'Cats Upended in OT by Merrimack, 3-2

Friday, November 12

North Andover, Mass.

6 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-6-2, 2-6-1

Merrimack

4-8-1, 4-4-1

OT 1

New Hampshire

Merrimack

Photo by: Andrew Yourell

11/12/2021 10:52:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) and Lindsey Dumond (Hampton, N.H.) both scored a goal, but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team was upended 3-2 in overtime by Merrimack College at Lawler Rink on Friday night.

Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) made 12 of her 24 saves in the third period. MC counterpart Emma Gorski recorded 13 of her 26 saves in the second stanza.

Courtney Maud scored the game-winning goal 17 seconds into overtime to complete the comeback for the Warriors, who entered the third period with a 2-0 deficit.

UNH, which entered the game on a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1), moves to 2-6-2 overall and 2-6-1 in Hockey East this season. Merrimack improved to 4-8-1, 4-4-1.

UP NEXT

UNH's Kacey Bellamy Day is Nov. 13 (2 p.m.) vs. Merrimack. The UNH alum and three-time Olympian will be in attendance at the Whittemore Center. Exclusive posters will be available and fans have an opportunity to meet Bellamy during the first intermission autograph signing.
Tickets to the game are available by CLICKING HERE, calling (603) 862-4000, or visiting the Whittemore Center box office in person.

FIRST PERIOD

The shots were even, 7-7, in the scoreless first period.

SECOND PERIOD

UNH generated a 15-5 shot advantage and scored twice in the second stanza.
Brianna Brooks (Whitby, Ontario) had a breakaway down the slot but was stoned by Gorski to keep the game scoreless at 8:22.
Christian converted her breakaway down the slot to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead at 12:29. Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) won a neutral-zone faceoff and moved the puck back in the neutral zone to Brianna Legros (New Liskeard, Ontario), who quickly swung a pass along the blue line to Maddie Truax (Gardner, Mass.). Her stretch pass through the neutral zone sprung Christian for the breakaway goal.
Dumond extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:30. Ciara Wall (Hampton, N.H.) fell to the ice in the right corner but pushed the puck to the circle, where Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) fired a shot that was redirected in front by Dumond.

THIRD PERIOD

MC stormed back in the final frame with a 14-6 shot advantage and two goals 25 seconds apart to tie the score and force overtime.
Alexa Pongo's power-play goal lifted the Warriors within 2-1 at 5:41 and Raice Szott knotted the score, 2-2, at 6:06.
Merrimack buzzed around the net in the 19^th minute but Boutilier stopped all five shots to keep the score deadlocked.

OVERTIME

Maud, who set up the game-tying goal, advanced down the right circle and snapped a wrister under the crossbar to end the game just 17 seconds into the extra session.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH recorded a 28-27 shot advantage.
The Wildcats were 0-for-2 on the power play; MC was 1-for-2.
The Warriors had the 19-17 edge in the faceoff circle.
Brooks continued her mastery in the faceoff circle by winning 6 of 7 draws.
Both teams blocked 13 shot attempts. Emily Rickwood (Brantford, Ontario) led all skaters with three.

UNH NOTEBOOK

UNH is 0-1-2 in three overtime games this season.
Christian scored her first goal of the season and 16^th career, which leads all active Wildcats.
Dumond netted her first goal of the season and fifth of her career.
Wall picked up her first assist of the season and seventh career.
Hammer now has two assists.
Legros was credited with her first assist of the season and fifth career.

SERIES NOTEBOOK

UNH has a 12-4-2 lifetime record against Merrimack that includes 6-3-1 at Lawler Rink.
MC had been winless the previous five games (0-4-1) against the Wildcats.
New Hampshire is 3-1-1 the past five meetings at Lawler Rink.