Kelly Scores Twice in 4-3 OT Loss at #13 Northeastern

Saturday, February 3

Boston, Mass.

4:30 PM

University of New Hampshire

12-14-2, 9-10-2

#13 Northeastern

20-9-1, 13-7-1

OT 1

New Hampshire

Northeastern

Photo by: Gil Talbot

2/3/2024 8:45:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

BOSTON – Senior forward Nicole Kelly (Brantford, Ontario) scored two goals but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team was upended 4-3 in overtime by 13^th-ranked Northeastern University on Saturday at Matthews Arena.

Freshman goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.) made 14 of her 27 saves in the third period. She also recorded her first career assist. Kelly scored UNH's first and third goals and grad student Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) netted the Wildcats' other goal.

Northeastern's Katy Knoll scored 26 seconds into the extra session to end the game. Lily Shannon (one goal, two assists), Taze Thompson (goal, assist) and Megan Carter (two assists) led the Huskies' offense. Gwyneth Philips made 28 saves.

UNH moves to 12-14-2 overall and 9-10-2 in Hockey East. Northeastern is now 20-9-1, 13-7-1.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Friday, Feb. 9 (6 p.m.) at Merrimack College.
The Wildcats' next home game is Feb. 10 against MC for "Stick It to the Stigma" day.

FIRST PERIOD

UNH recorded a 13-7 shot advantage but Northeastern led 1-0 through 20 minutes.
Peyton Compton gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 2:41.

SECOND PERIOD

The Wildcats had an 8-7 shot advantage in the scoreless second stanza.
NU went on its first power play of the game at 5:26 but Blair turned aside the only shot faced to backbone a successful penalty kill.

THIRD PERIOD

UNH scored three consecutive goals to take a 3-1 lead but the Huskies scored a pair of extra-attacker goals 41 seconds apart to send the game into overtime.
Kelly leveled the score, 1-1, at 2:32 when her wrister from the slot sailed inside the right post. Brianna Legros (New Liskeard, Ontario) initiated the scoring sequence with a pass from center ice to Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) on the left wing. Hammer carried the puck into the zone and made the centering pass to Kelly.
Christian scored on a breakaway down the slot with a shot into the upper-right corner to give UNH a 2-1 lead at 5:16. Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) created the turnover in the neutral zone to spring Christian.
The Wildcats were whistled for a five minute major penalty at 9:52. One minute later, Charli Kettyle (Perth, Ontario) led a 2-on-2 rush and was denied in the low slot and again on the rebound.
Blair made three saves in the next minute to preserve UNH's one-goal lead.
Kelly chipped the puck off the boards into the neutral zone to create a breakaway down the right wing and her shorthanded goal extended the advantage to 3-1 at 12:43, Blair, who pushed the puck out of the crease, and Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) were credited with assists.
Blair made two more saves and UNH blocked three shot attempts the remaining 2:07 of the penalty kill.
Philips was pulled in favor of an extra skater with 1:57 remaining and Thompson scored at 18:22 to lift NU within 3-2.
Philips reentered the game and returned to the bench with 69 seconds on the clock, then Shannon scored with 57.5 seconds to play to tie the score,

OVERTIME

Knoll snapped a wrister from the slot into the upper-right corner 26 seconds into the extra session to give Northeastern the win.

GAME NOTEBOOK

The shots were even at 31.
New Hampshire was 0-for-3 on the power play despite 11 shots. NU went 0-for-2 on the power play.
UNH had a 30-29 edge in the faceoff circle.
The Wildcats blocked 20 shot attempts and NU was credited with nine blocks.

UNH NOTEBOOK

This was Kelly's second multiple-goal game of the season and sixth career.
Her shorthanded tally was UNH's second of the season.
Kelly led all skaters in both faceoff wins (15) and faceoffs (28).
This was only the third time this season a team scored three goals in a game against Philips.
Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) recorded a game-high four blocks.
Legros was credited with three blocked shots.

SERIES NOTEBOOK