Freshman goaltender Nikki Harnett made 17 saves for the Wildcats
Harnett, New Hampshire Shut Out Holy Cross, 3-0
Freshman goaltender Nikki Harnett made 17 saves for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - Freshman netminder Nikki Harnett (Plymouth, Minn.) notched her second career shutout, and tallied a primary assist on the final goal of the game as the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team defeated the Holy Cross Crusaders by a score of 3-0 on Friday evening.

Harnett stopped all 17 Holy Cross chances on net, backstopping the Wildcats to a conference win and a 2-0-0 lead over Holy Cross in the season series. Harnett's record in her debut season now improves to 3-3-1.

UNH's goals came from senior Taylor Wenczkowski (Rochester, N.H.) on a power play in the first, fellow senior Meghara McManus (Milton, Mass.) on a tip in the third period, and freshman Tamara Thiérus (Saint-Jérôme, Quebec) on an empty-netter in which she skated the length of the ice to lay the puck into the net.


NEXT GAME: The Wildcats and the Crusaders finish up the season series Saturday, January 25 at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:05 P.M.


GAME INFORMATION:

Date: January 24, 2020 - 5PM
Location: Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H.
Attendance: 335
Score: UNH 3(12-11-2, 9-9-1 Hockey East) HC 0 (3-18-4, 3-15-1 Hockey East)

Goals:

UNH (3) - Taylor Wenczkowski (GW, PP), Meghara McManus, Tamara Thiérus (EN)
HC (0) -

Assists:

UNH (4) - Tori Hawren, Taylor Wenczkowski, Talli Warren, Nikki Hartnett
HC (0) -

Goaltenders:

UNH - Nikki Hartnett 6-7-4 - 17 (0 GA) {59:45} (W)
HC - Jada Brenon 13-6-13 - 32 (2 GA) {58:53} (L)


GAME RECAP

- Both teams began the contest with power plays in the first half of the period but each was killed off by the defending team.

- UNH got their second power play chance at 15:45 in the first; Tori Howran (Bancroft, Ontario) took the puck behind the net and set up Taylor Wenczkowski for an opportunity right in front as Wenczkowski knocked in the rebound through for the lead.

- In the first, UNH outshot Holy Cross by a 20-8 margin, 14-6 on net.

- Despite multiple chances for UNH right in front of the net in the 2nd period, strong play from Holy Cross' Jada Brenon kept the Holy Cross deficit to just one goal.

- 8:12 into the third, the Crusaders got their fifth powerplay chance of the game, but UNH stayed perfect while down a player, killing off the advantage.

- A shot by sophomore Talli Warren (Mundleville, New Brunswick) was tipped by both Wenczkowski and Meghara McManus for UNH's second goal of the contest, 12:02 into the third period.

- UNH would seal the victory with an empty-netter 19:02 in the third, Harnett made a save that found Tamara Thiérus on the boards; the rookie winger skated the puck down the length of the boards to the empty net and tipped the puck into the net.


BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

- New Hampshire came into the weekend with the fifth-best penalty kill in the country at 91.0% efficiency. The Wildcats killed off all five Holy Cross power plays in the contest, bringing their penalty kill percentage up to 91.4% on the season.

- Tamara Thiérus is now on a three-game point streak after assisting on goals in UNH's two games last weekend against Providence.

- McManus' goal was her team-leading 12th of the season, tying a career-high for goals in a season by the senior.

- While Wenczkowski has been a consistent part of UNH's offense providing a team second-best 11 assists, tonight's game-winning goal was her first goal since the November 23rd victory at #9 Harvard. It's her second game-winner of the season.

- Nikki Harnett is the second UNH goaltender to be credited with a primary assist this season; redshirt-sophomore Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) also tallied a primary assist in a goal against #9 Harvard.


PENALTIES

UNH: 5-10 HC: 5-10


POWER PLAYS

UNH: 1-5 HC: 0-5


NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS:

Points (2): Taylor Wenczkowski
Goals (1): 3 players
Assists (1): 4 Players
Shots (5): Taylor Wenczkowski, Meghara McManus
Blocked Shots (2): 4 Players
Faceoffs (12): Annie Berry


HOLY CROSS LEADERS:

Points (0):
Goals (0):
Assists (0):
Shots (4): Katie MacCuaig
Blocked Shots (4): Allison Attea
Faceoffs (11): Carlie Magier

Game Summary

Friday, January 24, 2020

0
3
Game statistics
17 Shots 35
0 / 5 Power Plays 1 / 5
5 / 10 PIM 5 / 10
3-18-4 Records 12-11-2
GOAL SCORERS
Holy Cross New Hampshire
Taylor Wenczkowski (5)
1st/17:15 PP GW
Meghara McManus (12)
3rd/12:02
Tamara Thiérus (3)
3rd/19:04  EN
GOALTENDERS
Holy Cross New Hampshire
Jada Brenon
58:53, 32 Saves, 2 GA
(L, 3-16-3)

Empty Net
1:07, 1 GA
Nikki Harnett
59:45, 17 Saves, 0 GA
(W, 3-3-1)

Empty Net
0:15, 0 GA