PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team defeated visiting Connecticut, 2-0, Saturday at Schneider Arena.
With the decision, senior goaltender Genevieve Lacasse (Kingston, Ontario) earned her 58th career victory. The mark ties former Friar great Jana Bugden for most all-time in Providence College program history.
"I am very happy for Genevieve," explained Bugden, who was in attendance Saturday for the Friars' Tenth Anniversary Team Celebration. "She has worked extremely hard and deserves all of her success."
For the seventh consecutive game, the Friars who scored the first goal, this time breaking through when senior Kate Bacon (Chanhassen, Minn.) capitalized on a turnover just within the UConn zone. At the 12:01 mark of the second period, Bacon collected stepped in front of the puck, skated into the slot and ripped home a wrist shot for her eighth of the season.
The Friars would add an empty-net insurance score at 19:48 of the third period. Senior Abby Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.) had possession on the right of the attack zone and fed junior Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ontario) in front. The score was Vella's sixth of the season.
Providence outshot the visitors, 49-19, as Lacasse halted all 19 shots to add to her school shutout record. She has now blanked her opponents 17 times in her career.
UConn's Nicole Paniccia made 47 saves.
Bugden and Lacasse are both part of the Friars' Tenth Anniversary Team, a group of 13 players who distinguished themselves on and off the ice during the first ten years of the Women's Hockey East Association. The players were recognized during a pregame ceremony Saturday and a banner was unveiled at the north end of Schneider Arena with their names and jerseys.
In addition to Bugden and Lacasse, the honorees included Jenn Butsch '03 (Berlin, Vt.), Ashley Payton '06 (Chesterfield, Mo.), Darlene Stephenson '04 (Virden, Manitoba), Karen Thatcher '06 (Franklin, Mass.), Sonny Watrous '07 Albuquerque, N.M), Rush Zimmerman (Grosse Point, Mich.), Kristin Gigliotti (Sauquoit, N.Y.), Kelli Halcisak (Grosse Ile, Mich.), Erin Normore '09 (Cambridge, Ontario), Meredith Roth '04 (Dubuque, Iowa), and Kathleen Smith (Waterloo, Ontario).
The same teams will complete the home-and-home weekend series tomorrow, January 29, with a 2 p.m. face-off in Storrs, Conn.
The Friars next home game is Friday, February 17 when they welcome #7 Northeastern to Schneider Arena at 7 p.m. The game will serve as the Senior Day celebration as Providence honors the Class of 2012.
Tickets are available by calling (401) 865 GO PC or by visiting Friars.com.