AROUND HOCKEY EAST: The Merrimack Warriors traveled to #3 Minnesota last weekend and earned a two-game split, taking a 4-3 victory Friday night. Sophomore goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers (Repentigny, Que.) stopped 54 shots in the win, earning Women's Hockey East Player of the Week accolades for her efforts. Jessica Bonfe (Woodbury, Minn.) scored the game-winning goal at 5:16 of the second period, breaking a 3-3 tie. The Gophers took a 4-1 win over Merrimack Sunday in the second game ... Maine earned its first win over #9 Quinnipiac since 2011 on Saturday, taking a 4-2 victory at Alfond Arena. Rookie Michelle Weis (Charlottenlund, Denmark) helped the Black Bears to the weekend with the Bobcats, including Maine's first win over the Bobcats since 2011. Her three assists on the weekend marked her first collegiate points after a two-goal, two-assist exhibition outing on Sept. 22 and earned her Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week honors ... #8 Northeastern welcomed defending national champion and top-ranked Clarkson to Matthews Arena for a two-game set. Shelby Harrington (Bow, N.H.) scored the lone Husky goal in Friday's 1-1 draw and chipped in an assist in Northeastern's 5-1 setback on Saturday ... Providence's Christina Putigna (Grimsby, Ont.) erupted for eight points on the weekend, posting one goal and three assists in each of two wins for the Friars. On Friday, Putigna paced her team to a 7-3 win at Union before padding her point total in a 6-2 victory over Hockey East rival Vermont Sunday. Whitney Dove (Port Moody, B.C.) netted a pair of goals on the weekend, en route to claiming Women's Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week ... UConn split a weekend series at St. Cloud, including a 1-0 overtime victory in the season opener. Rookie forward Natalie Snodgrass (Eagan, Minn.) tallied the decisive marker just 45 seconds into the extra frame to push the Huskies to victory ... New Hampshire opened its 40th season on the ice with an exhibition contest on Friday night, earning a 2-1 win with a pair of goals from senior defensemen. Julia Fedeski (Algonquin Highlands, Ont.) and Amy Schlagel (Blaine, Minn.) each found the back of the net to lead the Wildcat win.
Merrimack sophomore goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers (Repentigny, Que.) backstopped the Warriors to a 4-3 road win at #3 Minnesota, making 54 saves en route to the victory.
Michelle Weis (Charlottenlund, Denmark) helped the Maine Black Bears to a split with #9 Quinnipiac, including Maine's first win over the Bobcats since 2011. Her three assists on the weekend marked her first collegiate points after a two-goal, two-assist exhibition outing on Sept. 22.
Reigning Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Year Whitney Dove (Port Moody, B.C.) helped lead her team to a 2-0-0 start to the 2017-18 season with wins over Union at league rival Vermont. The defenseman netted two goals and 13 shots on net in the two outings, collecting a plus-two rating on the weekend.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Leah Lum, UConn (Sr., F; Richmond, B.C.) Recorded two points in the Huskies' opening weekend at St. Cloud, dishing out a pair of helpers on Saturday.
Natalie Snodgrass, UConn (Fr., F; Eagan, Minn.) Netted the game-winning goal in overtime against St. Cloud 45 seconds into the extra frame for her first career tally. She fired a team-high 12 shots on goal in the two outings.
Annie Belanger, UConn (Sr., G; Sherbrooke, Que.) Stopped 31 shots and posted a shutout in a 1-0 overtime win at St. Cloud to start the 2017-18 season.
Tereza Vanisova, ME (So., F; Strakonice, Czech Republic) Chipped in two assists on the Black Bears' first two tallies of a 4-2 win over #9 Quinnipiac on Saturday and potted the fourth goal for Maine.
Carly Jackson, ME (So., G; Amherst, N.S.) Earned a weekend split with #9 Quinnipiac, stopping 52 shots in two outings. A 32-save performance on Saturday helped her team to its first win over the Bobcats since 2011.
Jessica Bonfe, MC (Jr., F: Woodbury, Minn.) Scored the game-winning goal in Merrimack's 4-3 win over #3 Minnesota at 5:16 of the second period, breaking a 3-3 tie.
Julia Fedeski, UNH (Sr., D; Algonquin Highlands, Ont.) Scored a goal to open the Wildcats' scoring in a 2-1 exhibition win over Nepean.
Amy Schlagel, UNH (Sr. D; Blaine, Minn.) Potted the game-winning goal at 6:37 of the third period in New Hampshire's 2-1 win.
Shelby Herrington, NU (Sr., F; Bow, N.H.) Had a goal and an assist in Northeastern's 0-1-1 weekend against #1 Clarkson.
Christina Putigna, PC (Jr., F; Grimsby, Ont.) Racked up a pair of four-point games, scoring a goal and adding three assists in each of two wins over Union and league rival Vermont.
Hayley Lunny, PC (Fr., F; Bedford, N.Y.) Netted her first NCAA goal against Vermont in Sunday's 6-2 win.