STORRS, Conn. (Oct. 15, 2008) - Monique Weber (Rogers, Minn.) scored in the fifth round of the No. 10/10 University of Connecticut women's ice hockey team's first shootout to give the Huskies a 4-3 win over No. 4/5 New Hampshire at Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum on Wednesday night. The victory will count as a tie in the Huskies' overall record (3-1-2) and gives them a 1-0-0 record in Hockey East play.
Amy Hollstein (Pembroke, Mass./Lawrence Academy) collected a rebound from Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont./Toronto Jr. Aeros. Inter. AA) to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead at 6:04 in the first period. Rebecca Hewett (Oak Bluff, Man./APHA Rangers) had the second assist, her fourth of the season. At the end of the first period, with eight saves by Brittany Wilson (Nepean, Ont./Ottawa Inter. AA) the Huskies held on to a 1-0 lead.
UNH's Sam Faber struck twice to tie the game, first on the power play early in the second period (1:59) to tie it, 1-1. A turnover by the Wildcats in their own zone proved to be costly in the second period. Jessica Lutz (Rockville, Md./Washington Christian Academy) recaptured the UConn lead with her first career goal at 14:42.
Kayley Herman made several quick saves before Dominique Thibault (L'Original, Ont./Montreal Axion NWHL) would get her ninth of goal of the season. Binning and Hollstein had the assists, both their second points of the night.
Reigning Hockey East player of the week, Jenn Wakefield scored on the power play just past the midway point of the third period. With the Wildcats within one (3-2), UNH (2-0-2, 1-0-1) would strike again just 21 seconds later. Faber scored an unassisted goal to tie the game at 10:56.
UConn took its second-consecutive game to overtime with the score tied (3-3) at the end of regulation. Despite registering two shots on the Wildcat goaltender, the Huskies were unable to score. Wilson made the save on UNH's lone shot of the extra session.
Cristin Allen (Pickering, Ont./Durham Lightning AA), Jennifer Chaisson (Cumberland, Ont./St. Peter Catholic) and Binning were selected to shoot for UConn in the first round of the shootout. As the home team, the Huskies elected to shoot first. Each of their shots was saved by Herman while Wilson kept UConn in it, stopping each of UNH's shots.
Following the first round of shooters, three to a side, the shootout continued in a sudden death format. Thibault's shot was stopped and on the other end, Wilson stopped Angela Taylor's attempt. As the fifth shooter, Weber scored for the Huskies. If UNH's Courtney Birchard was able to score, the shootout would have continued, but Wilson made save, stopping all six UNH attempts.
Weber's shootout goal helped UConn upset No. 4/5 UNH and give the team its first Hockey East victory of the season. She currently leads the UConn freshmen class with six points (2G, 4A).
UConn's season continues on Saturday at Vermont with a 2 p.m. face off against its second Hockey East opponent of the season. The Huskies return home on Sunday to take Northeastern in conference play at Freitas Ice Forum. The game is set to begin at 3 p.m.
Game Notes
- With tonight's win over UNH, the Huskies snapped a four-game losing streak to the Wildcats.
- UConn opened last season with a win in Hockey East play, defeating Providence 5-0 on Oct. 25 and have started the conference slate with a win for the past three seasons.
- Dominique Thibault has scored at least one goal in every game this season, leading the team with nine through the first six games.