ERIE, Pa. - Sophomore Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) made 37 saves for the second consecutive game but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team was defeated 4-1 by Mercyhurst University on Wednesday afternoon at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Blair made 18 saves in the second period, which marked her highest save total in a single period. She also stopped 11 shots in the first period and eight in the third.
Sara Boucher (Burlington, Ontario), a four-year letterwinner at Mercyhurst before coming to UNH this season, scored the Wildcats' goal.
MU goalie Magdalena Luggin was credited with 12 saves, half of which came in the third period. Jade Maisonneuve and Marielle Parks both scored two goals, including Parks' empty-net tally with 19 seconds remaining.
UNH, which entered the game on a four-game winning streak, is now 10-6-1 overall while Mercyhurst improved to 7-9-1.
UP NEXT
- UNH returns to action Wednesday, Dec. 4 (6 p.m.) against Northeastern University at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
- The Wildcats are also home Dec. 6 vs. UConn for the Teddy Bear Toss, White Out the Whitt, Dollar Dogs, Postgame Breakout with the 'Cats and Postgame Autographs.
- UNH women's hockey group opportunities and individual game tickets are available online at UNHWildcats.com/BuyTickets or by calling the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 or e-mailing unh.tickets@unh.edu.
FIRST PERIOD
- Mercyhurst generated an 11-2 shot advantage in the scoreless first period.
- The Lakers went on the first power play of the game with 43 seconds on the clock and Megan McKay snapped a shot from the slot wide of the right post in the waning seconds.
SECOND PERIOD
- Mercyhurst took a 1-0 lead at 7:23 when Parks skated onto a loose puck in the low slot and one-timed a shot over Blair's right shoulder.
- UNH scored 14 seconds after a successful penalty kill to tie the score, 1-1, at 10:43. Boucher corralled a pass at the blue line for a breakaway down the slot. She pulled the puck to her backhand and swept a shot inside the right post for her fifth goal of the season.
- Kelly Harty (Billerica, Mass.), with the pass through the neutral zone, and Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) were credited with the assists.
- Mercyhurst then scored six seconds after a successful penalty kill to go back in front, 2-1, at 18:05 on Maisonneuve's goal.
THIRD PERIOD
- Blair kept the 'Cats within one goal when she flashed her glove to deny Thea Johansson on a breakaway at 2:27 of the final frame.
- Maisonneuve struck again at 5:04 to extend the lead to 3-1.
- Trailing by two goals, UNH pulled Blair in favor of an extra skater at 17:13, but she returned to the net 50 seconds later when the Wildcats were whistled for a boarding penalty.
- The Lakers were penalized for hooking with 37 seconds to play and Blair returned to the bench to give the 'Cats a 5-on-4 skater advantage.
- Parks scored into the empty net 18 seconds later, however, to give the home team a 4-1 lead at 19:41.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- Blair matched her season high of 37 saves established the previous night against Mercyhurst.
- Boucher netted her 73rd career goal. She also had 73 career assists for 146 points in 143 games.
- She has tallied five goals and four assists in 17 games as a Wildcat.
- Alvarez is now tied for the team lead in assists (eight) and is tied for second in points (10).
- She recorded a point in both games of the series.
- Lucie Legro (Brentwood, N.H.) had a team-high three blocks.
- Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) led the 'Cats with five faceoff wins.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- Mercyhurst finished with the edge in shots (41-13) and faceoffs (37-13).
- Both teams went scoreless on the power play. UNH had two power-play chances and the Lakers had four.
- UNH blocked 13 attempted shots and Mercyhurst had nine.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has a 6-5-1 lifetime record against Mercyhurst following the series split with the Lakers.
- Although the series began back in the 1999-2000 season, these programs had not faced off since Dec. 8, 2007 - a 5-2 Wildcat road win.
