DURHAM, N.H. - Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) scored two goals and Nicky Harnett (Plymouth, Minn.) stopped 37 shots to lead the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team to Friday night's 2-1 Senior Day victory against College of the Holy Cross at the Whittemore Center.
The two goals and two points both marked career highs for the freshman forward, and the 37 saves matched the career high for Harnett; the junior stopped 12 in each of the first two periods and 13 in the third.
Seniors Lindsey Dumond (Hampton, N.H.) and Maddie Truax (Gardner, Mass.) assisted on the game-winning goal at 7:25 of the third period.
Holy Cross goalie Jada Brenon was credited with 27 saves. Darci Johal scored the Crusaders' goal.
UNH improved to 10-17-2 overall, including 7-8-1 at home and 8-13-1 in Hockey East. HC moved to 3-26-0, 1-23-0.
UP NEXT
- UNH and Holy Cross complete the two-game weekend series Feb. 12 (6 p.m.) at the Hart Center Rink.
- The Wildcats' next home game is Feb. 15 (6 p.m.) against fifth-ranked Northeastern University.
FIRST PERIOD
- Holy Cross took a 1-0 lead with a 13-7 shot advantage in the opening 20 minutes.
- UNH was whistled for tripping just 34 seconds into the game, but the Crusaders went to the box for high sticking at 2:05.
- Brianna Brooks (Whitby, Ontario) wristed a shot from the slot that ricocheted off the right post at 9:35.
- Neither team capitalized on the early power plays, but the visitors took a 1-0 lead on a late power-play goal.
- Bailey Bennett moved the puck from the right point to Lilly Feeney in the corner. Johal then redirected Feeney's centering pass into the cage at 18:03.
SECOND PERIOD
- UNH responded with a 13-12 shot advantage and scored the only goal of the middle stanza.
- Hammer began and finished the scoring sequence that tied the game, 1-1, at 3:48. She gained possession at the defensive blue line and advanced to center ice before finding Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) on the right wing. Verrier sent a return pass to the slot and Hammer shoveled a backhander high left-side.
- HC created a 2-on-1 rush with 5:15 on the clock, but Harnett stopped Johal's initial shot from the slot and then Emilie Fortunato lifted the rebound wide of the left post.
THIRD PERIOD
- Holy Cross had the 13-9 shot advantage in the final frame but the 'Cats scored the lone goal.
- One minute into the period, Bryn Saarela corralled a stretch pass at the blue line for a breakaway down the slot, but Harnett stopped the rising shot from close range.
- Hammer struck again at 7:25 to give New Hampshire a 2-1 lead. She won the puck on the right boards in the neutral zone and sent the puck back to Truax. Her diagonal pass sent Dumond on a rush down the left wing. Hammer swept the centering pass past Brenon.
- Holy Cross called timeout with 1:54 remaining and pulled Brenon in favor of an extra skater.
- The Crusaders kept the puck in the attack zone a majority of the rest of the way, but UNH allowed just one shot attempt and that was blocked by Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) with 1:34 to play.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- Holy Cross finished with a 38-29 shot advantage and blocked 12 shot attempts.
- UNH had a 29-22 edge in faceoffs and blocked 13 shot attempts.
- The Crusaders went 1-for-2 on the power play. The 'Cats were 0-for-1.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- New Hampshire honored seniors Paige Rynne (Ancaster, Ontario), Dumond and Truax prior to the game.
- Four 'Cats - Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.), Rae Breton (Brighton, Ontario), Nicole Kelly (Brantford, Ontario) and Emily Rickwood (Brantford, Ontario) - blocked two shots.
- Both Berry and Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario) went 9-for-14 (64.3%) in the faceoff circle.
- Kelly had a team-high six shots.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has an 11-1-0 lifetime record against Holy Cross that includes 8-0-0 at home.
- The Wildcats are 2-0-0 in the 2021-22 season series; the 'Cats skated to a 4-2 home win Oct. 31, 2021.
