DURHAM, N.H. - Four different Wildcats found the back of the net and senior goaltender David Fessenden (Parker, Colo.) made 23 saves as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Sacred Heart, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at the Whittemore Center in non-conference action.
Senior forward Ryan Black (Pomfret, Conn.), senior captain Chase Stevenson (West Kelowna, British Columbia), freshman forward Cy LeClerc (Brentwood, N.H.) and sophomore forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) each scored for UNH.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu participated in a Ceremonial Puck Drop before the game.
The Wildcats, who have won two straight and three of their last five, improve to 6-16-1, while the Pioneers fall to 11-8-1.
UP NEXT: Wildcats will return to action on Friday and Saturday,
- The Wildcats will play at No. 15 UMass on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- The next home game is versus No. 17 UMass Lowell on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Whittemore Center on ESPN+ presented by Kennebunk Savings Bank.
- The game versus UMass Lowell is also Family Hockey Day with a spaghetti dinner and activities that will include (but are not limited to) face painting, button making, personalized pennants, cornhole, and so much more. Tickets for Family Hockey Day are $42 for dinner, activities and game ticket, and $38 for ages 12 and under and 65+.
- Go to UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or call the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 to catch the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: New Hampshire 4, Sacred Heart 1
Records: UNH 6-16-1, SHU 11-8-1.
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center)
Date: Sunday, January 8, 2023
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Attendance: 4,205
BHOW IT HAPPENED:
- Just 4:27 into the first period, Black received a pass from junior defenseman Nikolai Jenson (Cold Spring, Minn.) and made a move around goalie Luke Lush and scored on his backhand.
- Then at 14:32, Jenson took a shot from the point, as Black passed the rebound across the crease for Stevenson who knocked in the puck blocker side to double the 'Cats lead.
- At 8:31 of the second period, Austin Magera scored off a rebound from a shot by Todd Goehring on the blocker side of Fessenden.
- Just seven seconds after the opening faceoff of the third period, LeClerc went on a breakaway and scored glove side on Lush. Devlin posted an assist on the goal.
- At 18:02, to cap off the 'Cats win, Devlin scored an empty net goal from the slot for the 4-1 final.
BINSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Fessenden made 23 saves, while Lush tallied 24 saves for the Pioneers.
- UNH outshot SHU, 28-24.
- The Wildcats went 0-4 on the power play, while the Pioneers went 0-2.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- UNH now leads the all-time series versus the Pioneers, 1-0-1.
- LeClerc scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season.
- Three Wildcats recorded multi-points games as Black and Devlin each had one goal and one assist, while Jenson tallied two assists.
- Stevenson is now tied for the team-lead with two game-winning goals this season.
- Devlin is on a four-game point streak with four goals and three assists for seven points during this stretch.
- UNH went 5-5-0 versus non-conference opponents this season.
