March 8, 2010

Pure Hockey Player of the Week Melissa Haber of Boston University

WAKEFIELD, Mass. -- The Boston University Terriers captured their first ever Women's Hockey East Championship and extended their season into the NCAA tournament for the first time in their five-year program existence. Both top seeds were upset in the semifinals, as UConn defeated Providence 3-2 and BU shutout UNH 4-0 before winning the championship on Sunday.

The fifth-seeded Connecticut Huskies upset the Hockey East regular-season league champions and top-seeded Providence Friars in a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Schneider Arena. The Huskies jumped to an early lead with momentum in their favor thanks to a three-goal first period. Not ready for their season to end, seniors Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont.) and Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass.) led the way registering a goal and an assist apiece. Providence didn't back down and came back flying outshooting the Huskies 19-2 in the second period and cutting the lead to one goal but stellar defense by the Huskies lifted them to the 3-2 victory and advanced them to their first Hockey East championship game since 2005.

BU knocked off last year's Hockey East defending Champions, the UNH Wildcats with a 4-0 shutout in the second semifinal game on Saturday afternoon. Despite the lopsided score, the game was as close as ever and could have gone either way until three late third period goals gave the terriers the edge. Laurel Koller (St. Paul, Minn.) put the Terriers on the board early in the second with a short-handed goal. UNH had plenty of chances to score but luck was not in their favor and BU snuck back in with three last minute goals, two from senior Melissa Anderson (Langley, B.C.). Terrier goaltender Melissa Haber stopped all 17 shot that came her way, handing the Wildcats their first shutout of the season.

In the Championship game on Sunday, BU earned their first WHEA Title Championship as both teams left it all on the ice after a grueling battle and stellar goaltending on both ends. BU scored first on a power play goal from freshman Kathryn Miller (Milverton, Ont.), but UConn rebounded with momentum swinging their way and matched the score when Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont.) netted her 20th tally of the season. BU's Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont.) and Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week, broke the sudden death overtime after she buried the game-winner at 9:52 in the overtime period. UConn goaltender Alexandra Garcia (Pointe-Claire, Q.C.) stopped 31 shots but it was BU's Melissa Haber who took home Tournament Most Valuable Player honors with 25 saves leading the Terriers to their first WHEA Championship.

With the win, the Terriers advance into the NCAA Tournament and face the No. 1 overall seed and CHA Tournament Champion Mercyhurst on Saturday, March 13 at 2pm in Erie, Pa. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. UNH also earned a spot in the post-season and will continue their season against Minnesota-Duluth in a NCAA quarterfinal game to be played March 13 (3 p.m. Eastern) at the DECC.

PURE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK MELISSA HABER - BOSTON UNIVERSITY Senior Goaltender; Toronto, Ont. Haber stopped 42 of 43 shots (.977 save%) she faced in two games and was named MVP of the Hockey East Championship.

BAUER ROOKIE OF THE WEEK ELISABETH STATHOPULOS - CONNECTICUT Freshman Forward; Toronto, Ont. Stathopulos scored UConn's first goal in the 3-2 WHEA semifinal win against Providence on Saturday at Schneider Arena.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK TARA WATCHORN - BOSTON UNIVERSITY Sophomore Defenseman; Newcastle, Ont. Watchorn scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Terriers to the Hockey East championship. She was named to the WHEA All- Tournament Team for her efforts.

Cristin Allen, UConn (Sr., D, Pickering, Ont.) Was named to the WHEA All-Tournament Team for the Huskies.

Melissa Anderson, BU (Sr., F, Langley, B.C.) Scored two goals for the Terriers on Saturday vs. PC and was named to the WHEA All-Tournament Team.

Michelle Binning, UConn (Sr., F, Oshawa, Ont.) Recorded three points on the weekend (2g,1a) in the WHEA Tournament and earned All-Tournament honors.

Amy Hollstein, UConn (Sr., F, Pembroke, Mass.) Registered a goal and an assists on Saturday in the 3-2 semifinal win vs. PC and was a All-Tournament selection.

Kathryn Miller, BU (Fr, D, Milverton, Ont.) Scored a goal in the Terriers' 2-1 win over Connecticut in the Hockey East championship game.

Melissa Anderson, BU (Langley, B.C.) Became the first 20-goal scorer in program history, scoring her 20th and 21st goals of the season in the Hockey East semifinals against New Hampshire

BOSTON UNIVERSITY Penalty Kill The Terriers have killed off 19 straight penalties and have not allowed a power-play goal in five straight games

Jenelle Kohanchuk, BU (Winnipeg, Man.) Has tallied at least one point in each of her five career postseason games

Boston University: The Terriers won their first ever Hockey East championship in their fifth season of varsity play...BU will also be making its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, visiting top-ranked Mercyhurst in the quarterfinals...Senior Melissa Haber (Toronto, Ont.) has allowed two goals in her last 15 periods of play and was named MVP of the Hockey East Championship... Sophomore Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont.) scored her first career game-winning goal in overtime to deliver BU the championship ...BU has now won six straight games and is unbeaten in 10 straight, both matching program records ...The Terriers are 1-3 in the all-time series with Mercyhurst...BU's win against Mercyhurst last season was the program's first-ever win against a top-five opponent.

University of Connecticut: The University of Connecticut women's ice hockey saw its milestone filled season come to an end in the Hockey East Championship game on Sunday. UConn posted the program's second 20-or-more win season in the last four years and appeared in just their second-ever title game with the Boston University Terriers. The Huskies fell in just the tournament's second ever overtime game after senior Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont.) tied it at 6:50 in the second period. The assistant captain recorded back-to-back 30 point years with her effort in 2009-10 and tied her own mark from a year ago for seventh on the Huskies' all-time season scoring record...She was one of three seniors to be named to the All-Tournament Team on Sunday, following the overtime loss. Seniors Cristin Allen (Pickering, Ont.) and Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass.) joined her as the three UConn players selected to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team. The trio is the most number of student-athletes to receive all-tournament honors since the 2005 season when defensemen Natalie Vibert and Tiffany Owens were selected...Sophomore Alexandra Garcia (Pointe-Claire, Que.) conclude the season with a 1.60 goals-against average which is a program record for the season to go along with her 18 wins on the year, which is also a record. Garcia's first season as a starter also has her third in saves (718) and second with a .931 save percentage on Connecticut's All-Time Season Record list.

UConn concludes the year with a 21-8-7 record, including 10-5-6-3 record in Hockey East play. It is the fifth-consecutive season the Huskies have won 10-or more games in conference action.

University of New Hampshire: UNH received an at-large berth to the 2010 NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship and will face off against Minnesota-Duluth in NCAA postseason play for the third consecutive year… It is the Wildcats' fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance… UNH advanced to the Frozen Four in '06 and '08… Kelly Paton (Woodstock, Ontario) was named Hockey East co-Player of the Year; she is the fifth Wildcat to receive the award… Kristina Lavoie (Fonthill, Ontario) was named the league's Bauer Rookie of the Year; she is the fourth 'Cat to garner that accolade… Micaela Long (South Boston, Mass.) was declared the Humboldt Storage and Moving Scoring Champion; five Wildcats have claimed that title… Paton, Long and Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ontario) were named to the First Team All-Star squad… UNH was shut out for the first time this season in the league semifinals; the Wildcats had scored a goal in 47 consecutive games.

Providence College: Providence's season came to a close with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Connecticut… The game marked the first-ever post season defeat for UConn over PC (4-1)… Providence allowed three goals in the first period for the first time all season… Genevieve Lacasse finished the season as PC's all-time single-season saves leader with 878 saves, passing all-time great Sara DeCosta (794)… Junior forward Jean O'Neill finished the year on a four-game scoring streak with five goals and two assists for seven points… Providence had four players named to the Hockey East All-Star teams (Ashley Cottrell-First, Lacasse, O'Neill and Amber Yung – Second)… The four players were the most for PC since 2002-03 when six players were named (Three First Team, Three Second Team)… The Friars had six players break their career highs in goals scored this season… Coach Bob Deraney was honored as Coach of the Year for the first time in his 11 seasons at Providence College.

NCAA AND HOCKEY EAST NOTES: Hockey East teams have appeared in the NCAA Tournament seven times. It marks the second time to WHEA teams have earned berths in the tournament with the first back in the 2007 season (BC and UNH).

WHEA TEAMS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

New Hampshire: 3 appearances, 2-4 record, 2 Frozen Fours
Boston College: 2 appearances, 1-2 record, 1 Frozen Four
Providence: 2 apperances, 0-2 record