BURLINGTON, Vt. - Grad student and captain Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) made 42 saves to backbone the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team to Friday night's 3-3 tie against 11th-ranked University of Vermont at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Boutilier stopped three more shots in the shootout (not credited as saves) and both senior Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) and junior Brianna Brooks (Whitby, Ontario) converted in the shootout as UNH won the shootout, 2-1, to earn an extra point in the Hockey East standings.
Boutilier made 17 saves in the first period and stopped seven shots in the five-minute overtime session, and that included denying Ellice Murphy on a breakaway with 31 seconds on the clock.
UNH's goals were scored by Christian, junior Kyla Bent (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and grad student Gabby Jones (Westfield, Mass.).
UVM goalie Jessie McPherson was credited with 14 saves and she did stop one of UNH's five shootout attempts. Theresa Schafzahl scored twice and Natalie Mlynkova netted the Catamounts' other goal.
UNH moves to 11-19-1 overall and 9-14-1 in Hockey East while UVM is now 19-10-2, 14-8-2.
UP NEXT
- New Hampshire returns to action Saturday, Feb. 11 (4 p.m.) at Merrimack College.
- The Wildcats’ next home game is the last weekend of the regular season, Feb. 17-18 against Vermont. Game time both days is 2 p.m.
- Purchase tickets online at unhwildcats.com/tickets, by calling (603) 862-4000 or by visiting the Whittemore Center Ticket Office.
FIRST PERIOD
- Boutilier stopped all 17 shots on goal though 20 mintues to backbone UNH to a 1-0 lead.
- She made a highlight-reel save at 13:04 when she stopped Corinne McCool’s initial shot from the right circle, then leapt across the crease to block aside Murphy’s one-timer from the left faceoff dot.
- A quick succession of passes between all five Wildcat skaters led to the game’s first goal at 14:42. Kelly Harty (Billerica, Mass.) pushed the puck along the end boards to Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario), who in turn slipped a pass to the half-boards for Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.). She moved the puck back to the right point for Emily Rickwood (Branford, Ontario), who sent a pass across the blue line. Bent’s shot from the left point deflected off a UVM stick, the crossbar and McPherson into the cage.
SECOND PERIOD
- UVM outscored the Wildcats 2-1 with a 10-3 shot advantage in the second stanza to level the score, 2-2, through 40 minutes.
- The home team quickly turned a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead with goals 80 seconds apart.
- Schafzahl ripped a shot from the left circle into the upper-right corner to tie the score, 1-1, at 9:38.
- Mlynkova netted a shorthanded goal to give the Catamounts a 2-1 lead at 10:59.
- Christian tied the game, 2-2, at 16:23 when she collected the outlet pass off the boards from Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario) in the neutral zone for a breakaway down the slot. Christian shifted to her right and wristed a shot into the upper-right corner. Brianna Legros (New Liskeard, Ontario) was also credited with an assist.
THIRD PERIOD
- The teams scored goals 14 seconds apart late in the final frame.
- New Hampshire converted a power play into a goal and 3-2 lead at 17:42. Christian cycled the puck from the right corner to Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) at the point, and then she moved the puck across the high slot to Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.). Jones settled Alvarez’s pass in the left circle, advanced toward the slot and snapped a screened shot into the net.
- Schafzahl scored 14 seconds later, however, to forge the third tie of the game.
- Boutilier made two more saves in the final minute of regulation, including a stop of Maddy Skelton in the waning seconds.
OVERTIME
- Vermont recorded a 7-1 shot advantage in the extra session.
SHOOTOUT
- UVM shot first in the shootout session and Tynka Patkova scored to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
- Christian tied the score, 1-1, when she scored in the bottom of Round 2.
- The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 through four rounds, then Boutilier made a kick save with her right leg pad to deny Cam Morrissey in the top of Round 5.
- Brooks skated with speed down the slot and wristed a shot over McPherson’s glove under the crossbar to give UNH the 2-1 shootout win.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- UVM finished with a 45-17 shot advantage and 28-26 edge in the faceoff circle.
- UNH went 1-for-5 on the power play and allowed a shorthanded goal. UVM was scoreless on a pair of power-play chances.
- The Wildcats were credited with 15 blocked shots and UVM had 13.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- Boutilier’s 42 saves were one less than her season high of 43 established Oct. 2 at then-No. 7 Quinnipiac University. Her career high is 45 saves (twice).
- Boutilier increased her school record for career saves to 3,331. She ranks second in career minutes at 7186:32; Jen Huggon holds the benchmark of 7396:05.
- Rickwood extended her school record for career games played to 160.
- Three UNH blue liners – Alvarez, Bent and Rickwood – have recorded a point each of the past two games.
- UNH is 1-2-1 in overtime games this season.
- The Wildcats are 1-1-1 in their last three games vs. ranked teams.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has a 37-16-7 lifetime record against Vermont that includes 15-11-6 on the road.
- UVM has a 4-3-3 edge the past 10 meetings.
