DURHAM, N.H. - Freshman forward J.P. Turner (East Falmouth, Mass.) scored the game winner on his first collegiate goal as the No. 17 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated Princeton, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex in the final non-conference game of the regular season. The Wildcats sweep the two-game series versus the Tigers as UNH won 5-2 on Friday.
Freshman forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.) and sophomore forward Morgan Winters (Osprey, Fla.) also each found the back of the net, while junior goaltender Jakob Hellsten (Ljusdal, Sweden) made 16 saves to earn the win.
The Wildcats improve to 11-5-1, while the Tigers fall to 6-7-2.
UNH's 11-5-1 start to the season is its best in 11 years when the Wildcats were 12-3-2 in 2012-13.
UP NEXT:
- After the Wildcats play at Boston University (Jan. 13) and UConn (Jan. 19), UNH will return home for a game versus UConn on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. for Community Heroes Day presented by Milton Cat as the first 500 fans will receive a military hat. There will also be an autograph session after the game.
Score: #17 New Hampshire 3, Princeton 1
Records: UNH (11-5-1); Princeton (6-7-2)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
Attendance: 4,449
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- While on a five-minute major power play, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead at 17:20 of the first period when a shot by senior forward Nick Cafarelli (Middleton, Mass.) was deflected to the back of the net by Winters for his eighth goal of the season. Senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan) also tallied an assist on the goal.
- At 4:01 of the second period, UNH extended the lead to 2-0 when Turner scored his first collegiate goal when he knocked in a rebound off a shot by senior associate captain Harrison Blaisdell (Regina, Saskatchewan). Junior forward Connor Sweeney (North Andover, Mass.) also posted an assist.
- The Tigers cut their deficit to 2-1 at 8:34 of the second period with a power play goal by Brendan Gorman as he sent a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle to the upper stick side corner of the net.
- The 'Cats moved out to a 3-1 advantage when Conmy fired a shot from the slot to the upper stick side of the net for his team-leading 10th goal of the season. Junior captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) recorded an assist on the goal.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot Princeton, 26-17.
- The Wildcats went 1-2 on the power play, while the Tigers went 1-3.
- Hellsten recorded 16 saves to improve to 7-2-1 on the season, while Arthur Smith tallied 23 saves.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- UNH is 8-1-1 this season at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex
- The Wildcats are 5-1-0 versus the ECAC this season and 7-3-0 against non-conference opponents.
- The Wildcats are now 15-2-0 all-time versus the Tigers and 7-0-0 in Durham.
- Turner netted his first collegiate goal.
- Conmy leads the team with 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points.
- Reid and Conmy are both on four-game point streaks.
