DURHAM, N.H. - Junior forward Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) recorded a career high of four points with two goals and two assists in the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team's 4-2 win against the University of Maine at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex on Friday night.
Senior defenseman and captain Charli Kettyle (Perth, Ont.) also recorded her career high in points with three assists, all in the third period. UNH's other goals were scored by junior forward Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) and senior forward Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ont.) with the empty netter.
Freshman goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) recorded 32 saves, including one on a penalty shot, to record her 11th win of the season.
Maine goalie Julia Bachetti recorded 30 saves. Elise Morphy and Ashley Kokavec scored for the Black Bears.
UNH moves to 11-12-2 overall and 8-8-2 in Hockey East. Maine is now 11-13-2 and 7-10-2 in Hockey East.
UP NEXT
- The UNH vs. Maine Border Battle presented by Buffalo Wild Wings continues Jan. 27at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex. It is White Out the Whitt with a white beanie handed out to the first 500 fans.
- It is also Alumni Day as well as Dollar Dog Night.
- Purchase tickets online at unhwildcats.com, by calling (603) 862-4000 or by visiting the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex ticket office.
FIRST PERIOD
- The first period was scoreless with Maine outshooting UNH 10-8 with the Wildcats taking a 6-3 advantage in the faceoff circle.
- UNH had one power play and recorded three shots on it but did not convert.
SECOND PERIOD
- The visitors generated a 14-12 shot advantage as UNH won the faceoffs battle again, 12-5.
- The Black Bears took a 1-0 lead at 8:50 when Morphy's shot from the right point fluttered into the upper-left corner of the net.
- Blair kept the deficit to one goal when she denied Rahel Enzler on a penalty shot at 15:18.
- UNH tied the game at 18:11 when Verrier pounced on her own rebound in the crease after Tamara Thierus got the puck to the net front from behind the goal line. Rae Breton was credited with the secondary assist.
THIRD PERIOD
- UNH recorded a 14-10 shot advantage and 15-7 faceoff advantage in the final frame.
- Maine retook the lead, 2-1, at 7:20 when Kokavec fired a shot from the high slot off of a drop pass from Enzler.
- The Wildcats tied it back up again on the power play at 11:02 when Hammer deflected Kettyle's shot from the point. Verrier set up the tally on a pass from the right circle back to the point.
- Just over two minutes later, UNH grabbed its first lead of the game at 13:25 with another power-play goal as Verrier fired home her second of the night from the right-side circle. Kettyle and Kyla Bent were credited with assists.
- Maine pulled Bachetti in favor on an extra skater with 2:22 remaining.
- UNH added cushion to the lead with an empty netter from Truter just inside the blue line after receiving the pass from Verrier at 18:00. Kettyle tallied her third assist of the game.
- Bachetti reentered the game but returned to the bench with 77 seconds to play, but Maine did not record a shot the rest of the way.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- The shots were even at 34 and UNH was dominant in faceoff circle with a 33-15 advantage.
- UNH was credited with 12 blocks and Maine had seven.
- The Wildcats scored on 2 of 4 power plays. The Black Bears went 0-for-1 on the power play.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- Verrier became the first Wildcat to record four points in a single game so far this season. The last 'Cat to do so was Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ont.) when she scored four goals at Holy Cross on Feb. 5, 2023.
- Both the two goals and two points matched personal bests.
- This was Verrier's third multi-point game of the season and fifth of her career.
- Kettyle recorded multiple assists for the first time in her career; she had tallied one assist in a game 21 times prior to Friday.
- Blair finished with 30+ saves for the ninth time this season, including four of the past five games.
- Verrier, Rae Breton (Brighton, Ont.) and Brianna Legros (New Liskeard, Ont.) led UNH with two blocks apiece.
- Nicole Kelly (Brantford, Ont.) led all skaters with 11 faceoff wins.
- Verrier was an impressive 8-for-10 in the faceoff circle.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has a 48-21-8 lifetime record against Maine that includes 27-10-3 on home ice.
- The Wildcats have won three straight Border Battle games against Maine.
