Women's Hockey Plays Host to BU (Nov. 1, 2 p.m.)

Friday, October 30

Burlington, Vt.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

University of Vermont

10/29/2015 4:47:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

The Games
The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team begins November with a home game against Boston University; Nov. 1; 2 p.m.). Buy tickets here.
Sunday's game will be broadcast on the Wildcat Sports Radio Network. Tune in to WGIR-610 AM (Manchester) or WPKX-930 AM (Rochester) to listen to the action; you can also listen online at www.unhwildcats.com

The Matchups
UNH has a 29-8-2 lifetime record against Vermont, and that includes 12-4-2 at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Wildcats won last year's season series, 2-0-1, with a 4-2 win and 3-3 tie at the Gut last February. UNH is 2-0-2 the past four meetings in Burlington. UVM's most recent home win was Feb. 1, 2013 (3-1), whereas the most recent overall win was Feb. 16, 2014 at UNH's Whittemore Center by a score of 5-1.
New Hampshire leads the series vs. BU at 20-16-3, but the Terriers have won eight straight dating back to UNH's most recent win Nov. 9, 2012 (4-2 at home). Since that game, the Terriers have won three in a row at the Whittemore Center but the scores have been close – 4-2 last February, 2-1 in late November 2013 and 3-1 in early November 2013.
BU has a 16-14-3 edge in the series since the Terriers' first season as a Division I program in 2005-06. UNH won all six meetings spanning the 1977-78 to 1984-85 seasons.

The State of New Hampshire
UNH has an 0-7-0 overall record with an 0-3-0 mark in Hockey East, 0-3-0 at home and 0-4-0 on the road; the Wildcats are 0-1-0 in league home games and 0-2-0 in league road games.
New Hampshire scored a season-high four goals at fourth-ranked Clarkson University last Saturday – the Golden Knights entered the series against the 'Cats having allowed just six goals in seven games. The Wildcats scored their four goals on 23 shots for a .174 shooting percentage.
UNH recorded the shot advantage each of the first four games of the season, including 35-12 at Merrimack College (Oct. 17) and 38-22 vs. Lindenwood (Oct. 9). Boston College was the first team to outshoot the Wildcats with a 30-26 edge, but UNH did tally a 14-9 advantage in the second period. Clarkson also recorded the shot advantage both games last weekend.
New Hampshire is averaging 26.7 shots per game in comparison to the opponents' 24.3. The 'Cats have a sizable edge in the third period at 68-43.
On special teams, UNH is 2-for-21 (9.5%)on the power play and 13 of 19 (68.4%) on the penalty kill. The 'Cats have not scored a power-play goal the past four games (0-11); they have allowed a power-play goal each of the last three games (3-8) and in 6 of 7 games overall.
The Wildcats have been outscored 29-11 overall with a breakdown of 9-3 in the first, 10-3 in the second and 10-5 in the third.
New Hampshire has been shut out 10 times the past 43 games, including twice this season (both in Hockey East league play – vs. Maine; at BC).
The 'Cats have fallen behind 1-0 in 32 of the last 43 games, including 5 of 7 this season.

'Cat Nips
Junior forward Jonna Curtis recorded three goals and an assist for a total of four points in the two-game series at Clarkson; she also had a plus/minus rating of +3. Curtis matched her career high of two goals and also had an assist for a season-high three points last Saturday.
Sophomore defenseman Kate Haslett recorded her first career multiple-point game with two assists in the second game of the series at Clarkson.
Three freshmen recorded their first career point on the goal that pulled UNH within 3-2 on Saturday. Jenna Rheault scored the goal with Marie-Jo Pelletier and Devan Taylor getting the assists.
Curtis and senior defenseman Sara Carlson were the two 'Cats who recorded a point both games vs. the Golden Knights. Carlson tallied a goal in the opener and an assist the next day.
Six of UNH's seven defensemen recorded a point in the 6-4 loss. They combined to produce seven points (two goals, five assists).
Senior goaltender Vilma Vaattovaara recorded 30 saves and surrendered nine goals in the Clarkson series (one CU goal was an empty-netter). She has started each of the last three games – all against Top 4 opponents – to end the goaltender carousel that saw a different starter each of the first four games of the season; Vaattovaara also got the starting nod vs. Lindenwood in the second game of the year.
Six UNH skaters enter this weekend's action with multiple points. Four of them are defensemen Amy Schlagel (2g, 3a), Julia Fedeski (1g, 2a), Carlson (1g, 3a) and Kate Haslett (2a). The others are Curtis (5g, 1a) and Taylor Wenczkowski (3a).
Curtis leads the team in both goals (five) and points (seven). Schlagel, Carlson and Wenczkowski are tied for the team lead in assists.

Goaltending Carousel
UNH opened the season by starting four goaltenders in as many games. Freshman Hilary Cashin received the starting nod in the season opener vs. Maine (Oct. 2), followed by Vilma Vaattovaara against Lindenwood (Oct. 9), Kyra Smith vs. Syracuse (Oct. 10) and Ashley Wilkes at Merrimack (Oct. 17).
Vaattovaara became the first goalie to get a second start when she was between the pipes for the opening faceoff at second-ranked Boston College on Oct. 18. She also became the first – and only – goalie to give way to another goalie, as Cashin played the third period vs. the Eagles.

Facing Off
Amy Boucher leads New Hampshire in faceoffs won (65), taken (127) and win percentage (.512). Nicoline Jensen is next in all three stats with 44 wins, 89 total and a .494 win percentage.
Last weekend at Clarkson, the Wildcats won 20 of 59 (33.9%) faceoffs on Friday and 17 of 43 (39.5%) on Saturday for a total of 37-for-102 (36.3%).
UNH has recorded the faceoff advantage in 1 of 7 games, and that was a 28-17 edge at Merrimack College on Oct. 17. Boucher was an impressive 12 of 17 (70.6%) against the Warriors.

What Just Happened
UNH traveled to Potsdam, N.Y. last weekend for a two-game series against a fourth-ranked Clarkson University team that was unbeaten through seven games and had only allowed six goals. The Wildcats battled the Golden Knights for 120 minutes bur returned home with 4-2 and 6-4 losses.
New Hampshire struck first at 3:27 of the first period on a goal by Sara Carlson, but Clarkson scored four consecutive goals to build a 4-1 lead early in the third period. Jonna Curtis scored at 9:15 of the final frame but could get no closer. Vilma Vaattovaara finished with 30 saves, including 13 in the first period. Clarkson recorded a 34-19 shot advantage that included 14-4 in the first period and 11-4 in the second.
One day later, the Golden Knights held two-goal leads of 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and 5-3 before Amy Schlagel scored an extra attacker goal at 18:09 of the third period to pull UNH within 5-4. Clarkson netted an empty-net goal 19 seconds later, however, to secure the victory. Vaattovaara once again stopped 30 shots with 10 saves in the first period and 13 in the second. CU tallied a 36-23 shot advantage (12-5 in the 1st; 15-9 in the 2nd).

What's Next
New Hampshire returns to the road next weekend with games at Providence College (Nov. 7) and UConn (Nov. 8). Both games start at 2 p.m.

'Cat Captain
Senior forward Sara Carlson reprises her role as team captain in the 2015-16 season. Last year, Carlson split time between forward and defenseman. With the Wildcats short on the blue line, she skated three consecutive games (Oct. 24-26-30) as a defenseman and returned to patrol the blue line all three games of the Hockey East quarterfinal series at Northeastern.
Carlson opened the 2015-16 season on the blue line paired with sophomore defenseman Amy Schlagel and has been there all seven games. She tied her career highs in both assists (two) and points (two) vs. Syracuse on Oct. 10. Carlson ranks third on the team in both points (four) and shots (19), and is tied for third in assists (three); she second on the squad in blocked shots with 12.
In 111 career games, Carlson has compiled 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points.

The Alternates
Senior forward Heather Kashman and junior forward Cassandra Vilgrain are designated as team leaders by their distinction as alternate captains. Kashman was also an alternate captain last year.
Kashman skated in 33 of 36 games a year ago, when she recorded three goals and two assist for five points; that included 2-0-2 in 18 Hockey East league games. Kashman was one of UNH's top centers in the faceoff circle, where she ranked second in faceoffs won (190 and total faceoffs (395), and she had a .481 win percentage.
Vilgrain skated in 34 of 36 games with five goals and six assists for 11 points, which included 3-5-8 in 20 Hockey East games. Vilgrain was one of UNH's primary centers early in the 2014-15 season and ended with a team-best .555 win percentage (71 of 128).
Vilgrain has skated in all seven games this season on the left wing of the second line. Kashman has been sidelined by injury in the 2015-16 season.

Top Of The List
Last year as a sophomore, Jonna Curtis led New Hampshire in six statistics – goals (13), assists (nine), points (22), game-winning goals (two), shorthanded goals (three) and shots (133); she also ranked second in shooting percentage (.098).
Curtis was also one of the Wildcats' primary centers in the faceoff circle. She ranked fourth on the team in faceoff wins (159) and faceoffs (350); she had a .454 win percentage.
Through seven games of the 2015-16 season, Curtis leads the team in goals (five), points (seven), shots (31) and shooting percentage (.161).
Curtis matched her career high of two goals and also had an assist for a season-best three points Oct. 24 at fourth-ranked Clarkson. She has recorded a point in 4 of 7 games with two multiple-point efforts.

Senior Class
The senior class includes the aforementioned captain, Sara Carlson, and alternate captain Heather Kashman as well as forwards Haley Breedlove, Nicoline Jensen and Margo Lund as well as goaltender Vilma Vaattovaara.
Breedlove enters this weekend as one of nine Wildcats who has recorded an assist this season; she tallied that helper Oct. 10 vs. Syracuse. Breedlove did not take any faceoffs in the season opener, but she enters this weekend third on the team in faceoffs won (28) and taken (67) with a .418 win percentage.
Jensen was a first-year Wildcat in the 2014-15 season; she lettered at Castleton State as a freshman and sophomore. Jensen, who skated in all 36 games, tied for the team lead in assists (nine), tied for third in goals (six) and was third in both points (15) and shooting percentage (.085). She was the top 'Cat in the faceoff circle with team highs in both faceoff wins (231) and faceoffs (489); her .472 win percentage ranked third among the four primary faceoff centers.
Jensen centered the top line the first three games this season and has centered the second line of wingers Cassandra Vilgrain and Devan Taylor the past four games. Jensen is yet to record a point but has been one of the top centers in the faceoff circle at 44 of 89 (.494 win percentage); she won 9 of 14 each of the first two games and was 8-6 Oct. 24 at Clarkson.
Lund was another first-year Wildcat in 2014-15; she was a two-year letterwinner at St. Lawrence. She skated in all 36 games last year and scored two goals for two points. Lund has skated as the right wing on UNH's third line all seven games this season.
Vaattovaara was New Hampshire's top goaltender last year. She started all 27 games in which she played and had a 2.82 GAA with a .904 save percentage, three shutouts and an 8-16-3 record.
Vaattovaara is the only UNH goalie with multiple starts (four) through seven games and she has started the past three games, all against Top 4 opponent. Vaattovaara has played 213:32 and is 0-4-0 with a 3.82 GAA and .851 save percentage. She made 30 saves and allowed nine goals in the two-game series at fourth-ranked Clarkson on Oct. 23-24.

D-D-D, D-Fense
New Hampshire has a young defensive unit comprised of one senior (who entered the season with six games played on the blue line), four sophomores and two freshmen. Amy Schlagel is strong in the defensive zone – she was the team leader with 54 blocks – and is also a playmaker in the offensive zone. Schlagel led all UNH defensemen in goals (three), assists (seven) and points (10) and was the top 'Cat overall in power-play goals (three) and power-play points (six).
Schlagel has assumed an even bigger role on UNH's offense this season. She leads all 'Cats in assists (three), ranks second in points (five), and third in shots (19). She recorded her first career multiple-point game with a goal and an assist Oct. 10 Syracuse as part of a three-game point streak.
Kate Haslett, who redshirted the 2013-14 season after incurring an injury two games into the season, returned to the lineup a year ago and skated in 34 of 36 games. She tallied a goal and two assists for three points. Haslett, who has skated in all seven games this season, recorded her first career multiple-point game with two assists Oct. 24 at fourth-ranked Clarkson.
Julia Fedeski skated in 25 of 36 games and contributed five points (1g, 4a) last year, while Kaylee Forster played in 23 games, including 12 Hockey East tilts; she did not record a point.
Fedeski is one of six 'Cats – four of whom are defensemen – with multiple points this season. She tallied two points (1g, 1a) against Lindenwood (Oct. 9) and had an assist in UNH's most recent game last Saturday at Clarkson.
Marie-Jo Pelletier has already made an immediate impact as a freshman. Pelletier was a NAPHA league All-Star at Rothesay Netherwood School and was also named an All-Star multiple times at the World Sport School Challenge; she has competed at the Canadian Nationals U18 tourney as a member of Team Atlantic for multiple years.
Pelletier enters the weekend with a team-high 19 blocked shots – and she stands in at 4-foot-11. She recorded her first career point with an assist Oct. 24 at fourth-ranked Clarkson.
Jenna Rheault helped lead St. Paul's School to the NEPSAC Division 1 title as a senior and was a two-time All-ISL honoree. Rheault has also skated in all seven games and also recorded her first career point with an assist in that Oct. 24 game at fourth-ranked Clarkson.

The Puck Stops Here
In addition to senior goaltender Vilma Vaattovaara, junior Ashley Wilkes returns in net for the Wildcats. Wilkes played in 10 games a year ago and was in the starting lineup nine times. She started the last five games of the season – all against Northeastern – and that included the three-game Hockey East quarterfinal series. Wilkes finished with a 2-7-0 record, 3.29 GAA and .895 save percentage. She stopped 93 of 101 shots (.921 save percentage) in the playoff series and that included a 40-save effort in the 2-1 Game 1 win.
Wilkes made her season debut Oct. 17 at Merrimack College. She stopped 10 of 12 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Warriors at Lawler Rink.
Freshmen Hilary Cashin and Kyra Smith will also battle for playing time in goal. Cashin is a graduate of New Hampton School, where her accolades included All-State Team, Lakes Region All-Star and E.G. Watkins Tournament MVP. As a senior in the 2014-15 season, Cashin recorded a 1.58 goals-against-average with a .946 save percentage and three shutouts in 13 games. Smith attended The Pomfret School, where she helped lead the team to the NEPSAC Division 1 title game as a senior. In that 2014-15 season, Smith had a 1.33 GAA and .950 save percentage.
Cashin has seen 78:27 of action in two games this season, and she has a 0-1-0 record with a 3.82 GAA and .815 save percentage. She got the starting nod in the season opener Oct. 2 vs. Maine – she is the first freshman to start a season opener in goal since current senior Vaattovaara in the 2012-13 season. Cashin shut out the Black Bears in the second period with 12 saves and she finished with 17 overall in the 4-0 loss; she surrendered three goals (Maine also netted an empty-net goal). Cashin came off the bench at second-ranked Boston College to play the third period; she made five saves and allowed two goals.
Smith made her collegiate debut Oct. 10 at home against Syracuse – a 3-2 loss – and recorded half of her 12 saves in the first period.

No Longer New
In addition to the quartet of aforementioned sophomore defensemen, there are four sophomore forwards on this year's roster. Amy Boucher was one of UNH's to point producers last season as she ranked second among all Wildcats in goals (10) and assists (17), and was atop the leaderboard in shooting percentage (.102). In addition to her scoring prowess, Boucher was one of the top centers in faceoff draws; she had a team-best .492 win percentage and ranked third in both wins (178) and total faceoffs (358).
Boucher enters Friday's game with one point on a goal vs. Syracuse (Oct. 10). She is the top UNH center in the faceoff circle with 65 wins, 127 faceoffs and a .512 win percentage. Boucher is also second in shots (21).
Carlee Toews has been in the lineup as the left winger on the third line all seven games this season. Brooke Avery has been on the fourth line four consecutive games; she opened the year centering the third line. Ali Praus skated in the first three games of the season; she did not dress last weekend against Merrimack and BC.

One For Me, One For You
A couple of Wildcats have almost even career totals in goals and assists. Cassandra Vilgrain is an equal finisher and distributor with 14 goals and 14 assists in 73 games. Heather Kashman has an almost even split of 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points in 100 games.

The New 'Cats In Town
The incoming class of Wildcats includes forwards Caitlyn Radatovich, Devan Taylor and Taylor Wenczkowski (in addition to the aforementioned defensemen Marie-Jo Pelletier and Jenna Rheault and goalies Hilary Cashin and Kyra Smith. Radatovich skated for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U19 in the 2014-15 season, when she ranked among the top three in points (37) and led the way in power-play goals (seven); she also skated for Team Pittsburgh U16 in 2012-13 and the Pens Elite U14 in 2010-11.
Taylor is a graduate of Lawrence Academy, where she earned ISL All- League accolades in hockey and also helped lead the Assabet Valley U19 Red Major team to a national championship that year.
Wenczkowski skated on the Boston Shamrocks club team and she was also on the U.S. U18 Select Team in 2013 and 2014. In 27 games last year with the Boston Shamrocks, she recorded 23 goals and 12 assists for 35 points.
Wenczkowski, a winger on the top line the six games she has played, has three points with an assist against Lindenwood, Merrimack and Clarkson (Oct. 23).
Taylor, Pelletier and Rheault have skated in all seven games this year. Each of them has one point, with that point coming on one goal – at 12:36 of the second period at Clarkson on Oct. 24 (pulled UNH within 3-2).

On The Air
A total of seven regular-season games will be broadcast on the Wildcats Sports Radio Network. Tune in to WGIR-610 AM (Manchester) or WPKX-930 AM (Rochester) to listen to the action; you can also listen online at www.unhwildcats.com. Here is the list of games:
Oct. 10 vs. Syracuse (3-2 loss)
Nov. 1 vs. Boston U. (2 p.m.)
Dec. 8 vs. Dartmouth (7 p.m.)
Dec. 13 vs. Yale (2 p.m.)
Jan. 10 vs. Northeastern (2 p.m.)
Feb. 6 vs. Vermont (4 p.m.)
Feb. 21 vs. UConn (2 p.m.)

On the Tube
Two regular-season games will be broadcast on Fox College Sports television. They are Jan. 10 vs. Northeastern and Feb. 21 vs. UConn. Both games begin at 2 p.m.

AT The Turnstiles
There were 737 fans in attendance for the Oct. 2 season opener vs. Maine at the Whitt; it marked the highest home attendance since Oct. 5, 2013, when 861 attended a 3-2 win vs. Syracuse. Last year in 17 home games, the Wildcats averaged 252 fans with a high of 343.

Wildcats roar Back to Defeat Oakville
Junior alternate captain Cassandra Vilgrain and sophomore defenseman Amy Schlagel scored late third-period goals to lead UNH to a 4-3 victory against the Oakville Jr. Hornets IAA in last Saturday's exhibition game at the Whittemore Center.
Oakville potted goals 43 seconds apart late in the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. New Hampshire pulled within 2-1 at 3:44 of the second stanza. The Hornets reestablished a two-goal lead at 13:30 but UNH once again trimmed the deficit to one goal with 4:13 remaining in the second.
Vilgrain tied the score, 3-3, at 13:54 of the third period and Schlagel netted the game winner at 16:35.
Vilgrain led the offense with two goals and sophomore forward Amy Boucher tallied two assists. Sophomore forward Carlee Toews netted the Wildcats' other goal. Sophomore defenseman Julia Fedeski, freshman forward Devan Taylor and freshman defenseman Marie-Jo Pelletier were credited with one assist each.
Junior goaltender Ashley Wilkes got the start and stopped 8 of 10 shots. Senior Vilma Vaattovaara played the second stanza and made three saves with one goal allowed. The freshman duo of Hilary Cashin and Kyra Smith combined to shut out Oakville in the final frame with a total of 12 saves.
UNH went 0-for-2 on the power play and the 'Cats were not whistled for a penalty.

SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS
The University of Vermont (Burlington, Vt.) is 1-7-0 overall this season with a 1-1-0 record in Hockey East and 0-4-0 on home ice of Gutterson Fieldhouse; both league games were on the road.
UVM opened the season with six consecutive losses before recording a 3-1 win Oct. 24 at Providence College. One day later, the Catamounts were defeated 5-2 in Boston by the BU Terriers.
Dayna Colang and Rachel Ade scored a goal a piece for the Catamounts at BU while Alyssa Gorecki and Cassidy Campeau both notched an assist. Colang has scored three goals in as many games, leads the team in goals (three) and boasts a .250 shooting percentage.
The Catamounts blocked 15 shots collectively against the Terriers, with 13 different skaters blocking at least one shot. Molly Depew played between the pipes with 34 saves for an .872 save percentage.
Bridget Baker is tied with Colang for the team lead in points (2-1-3). Victoria Andreakos (1-1-2) and Taylor Willard (1-1-2) are the other two Catamount skaters with multiple points.
Depew has started four games this season and has a 1-3-0 record with a 3.25 GAA and .899 save percentage. Madison Litchfield has also started four games; she is 0-4-0 with a 3.27 GAA and .889 save percentage.
UVM is averaging 1.00 goals per game while surrendering 3.25 goals per game. The Catamounts are 2-for-22 on the power play (9.1%) and 17 of 21 on the penalty kill (81.0%).

SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
Boston University, which fell out of this week's national polls, is 4-4-0 overall with a 1-1-0 mark both in Hockey East and on the road (both road games have been league games).
Last weekend, BU lost 7-1 at Northeastern University and then upended Vermont, 5-2, at home. The Terriers scored the first three goals against UVM at Walter Brown Arena. Maddie Elia recorded two goals and an assist, and was one of 10 Terriers to notch at least one point. Both Rebecca Russo and Sarah Steele also had a multiple-point game with a goal and an assist.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak that included a two-game sweep by Clarkson in Boston.
BU was backboned by goaltender Erin O'Neil. She improved to 2-1-0 with 23 saves, including 11 shots in the first period and 12 of the last 13 shots in the game.
Victoria Hanson has started four games and is 2-3-0 with a 3.78 GAA and .879 save percentage.
Rebecca Leslie leads BU in assists (seven) and points (nine). Russo is second in goals (four) and points (eight) while Sammy Davis has a team-high five goals as part of seven points. Victoria Bach also has seven points with two goals and five assists.
BU is averaging 2.62 goals per game and is yielding 3.25 goals per game; on special teams, the Terriers are 3 of 26 on the power play (11.5%) and 22-for-26 on the penalty kill (84.6%).