New Hampshire Ties Syracuse, 2-2

Sophomore forward Jonna Curtis scored the game-tying goal for the Wildcats
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 1:33  SYR1-0 EV Nicole Renault (1)Stephanie Grossi/1
1st 9:52  UNH1-1 EV Amy Boucher (2)Julia Fedeski/1, Heather Kashman/1
2nd 10:38  SYR2-1 EV Stephanie Grossi (2) -
3rd 8:01  UNH2-2 EV GT Jonna Curtis (3) -
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd OT Final
New Hampshire  10102
Syracuse  11002
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd OT SOG
New Hampshire  6913432
Syracuse  12187340
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
New Hampshire (1-3-1)  0/2 2/4 0
Syracuse (1-1-2)  0/2 2/4 0
New Hampshire Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Vilma Vaattovaara (T, 1-3-1)65:002 11177338
Syracuse Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Jenn Gilligan (T, 1-1-2)65:002 5912430

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Vilma Vaattovaara (Veikkola, Finland) recorded a season-high 38 saves and Jonna Curtis (Elk River, Minn.) scored her third goal in as many games to lift the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team to Saturday afternoon's 2-2 tie against Syracuse University at Tennity Ice Pavillion.

UNH went unbeaten on the weekend - the Wildcats defeated RIT, 1-0, on Friday - to improve to 1-3-1 overall. Syracuse is now 1-1-2.

Vaattovaara, who recorded 32 saves Friday to record her first career shutout, tied her personal single-period save total of 17 saves in the second period vs. Syracuse. She stopped all seven Orange shots in the third period and three more in the five-minute overtime session.

Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alberta) netted UNH's other goal. Julia Fedeski (Algonquin Highlands, Ontario) and Heather Kashman (Edmonton, Alberta) were credited with assists on that goal, which tied the score 1-1 at 9:52 of the first period.

SU goaltender Jenn Gilligan finished with 30 saves, including 12 in the third period and four in the extra session.

Curtis forged the second tie of the game, 2-2, at 8:01 of the third period with an unassisted goal.

Vaattovaara denied Jessica Sibley and Emily Costales to keep the game deadlocked. At the other end of the ice, Julia Fedeski (Algonquin Highlands, Ontario), Kayla Mork (Victoria, Minn.), Heather Kashman (Edmonton, Alberta) and Caroline Broderick (Marblehead, Mass.) all had shots turned away by Gilligan.

The Orange recorded the next three shots, but Vaattovaara made stops against Julie Knerr, Kalillie Goodnough and Larissa Martyniuk.

UNH closed the stanza with Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alberta) and Mork testing Gilligan. The 'Cats recorded a 13-7 shot advantage in the third period.

Syracuse pressured first in OT but Vaattovaara extended the game with a save against Alysha Burriss. Gilligan answered with saves on shots by Boucher and Broderick, and then another by Broderick as well as one off Mork's stick.

In the remainder of OT, SU's Allie Lacombe and Stephanie Grossi were both denied by Vaattovaara. New Hampshire tallied a 4-3 shot advantage in overtime, but the Orange had a 40-32 overall edge, including 12-6 in the first period and 18-9 in the second. Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play.

Syracuse took a 1-0 lead at 1:33 of the first period on a goal by Nicole Renault that was set up by Stephanie Grossi.

Vaattovarra recorded 10 saves in the second period before the Orange regained the lead, 2-1, at 10:38 of the second stanza on Grossi's unassisted goal. SU had a 7-3 shot advantage the rest of the frame but could not extend the one-goal lead.

Curtis leads the Wildcats with three points, all on goals. Boucher ranks second in goals with two. Vaattovaara's previous season high of 35 saves was established in the season opener at the University of Maine; she recorded a personal-best 41 saves Sept. 28, 2013 at St. Lawrence University.

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 17 for its home opener against Rensselaer. Game time at the Whittemore Center is 7 p.m.