UNH closes out November with Merrimack Series

Friday, November 30

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

Merrimack

Tickets

Senior captains Kyra Smith (left) and Marie-Jo Pelletier (right) (Photo by Helene Bartsch)

Photo by: Helene Bartsch

11/29/2018 1:01:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

The Wildcats host the Warriors Friday night (7 P.M.) before traveling to North Andover on Saturday.

DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team wraps up the month of November welcoming the Merrimack Warriors to the Whittemore Center on Friday, November 30 at 7 P.M.

The Wildcats, who are on a three game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) face off with a Merrimack team that is 3-2-0 in its last five games and 6-3-1 in Hockey East play.

After Friday's contest, the teams meet again in North Andover, Mass. on Saturday, December 1 at 4 P.M.

The Wildcats then round out the fall semester at Dartmouth on Tuesday (Nov. 4) and hosting Harvard on Saturday (Nov. 8). For tickets to all home games, visit UNHWildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000.

The Series: New Hampshire vs. Merrimack
   Since the team's first season in 2015, the Warriors have met the Wildcats nine times in the last three seasons. Merrimack took the first meeting between the two teams, but UNH holds the all-time advantage with a 6-2-1 record. Last season, the season series between the two teams was dead even at 1-1-1; a tie followed by a UNH overtime win in their home-and-home series in October, and a late-season Merrimack victory in January.

Last Time Out:
   After getting back in the win column at Holy Cross, the Wildcats welcomed the Rensselaer Engineers to the Whittemore Center for two games. Game one ended in a 1-1 tie, the third time in a row the two teams finished a game with that score. The Wildcats allowed a late power play goal in the third period to trail 1-0, but just minutes later freshman Paige Rynne (Ancaster, Ontario) was able to equalize with her second power play goal of the season, forcing overtime.
   The Wildcats came out with a different energy in game two, scoring twice in each of the first two periods to lead 4-0 by the third period. Junior forward Meghara McManus (Milton, Mass.) posted her third career multi-goal game including the first goal and a power play goal. Freshman Lindsey Dumond (Hampton, N.H.) tallied her first career game-winner, and Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario) tallied her first career goal and her sixth point of the year. RPI was able to steal a late third period goal but the Wildcats would take another 4-1 victory in November.

The State Of New Hampshire
- New Hampshire was picked seventh in the Hockey East preseason poll released on September 20th. The Wildcats finished fifth in Hockey East in the 2017-18 regular season.
- From last year's roster, the Wildcats return 20 players with six newcomers.
- The 'Cats started off the season with an even 1-1-1 record after their home opener, losing and tying to #10 St. Lawrence to open the season, then beating UConn 5-3 to open up Hockey East play 1-0 for the first time since 2010-11.
- The Wildcats then faced a nine-game winless streak, facing ranked foe Northeastern in their three-game season series, and going 0-2-1 against Vermont.
- UNH snapped their winless drought with a 4-1 victory over Holy Cross just before Thanksgiving break. They then went 2-0-1 following that win, with a 1-0-1 weekend against ECAC foe Rennselaer.

Players to Watch
- Junior Carlee Turner (Scottsdale, Ariz.) now leads the team in points with eight, after tallying an assist in the 1-1 tie with RPI. Turner has three goals, and a team-high five assists; she scored the team's first game-winning goal of the season in the win over UConn.
- Fellow junior Nicole Dunbar (Coto De Caza, Calif.) is one of two Wildcats with seven points on the year. Dunbar has notched three goals and four assists on the season so far, including one power play goal.
- Tori Howran (Bancroft, Ontario) is also at seven points with two goals and is tied for a team-high five assists. Howran has scored one power play goal this season.
- Senior Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.) junior Taylor Wenczkowski (Rochester, N.H.), and freshman Lauren Martin are all tied at six points each.
   - Wenczkowski has a team-high four goals this season, as well as two assists, including two power play goals. Wenczkowski notched her first two assists of the season against RPI.
   - Taylor has two goals and four assists on the season, including a power play goal at Holy Cross.
   - Martin is one of three Wildcats tied at a team-high five assists, and tallied her first career goal against RPI.
- Senior captain Marie-Jo Pelletier (Dalhousie, New Brunswick) has now accumulated two goals and three assists on the year; Pelletier notched the game-winning tally at Holy Cross and an assist against RPI for five points.
- Junior Meghara McManus is tied for the team lead in goals with four after a two-goal performance against RPI. McManus has also tallied one assist on the year for five points.

Mind the Net
   Senior captain Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) has been the go-to starter in net in the last five games for UNH and has a 2-2-1 record in those games. Overall this season she has a .937 save% and a 1.86 GAA and a 2-4-1 record.
   Sophomore Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) returned for her second season after setting a new record for saves in a single season (886) in her rookie season. Boutilier holds a 1-5-2 record so far in the 2018-19 season, with a .924 save% and a 2.23 GAA.

Scouting Merrimack
- The Warriors (North Andover, Mass.) come into the weekend with a record of 10-3-2, 6-3-1 in Hockey East play.
- Merrimack is just as impressive on the road as they are at home, with a home record of 4-1-1 and an away record of 5-2-1.
- The Warriors' last contest was an exhibition victory over the HTI Stars, 8-2.
- The Warriors average 2.9 goals per game and they give up on average 1.4 goals per game.
-Katelyn Rae is the leading scorer (11g, 5a, 16p) followed closely behind by Megan Fergusson (3g, 8a, 11p).
- In net, the Warriors have looked primarily to Samantha Ridgewell in 14 of their 15 starts. She has a 1.45 GAA, 200 saves and SV% of .945.

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