DURHAM, N.H. - Junior forward Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) scored the game-winning goal as the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team defeated the College of the Holy Cross, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
Freshman goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) made 24 saves in the contest.
Hammer scored the game-winning goal and notched an assist for two points. Three other Wildcats recorded points, including a goal by senior Nicole Kelly (Brantford, Ontario).
Holy Cross goalie Madison Beck made 29 total saves while Alexia Moreau scored the lone Crusaders' goal.
UNH improved to 15-15-2 overall and 12-11-2 in Hockey East. HC is now 7-21-3, 4-18-3.
UP NEXT
- UNH returns to the Whittemore Center when they welcome Boston College on Friday, February 23 for a 6 p.m. puck drop and Senior Night. Watch on ESPN+.
FIRST PERIOD
- The first period went scoreless as UNH recorded an 11-7 shot.
SECOND PERIOD
- Holy Cross had an 8-5 edge in shots as 20 more minutes went by scoreless.
- At 3:55, Blair had a sequence of three saves with traffic in front to keep the Crusaders off the board and the game tied 0-0.
THIRD PERIOD
- The Wildcats tallied a 15-10 shot advantage in the final frame.
- At 4:32, Kelly gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Junior forward Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) freed the puck from a Crusader and sent it up the boards to Hammer at the blue line. Hammer sent a tape-to-tape pass to Kelly, who was streaking down the slot and buried the puck high glove side.
- On the power play, senior defender Charli Kettyle (Perth, Ontario) sent a pass across the blue line that found junior defender Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) at the point. Alvarez sent a pass to the right circle for Hammer, who one-timed a shot five hole to give the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage at 12:00.
- Holy Cross cut UNH's lead in half when Alexia Moreau found the back of the net at 15:00 on the power play.
- The visitors pulled Beck in favor of an extra skater with 1:35 remaining but Blair stopped both shots the rest of the way to secure the win.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- UNH outshot Holy Cross (31-25) and Holy Cross had an edge in faceoffs (24-22).
- UNH was 1-for-2 on the power play and Holy Cross went 1-3.
- The 'Cats were credited with six blocks while HC blocked seven shot attempts.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- Blair now has 821 saves on the season, which ranks third all-time on UNH's single-season leaderboard. The single-season record is 886 set by Ava Boutilier in 2018.
- With her two points, Hammer now has a point in six of the last seven games.
- Kelly led the team with three blocked shots and also led the team with nine faceoff wins.
- Hammer, Juodikis and Alvarez all moved into a third-place tie in assists with nine this season.
- Hammer ranks third on the team in points with 17.
- Juodikis leads the team in points with 22.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has a 19-1-0 lifetime record against Holy Cross that includes a perfect 11-0-0 record at home.
- The Wildcats extended their win streak vs. the Crusaders to 11 games.
