‘Cats Wrap Up Non-Conference at Yale (Tuesday, 6 P.M., ESPN+)

DURHAM, N.H. - Coming off a big weekend at home, the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team begins a five-game road trip this Tuesday, January 8 when the Wildcats face the Yale Bulldogs at 6 P.M. on ESPN+.

UNH, riding an eight-game unbeaten streak and a key Hockey East victory over #10 Boston College, plays its final non-conference game of the season Tuesday evening. Following that contest is a weekend series at UConn January 11th and 12th, and at Providence the 18th and 19th.

The Wildcats next home game is the start of a home-and-home series with Holy Cross on Saturday, January 26. The 2 P.M. puck drop will be the Hockey Fights Cancer game, joining the hockey community in supporting those battling all forms of cancer.

For tickets to UNH home games, visit UNHWildcats.com or call (603) 862-4000.

The Series: New Hampshire vs. Yale
The Wildcats and the Bulldogs have met 22 times since 1993, with UNH holding the all-time series record, 21-0-1. Their last matchup came in UNH's last game of 2017 at the Whittemore Center. The December 10th matchup would take overtime to decide the victor, with the Wildcats coming out on top, 3-2. New Hampshire enters the game with a 3-5-2 road record, while Yale has posted a 2-8-0 home record so far this season.

Last Time Out:
   The Wildcats extended their unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2) with a come-from-behind victory against #10 Boston College to open up 2019.
   Down by a goal in the second period, senior Jenna Rheault (Deering, N.H.) fired a shot from the blue line that found an opening top-shelf to equalize. The Wildcats played a tough second period but went into the second intermission down 2-1.
   In the final 15 minutes of play, junior Taylor Wenczkowski (Rochester, N.H.) tallied two goals to tie and win the game. The first on a power play one-timer from inside the left faceoff circle, and the game-winner came on a breakaway chance as she fired the shot glove-side while being taken down by a BC defender. The Wildcats would hold on for a 3-2 victory, their first after trailing in the final period all season.

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.
- From that Holy Cross victory, the Wildcats then went on an eight game unbeaten streak (6-0-2) with wins over conference foes Merrimack and Boston College, and ECAC foes Dartmouth and Rensselaer.
- The win over Boston College was the Wildcats' first win over a ranked opponent this season, and first victory after trailing entering the third period.

Players to Watch
- Junior forward Taylor Wenczkowski now leads the team in points after her two-goal effort against #10 BC. Wenczkowski has a team-high nine goals, along with four assists for a team-high 13 points. Wenczkowski holds the longest point streak of the season for UNH, seven points in four games.
- Fellow junior Nicole Dunbar (Coto de Caza, Calif.)has 11 points for the Wildcats, with six assists, the second-highest tally on the team, and five goals.
- Junior Carlee Turner (Scottsdale, Ariz.) is now at 10 points on the year. Turner tallied UNH's first game-winning goal of the year, and tallied the game-winning assist at Dartmouth off a faceoff win.
- Junior Tori Howran (Bancroft, Ontario) is now at 10 points, with two goals and a team-leading eigth assists. Howran has scored one power play goal this season.
- Junior Meghara McManus has tallied seven goals so far this season, throwing in two assists for nine points on the year. McManus has tallied two goals in two games this season, and four games in her career.
- Freshman Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario) is also at nine points on the year. Martin tallied her first two career goals two games in a row, and has added in seven assists.
- Senior Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.) has seven points on the year. Taylor tallied the first game-winner against Merrimack in the two-game weekend sweep, and has three goals, four assists on the year. Two of her goals came on the power play.

Mind the Net
   Senior captain Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.) has been the go-to starter in net in the last 10 games for UNH and has a 6-2-2 record in those games. Overall this season she has a .938 save% and a 1.82 GAA for a 6-4-2 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 this season, with a .924 save% and a 2.23 GAA.

Super Juniors
Redshirt junior Taylor Wenczkowski, along with true juniors Nicole Dunbar, Carlee Turner, Tori Howran, and Meghara McManus are the top-five point scorers for UNH so far this season. Together, they have 27 of UNH's 41 goals and 53 of UNH's 104 points.

Rheault Goes to the Pride
Senior defender Jenna Rheault was selected 25th overall by the Boston Pride in the 2018 NWHL draft on Thursday, December 20, 2018. She becomes the third active Wildcat to be drafted to an NWHL team.

For the 2017-18 season, Rheault was awarded the team's Sue Merz 7th Player award for her clutch defensive play in key situations and on the penalty kill. Rheault was a crucial member of the Wildcats' penalty kill that only allowed 23 power-play goals in the 2017-18 season. So far this season, the Rheault and the Wildcats continue to play strong while down a skater, as they've allowed just five power-play goals this season on 64 chances.

"I am very proud of Jenna," says head coach Hilary Witt. "She is a great person, teammate and hockey player. Her work ethic and commitment to excellence on the ice, in the weight room and in the classroom has propelled her to this achievement."

Wenczkowski Wins Weekly Honors
For her two-goal performance against #10 Boston College, Taylor Wenczkowski was named the Hockey East Player of the Week on Monday, January 7th. The honor is UNH's first weekly award all season, and the first weekly award for Wenczkowski in her career.

Scouting Yale
- The Bulldogs (New Haven, Conn.) are sitting at 3-11-0 on the season and 2-6-0 in ECAC play after three months of play.
- Yale is seeing its first action of 2019, with its last contest coming December 7 and 8 against Vermont.
- The Bulldogs split the weekend series with the Catamounts, losing game one 5-1, but rolling in game two, 6-4.
- Yale is averaging just over two goals per game, and allowing just over three. Yale have a total of 29 goals on the year.
- The Bulldogs are led by freshman Rebecca Vanstone and senior Emma Vlasic, both with 10 points on the year.
- In net, junior Tera Hofmann has a majority of Yale's starts. In 10 starts, she has a 2-8-0 record, a .924 save percentage, and a 2.66 goals-against average.
- The other four starts went to sophomore Gianna Meloni, who holds a 1-3-0 record on the year with a .889 save% and a 3.54 GAA.

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