammell tallied just her second career multi-point game, the first of the season for her.
- Meghara McManus' career high for goals in a season is 12, set last season. She currently sits at 11 goals this season.
- 25 saves is a new career high for freshman Nikki Harnett; her previous career high saves in a game was 19, when she backstopped the Wildcats to a three-goal comeback at Vermont this past October.
- New Hampshire is 4-0-0 when scoring two or more power play goals in a game this season.
- UNH hits win number 10 in game number 20 of the season, the earliest the Wildcats have reached 10 wins in the Hilary Witt era. It's the earliest 10th win of the season since 2009-2010, when UNH was 10-1-4 through 15 games.
PENALTIES
UNH: 2-4
PSU: 6-12
POWER PLAYS
UNH: 2-6
PSU: 0-2
NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS:
Points (2): Julia Scammell, Tori Howran
Goals (1): Meghara McManus, Tori Howran
Assists (2): Julia Scammell
Shots (5): Meghara McManus
Blocked Shots (3): Maddie Truax, Tori Howran
Faceoffs (15): Lauren Martin, Carlee Turner
PENN STATE LEADERS:
Points (1): Three players
Goals (1): Mallory Uihlein
Assists (1): Brooke Madsen, Shea Nelson
Shots (3): Four players
Blocked Shots (3): Amy Dobson
Faceoffs (10): Katie Rankin
