Pelletier Scores Twice, Smith Makes 32 Saves in 3-2 Loss at BU

Sunday, February 26

Boston, MA

3 PM

University of New Hampshire

14-19-2

Boston University

19-11-6

Team	1	2	3	F
New Hampshire	1	1	0	2
Boston University	2	0	1	3

Pelletier Scores Twice, Smith Makes 32 Saves in 3-2 Loss at BU

2/26/2017 6:41:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Wildcats Edged in Hockey East Quarterfinal Series, 2-1

BOSTON – Marie-Jo Pelletier (Dalhousie, New Brunswick) scored two goals and Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) made 32 saves, but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team was edged 3-2 by Boston University at Walter Brown Arena on Sunday afternoon.

With the win, third-seeded BU wins the Hockey East best-of-three quarterfinal series 2-1 and improves to 19-11-6 overall. UNH ends its season at 14-19-2.

It marked the first career multiple-goal game for Pelletier, who tallied a goal and an assist in Game 2 and finished the series with five points.

Smith, who entered the game with UNH trailing 2-1 at 4:36 of the first period, stopped every shot she faced in the first (12) and second (seven) periods, then made13 saves in the third.

Rebecca Leslie scored twice, including the game-winning goal at 13:13 of the final frame. BU goalie Victoria Hanson was credited with 27 saves; she stopped 14 shots in the second period and 12 in the third.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Feb. 26, 2017 (3 p.m.)
Location: Walter Brown Arena (Boston, Mass.)
Attendance: 292
Score: Boston University 3, University of New Hampshire 2
Updated Records: UNH (14-19-2, 11-11-2 WHEA), BU (19-11-6, 12-8-4 WHEA)

Goals:
   UNH (2) – Marie-Jo Pelletier (2)
   BU (3) – Rebecca Leslie (2), Samantha Sutherland

Assists:
   UNH (2) – Devan Taylor, Carlee Turner
   BU (6) – Maddie Elia (2), Abby Cook, Nina Rodgers, Alexis Crossley, Mary Parker

Goaltenders:
   UNH- Hilary Cashin 3-x-x–3 (2 GA) {4:36} … Kyra Smith 12-7-13-32 (1 GA) (54:00) [Loss]
   BU- Victoria Hanson 1-14-12–27 (2 GA) {60:00} [Win]

GAME RECAP

Pelletier quickly gave UNH a 1-0 lead 17 seconds into the game. BU attempted to clear the puck around the boards, but it set up Pelletier for a one-timer at the right point that went into the cage.
Four minutes later, BU responded with goals 29 seconds apart to transform a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead. Sutherland netted a power-play goal at 4:07 when the puck trickled from a scrum in the slot to the left side and she deposited a shot into the open near side. Leslie scored at 4:36 from low on the right side.
The Wildcats leveled the score, 2-2, at 3:15 of the second period when Pelletier's shot from the left point trickled between Hanson's legs and across the goal line.
UNH had five power plays the rest of the stanza, including 77 seconds of 5-on-3, but could not get a shot past Hanson, who denied Amy Schlagel (Blaine, Minn.) twice as well as Julia Fedeski (Algonquin Highlands, Ontario) during the two-skater advantage.
Midway through the third period, Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.) skated down the slot and her close-range shot caromed off the left post.
BU went on its third power play of the game at 12:44 and Leslie scored 29 seconds later to put the Terriers back in front,3-2, at 13:13.
With four minutes remaining, Taylor had another dangerous bid as her backhander from the left circle initially eluded Hanson, but the goalie lunged back and covered the puck in the crease.
The 'Cats went on a power play and pulled Smith in favor of an extra skater with 1:22 to play. Sustained pressure generated shots by Schlagel and Fedeski, but both were wide of the cage.
With 16 seconds on the clock, UNH won a faceoff to Hanson's left and Schlagel immediately blasted a low slapshot toward the right post, but the BU netminder snared the puck with her glove.
The Terriers won the ensuing faceoff and chipped the puck the length of the ice to secure the win.

'CAT NIPS

The total goals scored in the series was even at 9-9. UNH won Game 1, 4-2, followed by a pair of one-goal wins by BU.
The 14 wins are the most by a Wildcats team since the 2012-13 squad also finished with 14 victories.
The end of the season also marks the end of the UNH career for senior Jonna Curtis (Elk River, MInn.). She recorded 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points in her final year as a 'Cat and finished her career with 54 goals and 52 assists for 106 points.
This was Smith's seventh 30-plus save effort of the season.

PENALTIES
UNH: 3-6. BU: 6-12.

POWER PLAYS
UNH: 0-6. BU: 2-3.

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS
Points (2): Marie-Jo Pelletier
Goals (2): Marie-Jo Pelleiter
Assists (1): Devan Taylor, Carlee Turner
Shots (4): Jonna Curtis, Nicole Dunbar, Amy Schlagel
Blocked Shots (4): Julia Fedeski
Faceoffs (9):

BOSTON U. LEADERS
Points (2): Maddie Elia, Rebecca Leslie
Goals (2): Rebecca Leslie
Assists (2): Maddie Elia
Shots (5): Victoria Bach, Mary Parker, Samantha Sutherland
Blocked Shots (6): Breanna Scarpaci