MAGGIE JOYCE

WAKEFIELD, Mass. – The second-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, which won the 6th Annual Women’s Hockey East Championship Tournament on Sunday, swept the Hockey East weekly awards, the league announced Monday. Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) was named TPS Hockey Player of the Week, Maggie Joyce (Hudson, Ohio) received the Pure Hockey Defensive Player of the Week honor and Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) garnered her fifth Mission Rookie of the Week award.

Faber, a junior forward, was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team and was further honored as the Tournament MVP for her three-goal performance at the league tournament. She scored the only goal in UNH’s 1-0 victory against Providence College in the title game; it marked her 13th game-winning goal of the season. Faber also scored two goals to propel the ‘Cats to an 8-0 win vs. Boston Univesity in the semifinal. She finished the tourney with a +3 rating. Faber received the TPS Hockey Player of the Week award twice during the regular season.

KAYLEY HERMAN

Herman, a freshman goaltender, stopped all 31 shots she faced in the Hockey East tourney to backbone UNH to their third straight league tourney title with consecutive shutouts vs. BU and PC. She also garnered All-Tournament Team accolades for her efforts. Herman made 17 saves in the title game for her ninth shutout of the season.

Joyce, a junior defenseman, tallied two assists in the semifinal victory and another in the title game. She assisted on both game-winning goals by setting up the first goal in each game, and her second assist in the semifinal broke the game open as it was the second tally in 36 seconds and gave UNH a 3-0 lead. Joyce also recorded a +3 rating and was an integral part of the Wildcats’ perfect penalty kill of 12-for-12. Her two-day effort earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

UNH (32-3-1, 20-0-1 Hockey East) is the third seed of the 2008 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship and will play host to St. Lawrence University in a March 15 (1 p.m.) quarterfinal game at the Whittemore Center. Be sure to join the 'Cats for a pre-game Pep Rally in the Whittemore Center Lobby from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that will include light refreshments, poster-making materials and music. Tickets are available online, at the Whittemore Center box office or by calling 1-866-WILDCAT.