MAINE OPENS SEASON WITH 6-0 WIN OVER SACRED HEART
Sophomore forward Missy Denk posts pair of goals for Black Bears

Sophomore forward Missy Denk picked up a pair of goals for the Black Bears

ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine women's ice hockey team blanked Sacred Heart 6-0 in the season-opener on Friday night at Alfond Arena. Missy Denk (Poplar Grove, Ill.) led the Maine offense with a pair of goals, while Myriam Croussette (Bair-Comeau, Quebec) had a goal and two assists.

Maine had a commanding 20-2 edge in shots on goal in the first period and took the lead when Danielle Ward (Lansing, Mich.) roofed a puck over Sacred Heart goalie Alexius Schutt. Maine took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

The Black Bears then exploded for four goals in the second period. Melissa Gagnon (St. Gilles, Quebec) notched a power play goal on a shot from just inside the blueline. More and Dawn Sullivan (Enfield, Nova Scotia) each assisted on the goal.

Maine found the back of the net less than a minute later when Denk scored her first of the game, beating Schutt on a pass from Brittany Dougherty (Chesterfield, Mich.). Denk scored her second of the period on the power play at 14:22 from Croussette and Ward.

The Black Bears extended their lead to 5-0 with less than two minutes to play in the second period. While killing a penalty, Katy Massey (Waterville, Maine) made eluded a defender and got the puck to Croussette in front of the net. Croussette beat Schutt for her first goal of the season.

Massey scored the lone goal of the third period when she shot the puck past Schutt, who had stopped the initial shot. Brianne Kilgour and Melissa Gagnon each assisted on the final goal of the game.

Maine outshot Sacred Heart 63-14 in the game. The Black Bears were 2-for-5 on the power play, while Sacred Heart was scoreless in five opportunities.

Maine goalie Candice Currier (Goffstown, N.H.) and Brittany Ott (St. Clair Shores, Mich,) teamed up to record the shutout. Currier made seven saves in 40 minutes of play to earn the victory. She improves to 1-0-0 on the season. Ott stopped seven shots in 20 minutes of play.

Sacred Heart goalie Schutt made 57 saves in the game. She falls to 0-1-0 on the season.

Maine and Sacred Heart finish their two-game weekend series on Saturday, Sept. 24. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 PM at Alfond Arena.