GAME DAY: WOMEN'S HOCKEY HOMECOMING GAMES VS. COLGATE, SYRACUSE

THE MATCHUPS
The third-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, which opened the season with a pair of victories last weekend, plays a pair of home games as part of Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 9-10. The Wildcats play host to Colgate (0-0-0) on Friday (7 p.m.) and Syracuse (0-2-0) on Saturday (5 p.m.).

UNH has a 4-1-0 lifetime record, including last year’s 5-4 road loss, against Colgate. The ‘Cats have won all three meetings at the Whittemore Center (2005, 5-1; 2006, 7-0; 2008, 1-0) and have outscored the Raiders by a 21-7 margin in the five previous games.

In last year’s matchup (Nov. 29), UNH entered the third period trailing 4-2 and, despite recording a 34-2 shot advantage in the third period, lost 5-4. The Wildcats pulled within 4-3 in the ninth minute but the Raiders reestablished a two-goal advantage with 5:35 remaining. UNH went on a power play –and pulled goaltender Kayley Herman for an extra skater – to give the ‘Cats a two skater advantage at 17:35, then scored at 18:27 to trim the deficit to 5-4. Herman was pulled again with 80 seconds to play, but Colgate – mostly goalie Kimberly Sass – fended off the late flurry. Sass had 32 saves in the third period and 43 overall.

The teams skated to a scoreless first period, then Colgate took one-goal leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the second before netting power-play goals 12 seconds apart to build a 4-2 advantage.

Saturday afternoon’s game will mark the first between the New Hampshire and Syracuse women’s ice hockey programs.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
    Dating back to last season, UNH has won 15 consecutive regular-season games. The Wildcats closed the 2009 regular season with 13 consecutive wins and have opened ‘10 with two victories.
    Staying within the realm of regular season play, UNH has not lost at the Whittemore Center since Nov. 11, 2007 (2-1 to Princeton). Since that game, the ‘Cats are 23-0-4 at home in regular-season games –that includes 9-0-1 against non-league opponents.
    UNH’s penalty kill was a perfect 6-for-6 in each of its first two games. The power play has converted 1 of 8 opportunities this season.

IT HAPPENED HERE FIRST
A quartet of UNH freshmen recorded their first career point in last weekend’s action against UConn and Quinnipiac at the Whittemore Center.

Bryanna Farris, Kristina Lavoie and Brittany Skudder each tallied an assist in the opener vs. UConn. Farris also tallied an assist vs. QU and Skudder scored her first career goal in that game against the Bobcats.

Kristine Horn recorded her first collegiate point with a goal vs. Quinnipiac, and Molly Morrison (a junior transfer from Vermont) tallied her first point as a UNH Wildcat with an assist.

HERMAN RECORDS SHUTOUT AND ASSIST
Junior goaltender Kayley Herman has two career assists, and both have come in shutout performances. Herman recorded her second career assist Oct. 4 vs. Quinnipiac when a long outlet pass through the neutral zone led to a Brittany Skudder goal. She also made 13 saves in the 4-0 victory, which marked her 12th career shutout. Herman tallied her first career assist (on the game-winning goal) Jan. 10, 2008 in a 6-0 victory at Northeastern University. She made eight saves in that game.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
Season tickets for the women’s hockey team are on sale now. At $30 for 17 games, that’s a cost of $1.76 per game. The Wildcats open the 2009-10 season with six consecutive home games in October.

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