DURHAM, N.H. - Senior forward Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) scored the game-winning goal with just 19.5 seconds left in overtime as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated No. 8 Providence, 2-1, on Saturday at the Whittemore Center in Hockey East action.
Junior goalie David Fessenden (Parker, Colo.) was outstanding in net in his first start as a UNH Wildcat as he made 31 saves with six in overtime to keep Providence from scoring the game winner.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 3-4-0 (1-2-0 Hockey East), while the Friars fall to 6-3-0 (3-1-0 Hockey East).
UP NEXT:
- Next up for the Wildcats will be a home-and-home series with Northeastern on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 5-6. The game on Friday is at the Whittemore Center on NESN+, while the matchup on Saturday is at Matthews Arena on College SportsLive.
Score: New Hampshire 2, #8 Providence 1 (OT)
Records: UNH (3-4-0, 1-2-0 Hockey East), Providence (6-3-0, 3-1-0 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center Arena)
Date: Saturday, October 30, 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Attendance: 3,134
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead when senior forward Tyler Ward (Kamloops, British Columbia) sent a wrist shot from the blue line that got right past the glove of Jaxson Stauber on the left side and found the back of the net at 3:11 of the first. Freshman defensemen Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) and senior forward Eric MacAdams (Salem, Mass.) both posted an assist on the goal.
-At 7:21 of the second period, Providence's Parker Ford scored on a wrist shot right in front of the net assisted by Jamie Engelbert to tie the game at 1-1.
- Pierson won the game in overtime for the Wildcats with just 19.5 seconds left on the clock when he intercepted a pass and deked out the goalie and flicked it into the back of the net for the 2-1 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Fessenden posted 31 saves to earn his first win of the season. Stauber tallied 22 saves and is now 6-3-0.
- Providence outshot UNH by a 32-24 margin.
- The Wildcats went 0-2 on the power play and the Friars went 0-4.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The goal by Pierson was his first of the season. Pierson now has four career game-winning goals.
- Tyler Ward netted his first goal of the season. He leads the team with four assists and five points.
- Fessenden recorded a win in his first start as a Wildcat.
- UNH's last overtime win was on Feb. 6, 2021 versus UMass Lowell, 7-6.
- The Wildcats are 3-1-0 at home this season.
