GAME DAY: #3 WOMEN'S HOCKEY CONCLUDES HOMESTAND VS. NIAGARA
NOTES | VIDEO | STATS | TICKETS
DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire
women’s ice hockey team, ranked third in both national polls,
carries a 4-0-0 record into this weekend’s two-game home
series against Niagara University. Both the Saturday (Oct. 17) and
Sunday (Oct. 18) games begin at two o’clock at the Whittemore
Center.
Both games will be videostreamed live online at
unhwildcats.tv and live stats will be available at
www.unhwildcats.com.
UNH has a 20-3-0 lifetime record, including
last year’s 5-3 and 5-2 road victories, against Niagara. The
Wildcats have won 14 consecutive meetings in this series vs. the
Purple Eagles. New Hampshire has a 10-1-0 record at home; the only
loss – Feb. 16, 2002 – is also NU’s most recent
win in the series.
Last year, the Wildcats recorded double-digit
shots in all six periods to generate a 71-48 shots advantage. UNH
went 2-for-15 on the power play while NU converted 3 of 18
power-play opportunities. In the first game, the ‘Cats led
2-1 at the first intermission and 4-1 at the end of two periods.
The next day, the Purple Eagles erased a two-goal deficit with
second-period tallies 50 seconds apart, but UNH responded with
goals in a 26 second span to carry a 4-2 lead into the third
period.
These teams last faced off here in Durham in
November 2007, and New Hampshire recorded 6-2 and 11-1
victories.
THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dating back to last season, UNH has won 17
consecutive regular-season games. The Wildcats closed the 2009
regular season with 13 consecutive wins and have opened ‘10
with four 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 25-0-4 at
home in regular-season games –that includes 11-0-1 against
non-league opponents.
UNH’s penalty kill is perfect in 22
shorthanded situations this season. Four of the team’s six
goals last weekend were scored on the power play.
UNH shut out the opposition in the second and
third games of the season; the Wildcats did not record back-to-back
shutouts last year. UNH’s shutout streak ended at 183
minutes, 30 seconds when Syracuse scored its second-period
goal.
Ten Wildcats recorded a point vs. Colgate, and
Micaela Long (two assists) was the only multiple-point scorer.
Eighth-year head coach Brian McCloskey is
approaching the 200-win milestone, as he enters the weekend with
193 career victories (193-41-24 overall record). There are
currently nine active Division I coaches with 200+ wins.
McCloskey’s predecessors at UNH also exceeded 200 victories.
Russ McCurdy compiled a 264-36-10 record from 1978-92 and Karen Kay
went 215-90-25 from 1993-2002.
STARTING
STRONG
In the seven-year tenure of head coach Brian
McCloskey, UNH has exhibited a propensity for starting seasons with
an extended unbeaten streak. Last year, the Wildcats went
undefeated in their initial six games (4-0-2). In the 2007 season,
UNH opened with nine consecutive wins. In 2005 and 2003, the
‘Cats began with seven straight victories.
New Hampshire has opened ‘10 with four
wins.
SKATING STRIDES AGAINST
BREAST CANCER
The fourth annual “Skating Strides
Against Breast Cancer” will have an event on every WHEA
campus this season, as well as participation by all of the Hockey
East men’s teams. UNH will hold its Skating Strides event at
the Whittemore Center on Jan. 16, vs. Providence.
In February 2007, the league debuted its
inaugural “Skating Strides Against Breast Cancer.” The
one-day event was hosted by Hockey East schools as a way to
establish a greater fan base, to raise needed funds, and to work
with the specific charities to raise awareness for both the league
and the specific cause. “Skating Strides” has won
national awards at NACMA in the “Single Day Attendance
Promotion” category in 2007 and 2009.
