DURHAM, N.H. - Freshman forward Nick Ring (Abington, Mass.), junior defenseman Colton Huard (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) and senior alternate captain Harrison Blaisdell (Regina, Saskatchewan) each found the back of the net as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Dartmouth, 3-1, on Saturday night at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
Junior goaltender Jakob Hellsten (Ljusdal, Sweden) recorded 24 saves to earn his second consecutive win for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats improve to 4-1-0 (2-0-0 Hockey East), while the Big Green fall to 0-1-1 (0-0-1 ECAC). UNH's 4-1-0 record is its best start to a season in six years when the Wildcats went 5-0-0 to begin the 2017-18 season.
UP NEXT:
- The Wildcats return to action versus No. 7 Providence on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. The UNH Marching Band will perform on the ice during the first intermission. Also, there will be a Coat Drive in the lobby for 'Cats Cupboard.
- 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 3, Dartmouth 1 Records: UNH (4-1-0, 2-0 Hockey East); Dartmouth (0-1-1, 0-0-1 ECAC) Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex) Date: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 Attendance: 4,258
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The first period went scoreless as each team took 12 shots.
- The Wildcats got on the board first at 4:03 in the second period as sophomore forward Morgan Winters (Osprey, Fla.) found Ring who dangled the puck out and up to the top shelf of the net. Junior defenseman Luis Linder (Spittal an der Drau, Austria) recorded the secondary assist.
- Huard then extended the 'Cats lead on the power play to 2-0 at 10:09 in the second period after rocketing the puck past the glove side of Cooper Black. Sophomore forward Cy LeClerc (Brentwood, N.H.) and junior forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) were credited with the assists.
- Dartmouth trimmed the deficit while on the power play to 2-1 at 5:13 in the third period when John Fusco sent a slap shot to the back of the Wildcat net.
- Junior captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) sent the puck to the slot where Blaisdell zipped a one-timer past the upper glove side putting UNH up 3-1 at 7:46 in the third period. Senior alternate-captain Nikolai Jenson (Cold Spring, Minn.) set up Gagne with the secondary assist.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot Dartmouth 29-25.
- The Wildcats went 1-2 on the power play while the Big Green went 1-3.
- Hellsten recorded 24 saves to earn the win and improve to 2-0-0, while Black tallied 26 saves.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Ring recorded his first collegiate goal.
- Huard now has two career game -winning goals.
- Devlin extended his point streak to five games.
- The Wildcats are 4-1 at home this season.
