Curtis Scores Twice in Women's Hockey's 4-2 Loss at No. 8 Northeastern

Saturday, January 9

Boston, Mass.

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

8-15-1, 5-9-0WHEA

Northeastern University

16-4-1, 11-2-0WHEA

New Hampshire

Northeastern

Photo by: Paige O'Donnell

Curtis Scores Twice in Women's Hockey's 4-2 Loss at No. 8 Northeastern

1/9/2016 5:22:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Smith Stops 31 Shots In Losing Effort

BOSTON – Jonna Curtis (Elk River, Minn.) scored two goals and Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) made 31 saves but the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team was upended 4-2 by eighth-ranked Northeastern University at Matthews Arena on Saturday afternoon.

UNH, which had not played a game since Dec. 13 (5-2 home win against Yale University), is now 8-15-1 overall and 5-9-0 in Hockey East. NU won its fifth consecutive game to improve to 16-4-1, 11-2-0.

UNH and NU conclude the home-and-home series Jan. 10 (2 p.m.) at the Whittemore Center. Tickets for that game and all women's hockey home games are available online at www.unhwildcats.com or by calling (603) 862-4000.

Curtis scored her goals 4:23 apart in the second period to erase the Wildcats' two-goal deficit. Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alberta) recorded an assist on the second tally. Smith, the reigning Hockey East Rookie of the Month, made double-digit saves in both the first (12) and second (14) periods as part of her 31-save performance.

NU was led offensively by Hayley Scamurra (two goals) and Jordan Krause (one goal, one assist). Shelby Herrington potted the Huskies' other goal. Sarah Foss, the reigning Hockey East Goaltender of the Month, was credited with 23 saves.

New Hampshire generated some early scoring chances. In the fourth minute, Julia Fedeski's (Algonquin Highlands, Ontario) outlet pass from the defensive zone deflected off an NU stick but was gloved down by Cassandra Vilgrain (Calgary, Alberta) at the opposite blue line. Viglrain surged past the defenders into the slot before lifting a shot stopped by Foss. Curtis, who joined on the rush on the left wing, shoveled the rebound wide of the near post.

Less than two minutes later, Curtis looped from the top of the left circle to the high slot and wristed a low shot that Foss tracked through traffic to make the glove save.

In the eighth minute, NU's Paige Savage carried the puck into the offensive zone on the left wing and her shot from the top of the circle ricocheted high off Smith and landed in the crease. Sliding across the crease, Smith inadvertently pushed the puck toward the right post but it slid wide to keep the game scoreless.

A UNH giveaway and fallen skater led to the Huskies taking a 1-0 lead at 17:45 of the first period. Savage corralled the loose puck in the left circle and skated around a Wildcat skater who was falling to the ice as she attempted to reverse direction to defend. Smith made the initial save, but Krause corralled the rebound in the slot and sent a shot inside the right post.

NU took that one-goal lead and 13-8 shot advantage into the first intermission.

The Huskies came out strong at the outset of the second stanza and scored 31 seconds after play resumed to extend the advantage to 2-0. Lauren Kelly initiated the scoring sequence with a pass from the left point to the high slot, where Ainsely MacMillan blasted a shot that Scamurra redirected into the net.

Four minutes later, Scamurra's shot from the top of the left circle rang off the far post.

Northeastern went on the first power play of the game at 5:55, but Smith made three saves, including one to deny Savage's backhand bid from low on the right side and another on Krause's screened slap shot from the high slot, to keep the 'Cats within two goals.

Curtis lifted New Hampshire within 2-1 with an unassisted goal at 9:25. An NU shot from the right point ricocheted hard off a teammate back into the neutral zone. Curtis, who was out to defend the shot, outraced the Huskies and gained possession at the blue line for a breakaway down the slot. As she approached the low slot, Curtis pulled the puck to the left and lifted a backhander under the crossbar.

Curtis struck again at 13:48 to level the score, 2-2. She skated of the right halfboards to the slot, where she wristed a low shot inside the left post. Boucher was credited with an assist.

NU regained the lead just 93 seconds later, however, when Herrington's shot from the slot sailed inside the right post. Kassidy Anderson and Krause set up the tally, which proved to be the game-winning goal.

The home team scored a late goal for the second time in as many periods to extend the advantage to 4-2 at 18:45. Smith stopped Tori Hickel's initial slapshot from the slot, but Scamurra, alone at the left doorstep, collected the rebound and deposited the puck into the open near side of the net.

NU recorded a 17-9 shot advantage in the second stanza for an aggregate margin of 30-17 through 40 minutes.

In the third minute of the third period, Kate Haslett (Rothesay, New Brunswick) rifled a rising shot from between the faceoff hashmarks in the slot that went just over the crossbar.

After its second successful penalty kill of the game, UNH went on its second power play at 6:41. Immediately off the ensuing faceoff, Fedeski sent a booming slap shot wide of the left post and that would prove to be the best scoring chance during the skater advantage.

With five minutes remaining, UNH's Jenna Rheault (Deering, N.H.) fired a shot from the left point stopped by Foss, who also denied Nicoline Jensen (Rodovre, Denmark) on the rebound low on the right side.

With just under three minutes left on the clock, Sara Carlson (Hutchinson, Minn.) chipped the puck on the right boards to spring herself through the neutral zone. She led the rush through the right circle and, from close range, flipped a backhander just wide of the far post.

The Wildcats sustained pressure and Curtis' attempt to stuff the puck in at the left post was thwarted by Foss. The puck wasn't controlled by the goalie, however, as it trickled free into the crease but was cleared away by an NU defender.

New Hampshire pressed in the closing minute. Carlee Toews (Grand Prairie, Alberta) shot first with a hard shot from the left point that Foss blocked aside. Fedeski gained possession in the slot but her blast was also stopped by Foss. UNH kept the puck in the zone and cycled it to the high slot, but Foss made a blocker save on Fedeski's rising slap shot.

NU kept the 'Cats at bay the rest of the way to secure the victory.

Sunday's rematch at the Whitt will be televised on Fox College Sports Atlantic (DirecTV channel 608; Dish channel 448).

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