Providence, R.I. (November 16, 2008) - The Providence College women's ice hockey team defeated the University of Connecticut, 2-0. Freshman Geneveive Lacasse (Scarborough, Ontario) stopped all 30 shots she faced and sophomore Alyse Ruff (Tualatin, Ore.) netted the game winner at 14:03 of the third period to guide the Friars to their third Hockey East victory of the season. Following today's action, the Friars improved to 6-5-1 (3-2-1 Hockey East) while the Huskies fell to 6-5-2 (3-3-0).
The Friars came into today's contest looking to continue their stellar play as of late as they were undefeated in the last four contests going 3-0-1. Connecticut had the better of the play in the first period, however, as they were able to put nine shots on the PC cage compared to only three shots for the Friars. The second period saw similar play as both teams began pushing for the go-ahead goal.
The Friars' best chance of the first two periods came at 10:00 of the second stanza when Kate Bacon (Chanhassen, Minn.) scooped up a puck in the neutral zone before out-skating a defender at the Huskie blue line. Bacon came in on UConn netminder Alexandra Garcia and attempted to deke the goalie but her short-handed attempt was denied by a sliding save with the left pad.
The Huskies were denied by some brilliant goaltending to end the second period. UConn put a series of shots on target from just outside the Friar crease but Lacasse came up with save after save to keep the score deadlocked at 0-0. Going into the locker room after two periods, Connecticut held a 20-12 advantage in shots.
Midway through the third period, the Huskies took two penalties giving PC a five-on-three advantage. UConn was able to kill off the first penalty, but at 14:03, the Friars would earn the game winner. Still a man up, captain Brittany Simpson (Barrie, Ontario) sent the puck around the boards to freshman Laura Veharanta (La Verne, Calif.) who snapped a pass through the top of the crease to Ruff who deflected the puck under the crossbar for her third game-winning goal and fifth overall on the season. The assists were the seventh for Simpson and third for Veharanta.
Providence would finish off the Huskies with an empty-net, short-handed goal by Bacon with only 20 seconds remaining. The goal was Bacon's second short-handed tally and fourth overall.
Lacasse earned the first shutout by a Providence freshman since Jana Bugden accomplished the feat in the Hockey East Finals on March 16, 2003. She finished game with 30 saves to improve her record to 5-3-0 while Garcia stopped 18 shots but falls to 1-2-1 on the season.
Providence will welcome two CHA foes to Schneider Arena this coming weekend as they face-off against Mercyhurst on Friday, November 21, before hosting Niagara on Saturday, November 22. Both games will begin at 7:00 p.m.