Providence, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team registered a 4-3 win against the University of Vermont Catamounts at Schneider Arena on Saturday, Oct. 20. The victory marks the teams first Hockey East win of the season as they improve their overall record to 2-3-0.
Freshman Courtney Kukowski (Apple Valley, Minn.) notched her first goal as a Friar on a goal that was scored after a scramble in front of the net. Scored with 13:00 minutes left to play in the period, freshman Brittney Thunstrom (Coon Rapids, Minn.) tallied her first collegiate point with the lone assist on the play. After 20 minutes of play, the Friars outshot the Catamounts, 8-3.
Just 1:16 into the second period, UVM tied the score at 1 on a goal from Greer Vogl. After back and forth action for most of the period, the Catamounts found a way to break the tie after a 2-on-1 rush led to a goal scored by Erin Wente fooled Friars goaltender, freshman Allie Morse (Cottage Grove, Minn), who made 11 stops in the game. With only 39 seconds remaining in the period, senior Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ont.) tipped in a goal off a shot by sophomore Haley Frade (Marion, Mass.) to even the score before heading into the locker rooms.
Junior Corinne Buie (Edina, Minn.) scored the go ahead goal at 16:31 of the third period after an odd man rush with sophomore Allison Micheletti (Inner Grove Heights, Minn.). Buie's first goal of the season beat Vermont goaltender Roxanne Douville, who finished the game with 36 saves.
The Friars extended their lead with the eventual game winner from freshman Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Illikainen beat Douville with left 10:46 in the period. The Catamounts responded right back with a breakaway goal from Meghan Huertas seven seconds later to close the gap to 4-3 but the Friars held on to the win.
Providence held the edge in shots for the game, 40-14 after recording 16 shots in each the second and the third period.
The Friars and Catamounts complete their back-to-back series with a game at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow Oct. 21 at Schneider Arena. After the game the Friars will host a Skate with the Friars, where fans will join the players in a open skate.