‘Cats Fall to Huskies in Hockey East Semis

Saturday, March 7

North Andover, Mass.

3:30 PM

University of New Hampshire

18-15-4,12-12-3WHEA

UConn

19-17-2,13-12-2WHEA

UNH

UCONN

Senior captains Tori Howran (left) and Taylor Wenczkowski (right) (Photo by Joey Walker)

Photo by: Joey Walker

3/7/2020 2:30:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Wildcats held scoreless for the first time this postseason.

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The no. 6 seeded University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team fell to the no. 5 seed University of Connecticut Huskies by a score of 4-0 on Saturday afternoon in the 2020 Hockey East Semifinals.

The Huskies got off to a quick start, tallying the opening goal 4:11 into the first period, and never looked back, holding UNH to just 20 overall shots on target in the contest.

Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play with only four total penalties called in the contest.

Redshirt-sophomore goaltender Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) stopped 22 of her 25 shots faced in the contest; her season finishes with a 13-10-2 record.

UConn advances to the 2020 Hockey East Championship game this Sunday, March 8, facing he no. 1 seed Northeastern Huskies at 2 P.M.

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GAME INFORMATION:
Date: March 7, 2020 – 3:30 P.M.
Location: Lawler Rink – North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 917
Score: UConn 4 (19-17-2), UNH 0 (18-15-4)

Goals:
UNH (0) –
UConn (4) – Taylor Wabick (GW), Viki Harkness, Morgan Wabick (2)(EN)

Assists:
UNH (0) –
UConn (2) – Leona Sim, Camryn Wong,

Goaltenders:
UNH – Ava Boutilier – 2-10-10 – 22 (3GA) {56:44} (L)
UConn – Morgan Fisher – 7-3-10 – 20 (0 GA) {60:00} (W)

GAME RECAP

UConn got out to an early lead as defender Taylor Wabick skated into the offensive zone unassisted and took a shot that changed direction off a UNH stick and snuck past Boutilier. The Huskies held a 1-0 lead 4:11 into the opening period.
The Huskies extended their early lead 12:20 into the first period; Viki Harkness collected a pass in the offensive zone and skated to the near-side faceoff circle and charged the net. She snuck the puck to the top-left corner for the 2-0 lead.
New Hampshire got the first power play opportunity of the game 14:35 into the first, but the Huskies killed off the advantage without allowing a shot on target from UNH.
The Huskies started off the second period with their third goal of the game just 3:57 into the second; another unassisted skate into the zone by Morgan Wabick gave her an angle and she slipped the puck through the five-hole.
Midway through the second, the Huskies once again brought the shot pressure but a few highlight saves from Ava Boutilier kept the deficit at just three.
On a late penalty kill for hooking, the Wildcats got a breakaway opportunity for senior Meghara McManus (Milton, Mass.). She weaved past the lone defender but the shot was denied by Fisher.
The Wildcats couldn't get a goal in the first 14 minutes of the final frame, and pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker. UConn tallied an empty-net goal 14:50 into the period to go up 4-0.
The Wildcat once again pulled the netminder and received a power play with 3:52 to go in the period. The Huskies killed off the penalty and kept UNH off the scoreboard.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

The Wildcats finish the season with their best finish in the Hilary Witt era, with 18 overall wins, 12 conference wins, and a semifinal appearance.
UNH also finishes the season with a winning overall record (18-15-4) for the first time in the Witt era and the first season since 2009-2010.
New Hampshire is now 6-3 all-time in Hockey East semifinal games.

PENALTIES
UNH: 2-4 UConn: 2-4

POWER PLAYS
UNH: 0-2 UConn: 0-2

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS:
Points (0):
Goals (0):
Assists (0):
Shots (5): Meghara McManus
Blocked Shots (5): Talli Warren
Faceoffs (17): Turner

CONNECTICUT LEADERS:
Points (2): Morgan Wabick
Goals (2): Morgan Wabick
Assists (1): Leona Sim, Camryn Wong
Shots (5): Natalie Snodgrass
Blocked Shots (3): Camryn Wong
Faceoffs (12): Danielle Fox

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