Boquist's Four Points Lead Providence Past Merrimack, 6-2
Junior forward Brooke Boquist posts two goals and two assists for Friars

Junior forward Brooke Boquist had two goals and two assists for the Friars
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 11:03  PRV1-0 EV Kate Friesen (2)Emily Landry/1
1st 19:57  MER1-1 EV Jessica Bonfe (6)Paige Voight/4
2nd 0:19  PRV2-1 EV Blair Parent (4)Cassidy MacPherson/2
2nd 4:57  PRV3-1 EV GW Brooke Boquist (5)Christina Putigna/7, Meaghan Rickard/2
2nd 5:14  PRV4-1 EV Brooke Boquist (6) -
2nd 15:37  PRV5-1 PP Kate Friesen (3)Brooke Boquist/3, Cassidy Carels/6
3rd 7:44  MER2-5 EV Paige Voight (4)Dominique Kremer/4
3rd 12:41  PRV6-2 PP Madison Sansone (4)Kate Friesen/6, Brooke Boquist/4
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Providence  1416
Merrimack  1012
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Providence  8141537
Merrimack  57517
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Providence (5-5-0)  2/2 3/6 0
Merrimack (4-5-1)  0/3 2/4 0
Providence Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Alanna Serviss (W, 3-2-0)60:002 47415
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Samantha Ridgewell (L, 0-1-1)60:006 7101431

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College women's ice hockey team was downed in its first Hockey East home game of the season as the Warriors fell to Providence by a score of 6-2 on Saturday night at Lawler Rink.

The Basics

Score: Providence 6, Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (4-4-1, 2-1-0 HEA) | Providence (4-5-0, 1-1-0 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.

How It Happened

Saturday's contest opened up with plenty of back-and-forth action, but with each side struggling to find on offense stride as the teams combined for two shots on goal in the first seven minutes. Providence would eventually strike first at 11:03 of the first after a loose puck dribbled out to the point and a shot from the top of the circle made it through a crowd in front of the net to give the Friars a 1-0.

Merrimack responded to Providence game-opening goal with some aggressive play of their own, but struggled to find the back of the net. As it appeared the Warriors would head to the first intermission down a goal, sophomore Paige Voight (St. MIchael, Minn.) would steal the puck on a late rush from Providence and find sophomore Jessica Bonfe (Woodbury, Minn.) streaking to the net. Bonfe would convert on a nice shot with just 03.6 remaining in the period to make it a tie game at the first intermission.

The first of four second-period goals for Providence would come just 19 seconds into the middle frame after an early shot on goal for the Friars would result in a rebound right on the stick of Blair Parent, who put it into the back of the net for the quick 2-1 lead in the second period.

Five minutes into the second period, Merrimack would suddenly see its one-goal deficit become a three-goal hole as Brooke Boquist would net two goals for the Friars in a 17-second span to quickly put Providence up by a score of 4-1.

The fourth and final goal of the period for Providence would come on their first power play opportunity of the game in the latter half of the second period. Some quality puck cycling from the Friars would result in a hard shot to defend that found the back of the net, putting Providence up 5-1 heading into the final frame.

Merrimack would see its deficit cut to three goals at 5-2 thanks to the fourth of the season from Voight at 7:44 of the third period. After a steal and dish from sophomore Dominique Kremer (West Fargo, N.D.), Vought would take the puck in, give a pretty deke and tuck the puck around the goaltender to give Merrimack some late life.

Providence sixth goal of the game came five minutes later on just their second power play opportunity, as they were able to capitalize on the only two penalties taken by the Warriors. The 6-2 lead would be too much to overcome for Merrimack as the score held there until the final buzzer.

Inside The Numbers

With her performance on Saturday, Bonfe has now registered a goal in three of the last four games and in four of the last six. In that six-game stretch, she has registered five goals and an assist. Her six goals this season already double her season total from last year.

Voight tallied a goal in both games on the weekend after only scoring in one game of the first eight for the Warriors. Her four goals and four assists this year each rank third on the team, while her eight points are tied for second.

Merrimack's 17 shots on Saturday mark only the second time the Warriors have been held to under 20 shots in a game in 10 games this season.

Goaltenders: L - Ridgewell (0-1-1, 31 saves) | W - Serviss (3-2-0, 15 saves)
Power Plays: Merrimack (0-3) | PC (2-2)
SOG: MC - 17 | PC - 37

Up Next

The Warriors return to Hockey East action at home next weekend when they welcome Connecticut for a 2:00 p.m. matchup on Saturday, November 5.