DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire Women's Hockey team rounded out regular season play with a 3-3 tie against Boston College on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Whittemore Center.
The Wildcats overcame an early 2-0 deficit; BC scored 49 seconds into the first period and then again 15:52 in, but the Wildcats tallied a goal of their own in the first and two more in the second. The go-ahead goal came from junior Taylor Wenczkowski (Rochester, N.H.), her 20th of the season, on a short-handed play.
Boston College equalized in the final frame, and neither team could break the stalemate in overtime.
Boston College clinched the #2 seed in the Hockey East playoffs with the tie, New Hampshire clinched the #6 seed. UNH will go on to face Boston U., currently ranked #8 in the nation, in the Hockey East quarterfinals on March 1 and 2, playing a best two out of three series. Game three will be on March 3, if necessary. Times to be announced.
For more information on the playoff series as it becomes available, visit UNHWildcats.com.
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Feb. 23, 2019
Location: Whittemore Center Arena - Durham, N.H.
Attendance: 586
Score: UNH - 3 (13-15-6, 10-14-3 WHEA), BC - 3 (23-10-1, 19-7-1 WHEA)
Goals:
UNH (3) - Carlee Turner, Paige Rynne, Taylor Wenczkowski
BC (3) - Lindsay Agnew, Kali Flanagan, Erin Connolly
Assists:
UNH (4) - Devan Taylor, Emily Rickwood, Tori Howran, Lauren Martin
BC (6) - Makenna Newkirk, Kali Flanagan, Serena Sommerfield, Daryl Watts, Maegan Beres, Delaney Belinskas
Goaltenders:
UNH - Kyra Smith - 10-9-8-4 - 31 (3 GA) {60:00} (T)
BC -Maddy McArthur- 6-11-3-0 - 20 (3 GA) {60:00} (T)
GAME RECAP
- Boston College's Lindsay Agnew notched a short-handed goal 49 seconds into the first period, making it 1-0. On a 5-on-4 penalty kill, Kali Flanagan was able to skate the puck into their offensive zone, passing it across to Makenna Newkirk, who made a quick pass across the crease to Agnew for the final tip that slid past Kyra Smith (Littleton, Colo.).
- BC increased its lead, 2-0, on a power-play opportunity at 15:52 of the first. Serena Sommerfield sent the puck to Flanagan, who took a clean shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.
- Carlee Turner (Scottsdale, Ariz.) capitalized for the Wildcats, netting a power-play goal from just beyond the goal line at 17:03 of the first to cut BC's lead in half, 2-1. Turner controlled the puck that was tapped to her from Devan Taylor (North Billerica, Mass.) after a centered pass from Emily Rickwood (Brantford, Ontario).
- Paige Rynne (Ancaster, Ontario) tied the game, 2-2, at 5:18 of the second period. Tori Howran (Bancroft, Ontario) made a stretch pass up into the neutral zone, which Rynne collected. Rynne was then able to create some space between her and a BC defensive player, skating in the slot to take a shot that ricocheted from post to post and dropped into the net.
- UNH took its first lead of the day on a Taylor Wenczkowksi (Rochester, N.H.) goal at 19:11 of the second, making it 3-2 entering the second intermission. Wenczkowksi collected the puck in the neutral zone on a pass from Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario), skated short-handed past two BC defensive players, and fired a shot from the slot over Maddy McArthur. The puck crossed the goal line just one second after the Boston College power play expired.
- BC tied the game with three apiece mid-way through the third period. Erin Connolly sailed the puck past Smith and into the net from the middle of the slot at 11:32. Connolly received the puck on a pass up from behind the cage from Maegan Beres.
- At the end of regulation, UNH and BC headed into OT. After five minutes of play, both Smith and McArthur were able to make crucial saves to end the game tied, 3-3.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Wildcats came into the weekend with a 1-5-2 record when trailing after one period and 3-14-3 when their opponent scores the first goal. The Wildcats fought back for conference points after going down by a goal 49 seconds into the game.
- Taylor Wenczkowski tallied her 20th goal of the season. She's the first Wildcat to tally 20+ goals in a season since Jonna Curtis, who tallied 21 in the 2016-17 season.
- UNH is now 7-3-3 when scoring a power play goal.
- This will be the fifth season that the Wildcats meet the BU Terriers in the Hockey East playoffs. The Wildcats last faced the Terriers in the 2016-17 season, taking game one at BU by a score of 4-2. BU would ultimately end up winning the series.
PENALTIES
UNH: 5-10 BC: 6-12
POWER PLAYS
UNH: 1-5 BC: 1-4
NEW HAMPSHIRE LEADERS:
Points (1): Six Players
Goals (1): Three Players
Assists (1): Four Players
Shots (6): Carlee Turner
Blocked Shots (4): Talli Warren
Faceoffs (17): Carlee Turner
BOSTON COLLEGE LEADERS:
Points (2): Kali Flanagan
Goals (1): Three Players
Assists (1): Six Players
Shots (6): Caitrin Lonergan, Lindsay Agnew
Blocked Shots (4): Serena Sommerfield
Faceoffs (23): Makenna Newkirk
