DURHAM, N.H. - Junior right wing and captain Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) scored with 39 seconds remaining in overtime to give the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team a 4-3 win against the University of New Brunswick in Sunday afternoon's exhibition game at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
Juodikis and classmate Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) both finished with two points on a goal and an assist. UNH's other goal scorers were freshman Sydney Leonard (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) and Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.).
Freshman goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) was credited with five saves. She stopped all five shots she faced in the first period, reentered the game at the start of overtime and stopped all three shots in the extra session.
New Brunswick was led by Lillian George, April Reiner, and Hailey Jackson, all of whom recorded a goal. Cassie McCallum made 35 saves.
UP NEXT
- UNH opens the season at Saint Anselm on Sept. 30 at 3 p.m.
- The Wildcats' home opener is Oct. 1 (2 p.m.) against St. Michael's.
FIRST PERIOD
- UNH outshot New Brunswick, 13-2, in the opening 20 minutes but the score was 0-0 at the first intermission.
SECOND PERIOD
- Sophomore goaltender Ava Hills (Pembroke, NH) started the second period in net for the Wildcats.
- Hailey Jackson scored for the Reds at 1:05 on a power play. The puck went over Blair's right shoulder, hitting the top corner of the goal. The assist was credited to Mackenzie Keenan.
- Alvarez crashed the front of the net and pushed the puck past McCallum to even the score, 1-1, at 1:41. Grad student Mikah Baptiste (Ottowa, Ontario) was credited with an assist. Alvarez had initiated the flurry of shots from the slot, then Baptiste had a pair of shots on goal at the right doorstep before Alvarez finished the sequence.
- Junior center Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass) shot the puck between the goaltender's legs at 5:22 to give UNH a 2-1 lead. Danika Botterill (Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.), with the pass across the crease, and Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) set up the go-ahead tally.
THIRD PERIOD
- Freshman goaltender Noemi Martinez (Glen Ridge, NJ) subbed on to start the third period in net for New Hampshire.
- George scored for the Reds 10 seconds into a power play at 6:54 to level the score, 2-2. Katelyn Scott was credited with the assist.
- Leonard slid the puck past McCallum at 11:58 to give the 'Cats a 3-2 lead. Juodikis passed it from behind the net to the slot for Leonard for the tap-in.
- Reiner evened the score once again at 14:59 with the assist going to Bailey McMaster.
OVERTIME
- Blair came back on to start in net in overtime.
- From the left doorstep, Alvarez made the pass across the crease to Juodikis to give the 'Cats the win with 39 seconds left in overtime.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- UNH had a 39-15 shot advantage and 31-25 edge in the faceoff circle.
- The Reds went 2-for-2 on the power play and the 'Cats were 0 of 1.
- New Hampshire was credited with six blocked shots while New Brunswick also had six.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- All three goaltenders saw one period of action with Blair coming back in overtime to help New Hampshire defeat New Brunswick.
- Grad student forward and captain Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) led UNH with two blocks.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- Although this was an exhibition game and does not count toward the all-time series, UNH has a 1-0-1 lifetime record against New Brunswick.
