UNH Ousted from Hockey East Tourney with 3-1 Loss to Merrimack

Wednesday, February 26

Durham, NH

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

15-17-3

Merrimack

9-22-4

Merrimack

New Hampshire

Photo by: Jason Gagnon

UNH Ousted from Hockey East Tourney with 3-1 Loss to Merrimack

2/26/2025 11:09:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior Alyson Hush (Scarborough, Ontario) scored her 11th goal of the season, but the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team fell to Merrimack College, 3-1, in the opening round of the Hockey East tournament Wednesday night at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.

Sophomore goaltender Sedona Blair (Eden Prairie, Minn.), a five-time Hockey East Stop it Goaltending Goaltender of the Week this season, saved 22 of 24 shots.

Grad student assistant captain Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario) and sophomore Julia Cabral (Lee, N.H.) each recorded an assist on the goal scored by Hush.

Abby Poitras, Tara Blackburn, and Sage Babey scored each goal for the Warriors, while Margaux Favre had 33 saves and only one goal against.

The tourney No. 7 seed Wildcats finish the season with a 15-17-3 overall record and 11-14-2 league record. Merrimack, the tourney No. 10 seed, improves to 9-22-4 overall and advances to a March 1 quarterfinal.

FIRST PERIOD

Sara Boucher (Burlington, Ontario) nearly put the Wildcats on the board at 11:24 when she tipped a shot from Sadie Makokis (St. Albert, Alberta), but Favre reacted quickly to make the save.
Captain Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) almost scored for the 'Cats at 19:37. She stole the puck at center ice and skated through the right circle but her shot was stopped by Favre.
UNH had 11 shots in the opening 20 minutes, while MC had seven.

SECOND PERIOD

The Warriors scored the first goal of the game at 2:45, when Poitras hit the puck in the net from the crease off her own rebound.
Merrimack scored again at 14:06 when Blackburn retrieved a deflected pass, skated around the net, and then scored on a high shot from the right side of the net.
UNH outshot MC in the second stanza, 11-8.

THIRD PERIOD

The Wildcats almost scored their first goal at 6:33, when Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.) fired a one-timer just outside the crease from Marina Alvarez (Center Moriches, N.Y.).
At 11:23, Hush nearly scored on a wraparound but Favre made an amazing save at the right post to keep the 'Cats scoreless.
UNH went on the power play at 12:31, but the Warriors' defense held the 'Cats to two shots.
The Wildcats went on the penalty kill at 15:26 and held Merrimack to three shots.
Trailing 2-0, the Wildcats pulled Blair from the net at 17:44 to add an extra skater.
The Warriors extended their lead to 3-0 when Babey scored an empty-netter at 18:01 from the defensive zone.
UNH pulled Blair once again at 18:21 in an effort to come back.
Verrier made a huge block while the net was empty to keep the Wildcats' hopes alive.
Hush scored at 19:26 when she received a pass from Truter and then hit the puck into the glove side of the net from the crease. Cabral was also credited with an assist.
UNH recorded a 12-10 shot advantage in the final frame.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH finished with a 34-25 shot advantage.
New Hampshire had a 26-22 edge in faceoff wins.
The Warriors had 15 blocked shots while the Wildcats had seven.
Both teams were 0-for-1 on the power play.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Hush scored four goals in the last six games.
Hush's goal was her 11th of the season, which ranks second on the team.
Truter ends the season with a team-high 13 assists.
The end of the season also marks the end of eight Wildcat careers: Boucher, Truter, Juodikis, Verrier, Alvarez, Andi Calderone (Kirkland, Quebec), Maddie Crowley-Cahill (Haverhill, Mass.), and Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.).
The Wildcats are 7-3 at home in the Hockey East tournament.
This was the Wildcats' 22^nd appearance in the Hockey East tournament, including a current streak of 14 consecutive seasons.
New Hampshire is 2-2 in the opening round.