DURHAM, N.H. - Rae Breton (Brighton, Ontario) broke a scoreless tie early in the second period, but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team fell to the University of Maine, 2-1, at the Whittemore Center on Saturday afternoon.
Breton, making her collegiate debut at forward, gave UNH a 1-0 lead at 3:10 of the second stanza, but Maine netted third-period goals at 11:46 and 18:23 to really for the win. Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) was credited with 17 saves.
Maine goalie Loryn Porter recorded 21 saves while Ali Beltz had multiple points with two assists.
The Wildcats (1-5-0 overall, 1-4-0 Hockey East) are scheduled return to action next Saturday, Dec. 19 at Vermont. The Black Bears (3-1-0, 3-1-0) host Providence College Dec. 19.
First Period Summary
- Both teams spent most of the first half of the period trading scoring chances, with neither side able to put together a prolonged offensive zone attack.
- UNH got the first power-play opportunity of the game at 9:16 and threatened to score several times, but were ultimately unable to find the back of the net.
- Maine's power play came at 17:30. Similar to UNH, the Black Bears had chances to score the game's first goal but could not put the puck in the net.
- UNH held the first period shot advantage, 7-3.
Second Period Summary
- UNH was finally able to break through for the first goal of the game at 3:10 of the second. Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario) won a puck battle in the left corner, centered a pass to Breton in front of the net, and Breton lifted the puck glove side to give UNH a 1-0 lead. The goal was Breton's first of the season and Maddie Traux (Gardner, Mass.) had the secondary assist.
- The Wildcats came close to extending their lead during another power play at 11:00. In one of their best offensive possessions of the game, Nicole Kelly (Brantford, Ontario) just missed a chance in front of the net. Kelly and the 'Cats kept the pressure but could not score and Maine killed of the penalty.
- Despite not scoring, Maine outshot UNH by a 9-6 margin in the period.
Third Period Summary
- UNH went on the power play just 27 seconds into the period and applied offensive pressure early, but came away with nothing to show for it.
- At 9:34, Maine began to shift the pressure and strung together a few scoring opportunities, highlighted by Ida Kuoppala's close-range shot that hit the crossbar and her attempte off the rebound was stopped by Boutilier.
- Maine finally capitalized at 11:46, when Nicole Pateman hit Enzler to set up a Maine offensive attack. Enzler then found Ali Beltz just inside blueline, and Beltz snuck a snapshot past the stick of Boutilier to tie the game.
- Enzler and Kuoppala connected at 18:23, when Enzler led a charge up the UNH side of the ice, got the defense to shift, then from behind the net found a cutting Kuoppala in front of the net. Kuoppala buried it and Maine took a late 2-1 lead.
- UNH pulled Boutilier for an extra attacker for the final 81 seconds, but could not tie the game
- In the period, Maine transformed a one-goal deficit into a one-goal win despite having two less shots (7) than the Wildcats (9).
UNH Notebook
- Breton, who skated as a defensemen her first 37 collegiate games, netted her first game of the season and third of her career.
- Truter, with the assist, was the second Wildcat to record her first career point on the weekend.
- Truax recorded her first point of the season; she now has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 100 career games.
- Three of UNH's five losses have been by a 2-1 score; that includes both games this weekend vs. Maine.
Series Notebook
- UNH leads the all-time series 42-17-8.
- UNH is now 0-4-1 the past five meetings.
