NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLIES TO DEFEAT SYRACUSE, 3-2
Sophomore defenseman Alexis Crossley nets two power-play goal for Wildcats

Sophomore defenseman Alexis Crossley scored two power-play goals for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - Sophomore defenseman Alexis Crossley (Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia) scored a pair of power play goals including the game winner at 14:27 of the third period to help erase a 2-1 deficit and lift the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team to a 3-2 win over Syracuse University in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center.

The Wildcats improve to 2-2-0 on the year, while the Orange fall to 1-1-0 overall.

Trailing 2-1 entering the third, the Wildcats tied it at 3:03 of the third stanza. Jessica Hitchcock (LaSalle, Ontario) scored the equalizer on a wrister from the left circle. Nicole Gifford (Ennismore, Ontario) won a battle along the boards in the defensive zone and fed the puck to Hitchcock, who skated the length of the ice and finished the play with the goal. The game remained deadlocked until Crossley scored her second of the night on the power play at 14:27. Crossley found the back of the net on a bomb from the top of the zone. Hannah Armstrong (Keswick, Ontario) and Gifford assisted on the game winner. The Wildcats were able to hold off the Syracuse for the final 5:33 including the last 1:10 when the Orange pulled their netminder for an extra attacker.

Syracuse struck first in the on the power play as Jessica Sibley scored on a wrister from the middle slot with helpers from Cara Johnson and Allie LaCombe. UNH had the better of play throughout the rest of the period holding a 12-7 shot edge, but they could not crack the ledger.

The Orange doubled their lead to 2-0 as Brittney Krebs dove to tip in the rebound of a Nicole Ferrara shot at 12:37 of the second period. The Wildcats cut into the lead with a power play goal at 14:45 of the period. Crossley scored on a one-time slapshot from the top of the offensive zone. Megan Armstrong (Edina, Minn.) and Gifford assisted on the goal. New Hampshire held a 14-9 shot advantage for the period.

UNH goalie Vilma Vaattovaara (Veikkola, Finland) made 24 saves including 10 in the final stanza, improving to 2-0-0 on the season. Syracuse netminder Kallie Billadeau stopped 33 shots including 25 over the first two frames, falling to 1-1-0.

The Wildcats held a 36-26 shot edge.

UNH was 2-8 on the power play, while the Orange were 1-6 on the man advantage.