NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Grad student Sara Boucher (Burlington, Ontario) scored two goals to lift the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team to Saturday night's 3-2 victory against Merrimack College at Lawler Rink.
Sophomore goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) made 32 saves with 15 saves in both the first and third periods.
Senior defender Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.) scored the game-winning goal with a power-play tally 25 seconds into the third period that gave UNH a 3-1 lead.
Merrimack goalie Margaux Favre made 17 saves. Sage Babey and Solveig Gisler scored the Warriors' goals.
UNH completed the season sweep to improve to 15-14-1 overall and 11-12-0 in Hockey East while Merrimack is now 7-20-3, 4-16-3.
UP NEXT
- UNH returns to action Feb. 14 (6 p.m.) for Blue Out BU against Boston University at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex. The 'Cats will wear their blue jerseys and fans are encouraged to also wear blue.
- 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
- Merrimack recorded a 15-9 shot advantage in the opening 20 minutes but New Hampshire scored the only goal.
- Facing the end boards behind the net, Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) made a no-look pass to the left side of the net and Boucher was there to deposit the puck into the net for a 1-0 lead at 6:07.
- Sadie Madokis (St. Albert, Alberta), who made the wraparound pass around the boards from the right point, was credited with the secondary assist.
SECOND PERIOD
- UNH generated a 5-3 shot advantage in the second stanza, which saw both teams score a goal.
- The Warriors tied the score, 1-1, at 3:23 when Babey corralled a loose puck in front of the net and her shot trickled across the goal line.
- On a shorthanded breakaway, Boucher snapped a shot from the right faceoff circle into the upper-left corner to put the 'Cats back in front, 2-1, at 5:55. Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario) made the outlet pass from the defensive zone to earn the assist.
THIRD PERIOD
- Merrimack had a 16-6 shot advantage in the final frame as once again both teams added a goal to the total.
- UNH carried a power play into the start of the third period and scored 25 seconds in to extend the advantage to 3-1. Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) initiated the scoring sequence with a pass from the left circle to Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) in the high slot. She fake a shot, then slipped a pass to the left point, where Alvarez one-timed a low shot between Favre's legs.
- Gisler scored a power-play goal at 5:58 when her shot from the right circle ricocheted high off Blair's stick and dropped into the net.
- MC pulled Favre with 1:17 remaining but Blair stopped all three shots the rest of the way, including Babey's slap shot from the right faceoff dot with 40 seconds on the clock and then Babey again with 15 seconds to play.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- Boucher recorded her first multiple-goal and fourth multiple-point game as a Wildcat.
- Boucher scored three goals in the two-game series vs. Merrimack.
- She has recorded a point in seven of the last eight games with four goals and five assists in that span.
- Makokis extended her assist and point streaks to three games.
- Juodikis also had a three-point weekend vs. MC to increase her career total to 93.
- Verrier led all skaters with 12 faceoff wins on a.600 win percentage (12 of 20).
- Maddie Crowley-Cahill (Haverhill, Mass.) and Alyson Hush (Scarborough, Ontario) led the 'Cats in blocks with two blocks apiece.
GAME NOTEBOOK
- MC recorded a 34-20 shot advantage.
- Both teams went 1-for-3 on the power play.
- UNH had the 27-25 edge in the faceoff circle.
- The Wildcats blocked 11 shot attempts while Merrimack had 10 blocks.
SERIES NOTEBOOK
- UNH has a 20-7-4 lifetime record against Merrimack that includes 10-4-2 on the road.
JERSEY AUCTION
- The UNH women's hockey team is auctioning limited-edition blue jerseys to the general public through Feb. 15 (10 p.m.).
- A portion of the winning bid for each jersey goes directly to that student-athlete.
- Go online to tinyurl.com/WHOCjerseys to view available player jerseys and place a bid.
