FORT MYERS, Fla. - The third-ranked University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team held a pair of one-goal leads, but top-ranked University of Wisconsin recorded an 8-2 non-conference victory Friday night at the Fort Myers Skatium.
UNH, which entered the game with a four-game unbeaten streak, is now 7-2-3 overall and 1-2-3 against nationally-ranked teams. UW, now 1-6-1 lifetime against the Wildcats, remains unbeaten at 13-0-2 overall this season.
Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) and Kelly Cahill (Farmington Hills, Mich.) potted the UNH goals and Kayley Herman (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) finished with 20 saves.
UW was led offensively by Meghan Duggan (2g, 2a), Hilary Knight (1g, 3a), Carolyne Prevost (2g, 1a), Angie Keseley and Erika Lawler (1g, 2a). Jessie Vetter was credited with 12 saves.
Faber netted her third shorthanded goal - ninth tally overall - to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead at 1:30 of the first period. She gained possession of a loose puck in the neutral zone and broke in alone from the left point. She shifted across the low slow and shot high into the net.
UW pulled even, 1-1, when Lawler netted a power-play goal at 5:17 on a screened shot from the slot.
New Hampshire regained the lead, 2-1, with a power-play tally at 11:51. The initial shot by Micaela Long (South Boston, Mass.) was blocked by a defender, but Maggie Joyce (Hudson, Ohio) gained possession deep on the left side and pushed the puck to the middle, where Cahill scored from close range.
The Badgers rallied with odd-man rush goals at 15:33 and 16:46 to take a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. Duggan, off the return pass from Brooke Ammerman, tied the score and then Keseley, from Knight, put the designated home team ahead for good.
Wisconsin extended its lead to 6-2 with three second-period tallies. Prevost struck at 2:12 and 7:51, then Duggan scored at 18:41.
Knight and Keseley potted goals at 3:49 and 14:20 of the final frame to close the scoring.
UNH finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play while UW was 2 of 8.
These teams concluded the two-game series at the Fort Myers Skatium on Nov. 22 at 2:07 p.m. The Wildcats' next home game is Nov. 26 (5 p.m.) against Northeastern University.