BOSTON, Mass. - Sadie Wright-Ward and Kelly Paton each registered two goals to lead New Hampshire to a 6-0 victory over Northeastern in Women's Hockey East action on Thursday night at Matthews Arena.
The first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Although the Huskies were outshot 11-0 by the No. 1 Wildcats, the NU defense played aggressively and fought for the pucks, keeping the UNH offense frustrated. NU killed off an early Nikki Petrich hooking penalty, and freshman goaltender Leah Sulyma stopped all 11 shots faced, a large improvement from the the first meeting of the season between the teams when the Huskies gave up three goals to New Hampshire in the first period on Dec. 2.
The relentless Wildcat attack continued in the second, as UNH badgered Sulyma with a total of 18 shots, two of which found their way into the net. New Hampshire's first goal, scored by junior forward Sam Faber (15)came at 09:43 while the Wildcats were shorthanded. Maggie Joyce lifted the puck over the heads of the Huskies and Faber was there for the connection, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats followed it up four minutes later when Jennifer Hitchcock connected with Sadie Wright-Ward who put it over the right shoulder of Sulyma for a two-goal lead at 13:33. Nicole Goguen was also awarded an assist on the play.
The Huskies buckled down and fended off the attack for the rest of the period. Sulyma continued her stellar play, making 16 saves in the second, and the teams entered the third separated by only two goals.
In the third period, the Wildcats showed why they are the number one team in the country, posting four goals off the Huskies. Ward scored her 15th of the season, second of the game, three minutes in. Freshman Jenn Wakefield added her 12th of the season at 07:15, another shorthanded tally. Kelly Paton finished it off with two goals, her eighth and ninth of the season, capping off a 6-0 win for New Hampshire, who stayed undefeated in Hockey East play.
Sulyma made another 13 saves in the final period, giving her a total of 40 in the contest. It marks the third time Sulyma has made 40 saves, as she also performed the feat in the first meeting between NU and UNH and last weekend stopped 47 shots against Yale. It also marks the fifth consecutive game in which she's turned aside more than 30 shots, and her seventh overall.
New Hampshire's Kayley Herman made eight saves in the contest.
With the loss, the Huskies drop to 4-12-2 overall and 3-4-0 in Hockey East. They'll look to break .500 in the league as they host the Boston University Terriers at Matthews Arena Sunday at 2 p.m.