Game Notes: Women's Hockey Plays Host To Intrastate Rival Dartmouth (Dec. 8)

Tuesday, December 8

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

Dartmouth College

Tickets

Game Notes: Women's Hockey Plays Host To Intrastate Rival Dartmouth (Dec. 8)

12/7/2015 7:21:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

UNH Wildcats (6-13-1, 5-8-0 Hockey East) vs, Dartmouth Big Green (4-6-2, 4-3-2 ECAC)
Tuesday, December 8 (7 p.m.) – Whittemore Center – Durham, N.H.

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The Game
The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team plays host to intrastate rival Dartmouth College at the Whittemore Center on Dec. 8 (7 p.m.).

The Matchup
UNH has a 35-15-4 overall record against Dartmouth College but the Big Green has won three of the last four meetings, including last year's 6-2 decision at Thomson Arena. Prior to Dartmouth's recent success in the series, the Wildcats won five consecutive meetings spanning January 2008 to November 2011.
The Wildcats have a 19-4-2 edge at home and that includes 3-1-1 the past five meetings. The last time these teams faced off at the Whittemore Center, UNH skated to a 2-1 victory Dec. 8, 2013.

Smith Garners Rookie Award
Freshman goaltender Kyra Smith was named Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week by Hockey East on Monday. Smith backboned UNH to a weekend sweep of Merrimack College with a 0.98 GAA and .949 save percentage (37 saves, two goals allowed) in two games. She stopped 23 of 24 shots in the 2-1 road overtime win on Dec. 5, and that included one in the extra session as well as nine in both the first and second periods. The previous night at the Whittemore Center, Smith made six of her 14 saves in the third period

The State of New Hampshire
UNH has a 6-13-1 overall record with a 2-6-0 mark at the Whittemore Center as well as a 1-5-1 non-conference record (0-2-0 in non-conference home games).
The Wildcats have won three consecutive games as part of a four-game unbeaten streak of 3-0-1, and the 'Cats are 4-1-1 the past six games.
The three-game win streak is the longest of the season and also matches last year's longest win streak. The four-game unbeaten streak is the longest since a 4-0-1 stretch in October 2013.
UNH has allowed just one goal each of the last three games.
The 'Cats recorded a season-high 57 shots in last Saturday's 2-1 overtime win at Merrimack College. The 57 shots marked the highest team total since Feb. 3, 2008, when UNH also finished with 57 shots in a 6-0 win at Maine.
New Hampshire has a 6-7-1 record against unranked teams.
Overall, the 'Cats are averaging 2.00 goals per game while allowing 3.25 gpg. UNH has a season-high four goals four times, including last Friday at home vs. Merrimack.
The Wildcats have been outscored 65-40 with a breakdown of 17-14 in the first, 21-14 in the second and 27-11 in the third.
UNH is minus-25 in scoring but plus-83 in shots at 593-510; the 'Cats are +42 (190-148) in the third period.

'Cat Nips
Junior forward Jonna Curtis scored the game-winning goal in Friday's 4-1 home win vs. Merrimack and then assisted on the overtime game-winning tally in Saturday's 2-1 road win against the Warriors. She recorded three points (2g, 1a) in the two-game series as she matched her career high of two goals Friday.
Curtis recorded her 50th career point with the second of her two goals last Friday against Merrimack.
Freshman goaltender Kyra Smith backboned UNH to a weekend sweep of Merrimack with a 0.98 GAA and .949 save percentage (37 saves, two GA) in two games. She stopped 23 of 24 shots in the 2-1 road overtime win, and that included one in the extra session as well as nine in both the first and second periods. On Friday, Smith made six of her 14 saves in the third period.
Smith has started 10 consecutive games, a streak that began Nov. 8 at UConn.
Freshman forward Taylor Wenczkowski scored her first collegiate goal Friday against Merrimack and finished with two goals for her first multiple-point game.
Freshman forward Devan Taylor recorded her first career multiple-point game with two assists – both coming on Wenczkowski's goals – last Friday.
Sophomore forward Amy Boucher won 32 of 48 faceoffs (66.7%) in the two game series vs. Merrimack. She also tallied an assist on Saturday's overtime goal.
Senior defenseman and captain Sara Carlson leads Hockey East in blocked shots (39) and freshman blue liner Marie-Jo Pelletier is third with 38. Jenna Rheault, another freshman defenseman, gives the 'Cats three in the top 10 at No. 10 (26).

Working Overtime
New Hampshire is 1-0-1 in overtime games this season and is unbeaten in OT under head coach Hilary Witt at 2-0-4. The Wildcats have played beyond 60 minutes of regulation two of the last four games with a 2-1 win last Saturday at Merrimack College and a 3-3 tie Nov. 27 at Rensselaer.

On a Hot Streak
Amy Boucher and Jonna Curtis have both recorded a point in four of the last six games. Boucher has three two-point efforts with two-goal games against both Providence College (Nov. 21) and RPI (Nov. 28) and two assists at RPI (Nov. 27); the two goals matched a career high while the two assists established a personal best. Boucher had an assist on Saturday's game-winning goal at Merrimack.
Curtis has two multiple-point games the past six games, and that includes matching her personal best of two goals Dec. 4 at Merrimack; she also tallied a goal and an assist Nov. 27 at RPI. Curtis also tallied an assist on Saturday's game-winning goal at MC.
Since moving to the same line as Boucher and Curtis, Cassandra Vilgrain has tallied a point in three of four games. Vilgrain recorded a point both games at RPI and scored a goal last Saturday at Merrimack.

The Unbeaten Streak
UNH has a 3-0-1 record the past four games; the unbeaten streak began Nov. 27 with a 3-3 tie at Rensselaer and continued with wins at RPI (2-1, Nov. 28), vs. Merrimack (4-1, Dec. 4) and at Merrimack (2-1 overtime, Dec. 5).
Kyra Smith has stopped 75 of 81 shots for a 1.46 GAA and .926 save percentage.
Jonna Curtis (3g, 2a) and Amy Boucher (2g, 3a) have led the offense with five points apiece. Amy Schlagel, Cassandra Vilgrain and Taylor Wenczkowski have scored two goals apiece.

The Last 6
UNH has a 4-1-1 record the past six games with a 2-1-0 mark at home. Kyra Smith has a 1.80 GAA and .913 save percentage in six games. Amy Boucher is the top scorer with seven points (4g, 3a), three power-play goals and a .200 shooting percentage. Jonna Curtis is next with six points (3g, 3a).

Conference Call
In 13 Hockey East league games, Jonna Curtis has tallied four goals and eight assists for 12 points. Amy Boucher is next with seven points on five goals and two assists. Two skaters – Julia Fedeski and Taylor Wenczkowski – are tied for third with five points.
In goal, Kyra Smith is 4-3-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .902 save percentage in seven games.

Special Teams
New Hampshire's power play has produced a goal three of the last four games and in four of six. The 'Cats were 1 of 4 in the Dec. 5 overtime win at Merrimack and a total of 1-for-5 in the two-game series against the Warriors. One week earlier, UNH scored a power-play goal both games at RPI. The recent scoring output was ignited by a 3-for-3 effort Nov. 21 vs. Providence.
UNH's penalty kill has been perfect in eight shorthanded situations during the four-game unbeaten streak.
Overall, UNH is 11-for-61 (18.0%) on the power play and 45 of 59 (76.3%) on the penalty kill.

First Strike
UNH has scored the game's first goal 10 times, including every game during the current three-game win streak. The Wildcats have a 6-4-0 record when taking a 1-0 lead.

Two-Goal Lead
UNH held two-goal leads three consecutive games at Vermont (Oct. 30), vs. Boston U. (Nov. 1) and at Providence (Nov. 7), but the Wildcats won just one of those games. New Hampshire upended UVM, 4-0. The 'Cats held leads of 2-0 and 3-1 against BU but lost 5-3. UNH also had a pair of two-goal leads (2-0 and 4-2) at PC but lost 5-4.
The Wildcats built a 3-0 lead against those Friars on Nov. 21 and fended them off for a 3-2 win at the Whitt.
UNH took a 3-1 lead into the third period Nov. 27 at Rensselaer, but the Engineers struck twice in the third period and the teams skated to a 3-3 tie.

That Was Close
Seven of UNH's 18 games have been decided by one goal and the Wildcats have a 4-3 record in those contests. UNH has been the victor each of the last four games decided by one goal, including last Saturday's 2-1 overtime win at Merrimack College and a 2-1 victory one week earlier at RPI.

What Just Happened
UNH swept a home-and-home series against Merrimack College with a 4-1 win at home (Dec. 4) followed by a 2-1 overtime road win.
Jonna Curtis and Taylor Wenczkowski both scored two goals and Kyra Smith stopped 14 shots in the home win; the Wildcats recorded a 37-15 shot advantage; New Hampshire led 1-0 and the end of one period and 2-0 at the end of two before taking a 3-0 lead early in the third; the Warriors pulled within 3-1 at 8:22 but Curtis' empty netter with 69 seconds left sealed the deal.
In Saturday's rematch, the 'Cats dominated play and took a 1-0 lead with a 32-18 shot advantage into the third, but Merrimack struck just 18 seconds after the opening faceoff to level the score. UNH recorded a 22-5 shot advantage in the final frame but could not break the 1-1 deadlock in regulation. Amy Schlagel scored at 2:04 of OT to end the game in favor of New Hampshire.

What's Next
New Hampshire wraps up the 2015 calendar year this weekend with a trip to fourth-ranked Quinnipiac University (Dec. 11, 7 p.m.) and a home game against Yale University (Dec. 13, 2 p.m.) that will mark the last non-conference game of the regular season.

'Cat Captain
Senior defenseman Sara Carlson reprises her role as team captain in the 2015-16 season. Last year, Carlson made her debut as a defenseman for a three-game stretch in late October, then ended the year on the blue line all three games of the Hockey East quarterfinal – that's a total of six games.
Carlson opened the 2015-16 season on the blue line paired with sophomore defenseman Amy Schlagel and has been there all 20 games. Carlson ranks second on the team in assists (eight) and is tied for third in points (10). She is atop the team leaderboard in blocked shots (39).
Carlson has matched her career high of two assists – and two points – in two of the last six games, most recently Nov. 27 at Rensselaer. She also tallied two assists Nov. 21 vs. Providence and Oct. 10 against Syracuse.
She recorded a point three consecutive games with a goal (Oct. 23) and assist (Oct. 24) at Clarkson followed by a goal at UVM.
In 124 career games, Carlson has compiled 13 goals and 33 assists for 46 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.
Vilgrain has recorded six points (3g, 3a) in 20 games this season; she was a winger on the second line the initial 16 games before shifting to the top line with Jonna Curtis and Amy Boucher for the November series at RPI; she remained there last weekend's series vs. Merrimack.
The move paid immediate dividends for Vilgrain, who recorded a point both games against the Engineers with a goal Nov. 27 and an assist Nov. 28. It marked the first time this season she recorded a point in consecutive games. She scored a goal last Saturday at MC.
She recorded her first points of the season by matching her career high of two assists at Vermont on Oct. 30. She broke into the scoring column with a goal Nov. 8 at UConn.
Kashman has been sidelined by injury the entire 2015-16 season

Top Of The List
Junior forward Jonna Curtis leads the team in goals (nine), assists (11), points (20) and shots (89). She recorded her sixth multiple-point game of the season by matching her personal best of two assists vs. Merrimack (Dec. 4), and she has tallied a point in 12 of 20 games overall.
Curtis recorded a six-game point streak and five-game assist streak from Oct. 23 to Nov. 8; she tallied four goals and seven assists for 11 points during the streak.
Curtis matched her personal best of two assists for the second consecutive game Nov. 7 at Providence College. She tallied a goal and two assists the previous game vs. Boston University (Nov. 1).
Curtis tallied a season high of three points (2g, 1a) Oct. 24 at Clarkson.

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, and goaltender Vilma Vaattovaara.
Breedlove enters the weekend with five points, all on assists. She recorded her first career multiple-assist game with two at Rensselaer on Nov. 28, and the two points matched her personal best. Breedlove tallied a single assist last Saturday at Merrimack as well against both Syracuse (Oct. 10) and Vermont (Oct. 30).
Jensen centered the top line the first three games this season and has centered the second line the past 17 games. Jensen has three points with a goal and two assists. She has been one of the top centers in the faceoff circle at 129 of 252 (.512 win percentage) – all three of those numbers rank second on the team. Jensen won 20 of 29 draws in a two-game series against Providence on Nov. 21-22, and that included 9 of 11 in the latter game.
Lund skated as the right wing on UNH's third line the first 16 games of the season before the lineup changes Nov. 27 at RPI, when she was shifted to the second line and has been there four consecutive games. Lund has three points, all on assists. She tallied her first assist as a Wildcat – and ninth of her career – at Vermont (Oct. 30). Most recently, she tallied a point in
Vaattovaara recorded her first shutout of the season and fourth of her career with an 18-save effort at Vermont on Oct. 30; the Wildcats won 4-0. Vaattovaara has seven starts overall and her streak of six consecutive starts ended Nov. 8 at UConn; three of those six consecutive starts were against a Top 4 team (one at #2 BC, two at #4 Clarkson).
Vaattovaara is 1-5-0 with a 3.99 GAA and .865 save percentage; in three Hockey East games, she is 1-2-0 with a 3.44 GAA and .875 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 (Sara Carlson, who entered the season with six games played on the blue line), three sophomores and two freshmen – the count was four sophomores at the start of the season, but Kate Haslett was transitioned to center at PC and UConn in early November.
Sophomore Amy Schlagel ranks third on the team in goals (six), tied for second in power-play goals (two), and tied for third in points (10); she is also third in shots (50). She has a point three of the last four games, including the overtime game-winning goal Dec. 5 at Merrimack College. One week earlier, she recorded a point both games at RPI with a goal Nov. 27 and assist Nov. 28.
Schlagel scored the game-winning goal Nov. 8 at UConn when she netted a power-play goal to break a 1-1 tie late in the second period (UNH won by that 2-1 margin). 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. Overall, Schlagel has a point in 9 of 20 games.
Sophomore Julia Fedeski, who did not play in the Nov. 27-28 weekend series at Rensselaer, ranks third on the team in assists (six); Fedeski also has two goals for a total of eight points. She matched her career high of two points with a goal and an assist against both Lindenwood (Oct. 9) and Boston U. (Nov. 1).
Sophomore Kaylee Forster has skated in 17 of 20 games – she has dressed each of the last 17 after being a DNP the first three – and has tallied three points (1g, 2a). Forster recorded her first career point with a goal Oct. 30 at Vermont and tallied her first assist Nov. 8 at UConn. Her other assist was Nov. 21 vs. PC.
Freshman Marie-Jo Pelletier enters the weekend ranked second on the team with 38 blocked shots – and she stands in at 4-foot-11 She recorded her third point of the season, all on assists, with a tally last Saturday at Merrimack. She recorded her first career point with an assist Oct. 24 at fourth-ranked Clarkson and tallied another helper the next game at UVM (Oct. 30).
Freshman Jenna Rheault has also skated in all 20 games and also recorded her first career point with a goal in that Oct. 24 game at fourth-ranked Clarkson.

Facing Off
Amy Boucher leads New Hampshire in faceoffs won (226), taken (420) and win percentage (.538); she is at 50% or better in 14 of 20 games. Boucher was far above 50% last weekend vs. Merrimack with an 18 of 25 effort (72.0%) Dec. 4 followed by 14 of 23 (60.9%) on Dec. 5.
Boucher won 28 of 47 draws in the Nov. 27-28 weekend at RPI and that included a 13-for-20 effort in the 3-3 tie. In early November, she won 18 of 31 (58.0%) against Boston U. and 15 of 28 (53.6%) at Providence in consecutive games.
Nicoline Jensen is next in all three stats with 129 wins, 252 total and a .512 win percentage. She is .500 or better in 12 of 20 games, including seven of the last 10 games; she won 8 of 11 Nov. 28 at RPI and 9 of 11 one week earlier against Providence.
UNH has recorded the faceoff advantage in 8 of 20 games, including four of the last six.

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).
Since then, there has been more consistency in net. Vaattovaara started six consecutive games spanning Oct. 18 at Boston College to Nov. 7 at Providence College and Smith has started each of the past 10 games.

The Puck Stops Here
In addition to senior goaltender Vilma Vaattovaara, junior Ashley Wilkes returns in net for the Wildcats; freshmen Kyra Smith and Hilary Cashin give the 'Cats four netminders on the roster.
Smith has stepped into the role of #1 goalie. She has started each of the last 10 games dating back to a 2-1 win at UConn on Nov. 8. Smith is 5-5-1 with a 2.53 GAA and team-best .896 save percentage in 11 games (all starts).
She has garnered two Hockey East accolades this season, including Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week on Dec. 7. She was named Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 9 following a 21-save effort in the aforementioned win at UConn.
Smith finished with a career-high 34 saves, including 16 in the second period, Nov. 13 at second-ranked Boston College. Two games later, she stopped 33 shots at ninth-ranked Harvard University (Nov. 18). Last Saturday, she stopped 23 of 24 shots in the 2-1 overtime win at Merrimack.
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.
Wilkes made her only appearance this season Oct. 17 at Merrimack College. She stopped 10 of 12 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Warriors at Lawler Rink. Those numbers calculate to a 2.03 GAA and .833 save percentage.
Cashin has played a total of 78:27 in two games this season, and she has a 0-1-0 record with a 3.82 GAA and .815 save percentage; Cashin has not seen action since Oct. 18. Cashin 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. She 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 Oct. 18 at second-ranked Boston College to play the third period; she made five saves and allowed two goals.

No Longer New
In addition to the quartet of aforementioned sophomore defensemen, there are four sophomore forwards –and a defenseman who has transitioned to center – on this year's roster.
Amy Boucher enters Tuesday's game vs. Dartmouth College with 12 points on eight goals and four assists; she had three two-point performances in a four-game span from Nov. 21-28; that included two goals against both Providence (Nov. 21) and RPI (Nov. 28) as well as her first career multiple-assist game with two assists Nov. 27 at RPI.
Boucher ranks second on the team in both goals (eight) and points (12), as well as shots (57); she had a team-best .140 shooting percentage. She has a point in 8 of 20 games, including four multiple-point performances.
Boucher is the top UNH center in the faceoff circle with 226 faceoffs won, 420 taken and a .538 win percentage; she won 32 of 48 (66.7%) of the draws last weekend vs. Merrimack.
Carlee Toews has two points this season with a goal and an assist. She scored her first career goal at UVM (Oct. 30) and tallied her other point with an assist vs. PC (Nov. 21). Toews has been the second line left wing each of the past four games; prior to that she was the left winger on the third line for 16 games.
Brooke Avery has skated in 8 of 20 games, six of them on the fourth line. She has not recorded a point and has been sidelined by injury the past 11 games.
Ali Praus has skated in 18 of 20 games, including each of the last 15; she did not dress the Oct. 17-18 weekend against Merrimack and BC.
Kate Haslett joined the group of forwards Nov. 7 at Providence by centering the fourth line, and she made an immediate impact by scoring her first goal of the season. She was elevated to center of the third line one day later at UConn. Last weekend, she tallied an assist Dec. 4 vs. Merrimack College.
Haslett has now skated 11 games as a forward this season in comparison to eight as a defenseman (with one DNP Nov. 1 vs. Boston U.). She has two goals and three assists for a total of five points overall, with 2-1-3 as a forward and 0-2-2 as a D; the two assists and points Oct. 24 at nationally-ranked Clarkson were a career high.

One For Me, One For You
Cassandra Vilgrain is an equal finisher and distributor with 17 goals and 17 assists in 86 games. Jonna Curtis is close to an even split with 26 goals and 25 assists in 71 games.

The New 'Cats In Town
The freshman class of Wildcats is comprised of 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.
Wenczkowski is UNH's top rookie scorer with seven points on two goals and five assists. She tallied her first career goal – and multiple-goal game – Dec. 4 vs. Merrimack at the Whittemore Center. She has skated in 19 of 20 games with a DNP Oct. 24 at Clarkson. She was the right wing on the top line the first six games of the season, then was moved to the second line when she returned Oct. 30 at UVM. She was there nine consecutive games, but has been on the third line each of the last four games.
Taylor has two goals and three assists for a total of five points; she tallied two assists – both on a goal by Wenczkowski – for her first career mutliple-point game Dec. 4 vs. Merrimack. Taylor recorded her first career point with an assist at fourth-ranked Clarkson (Oct. 24) and scored her first career goal the next game at Vermont (Oct. 30). She also netted a goal Nov. 8 at PC.
Radatovich has skated in 17 of 20 games this season, including each of the last 12. She was a DNP consecutive games at BC (Oct. 18) and Clarkson (Oct. 23), as well as Oct. 30 at Vermont.

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. (5-3 loss)
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.
One regular-season game – Nov. 18 at Harvard – was broadcast on NESN Plus.

Scouting the Big Green
Dartmouth College enters Tuesday's nights game with a 4-6-2 overall record that includes 4-3-2 in the ECAC. The Big Green has lost four straight and been outscored 19-3 in that span, but two were to top-ranked Wisconsin and another was to No. 4 Quinnipiac – all on the road. Prior to the current streak, Dartmouth defeated Rensselaer, 4-0, on Nov. 13 and Union College, 2-0, on Nov. 14.
Lindsey Allen (7g, 4a) and Laura Stacey (4g, 7a) are the top point producers with 11 apiece. Kennedy Ottenbreit is next with eight points on four goals and four assists.
Robyn Chemago has played in 11 games (10 starts) with a 2.31 GAA, .924 save percentage and three shutouts.
Dartmouth is averaging 2.00 goals per game while yielding 2.83 goals per game. DC has produced its highest goal total in the second period (12) and lowest in the third (six).
On special teams, the Big Green is 9 of 45 (20.0%) on the power play and 38-for-48 (79.2%) on the penalty kill.
Only one of 12 games has been decided by one goal, and that was a 2-1 win against nationally-ranked Harvard in the season opener.