PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's hockey team defeated the University of Vermont, 3-2, on Sunday, Nov. 17 at Schneider Arena. Sophomore Sara Hjalmarsson (Bankeryd, Sweden) scored the game-winner with 15.1 seconds remaining. The Friars trailed 2-1 after the second period and received a goal from junior Hayley Lunny (Bedford, N.Y.) at 5:04 into the final frame to tie the contest. Providence improves to 5-6-2 on the season with a 3-4-0 conference mark.
SCORE
Providence - 3 | Vermont - 2
RECORDS
Providence: 5-6-2 (3-4-0 HEAW) | Vermont: 5-3-5 (2-3-3 HEAW)
VENUE
Schneider Arena | Providence, R.I.
GAME FLOW & NOTES
- Providence and Vermont skated to a scoreless first period, Providence held a 7-3 advantage in shots after the opening 20 minutes.
- Each side failed to convert on their lone power play opportunities with Providence posting three shots with the extra skater compared to Vermont's one shot on the power play.
- Clare Minnerath (Sartell, Minn.) concluded the first period with three stops while Blanka Skodova turned away seven shots for the Catamounts.
- Providence scored 2:49 seconds into the middle frame, Avery Fransoo (Battleford, Saskatchewan) and Whitney Dove (Port Moody, British Columbia) connected in the neutral zone to give Kathleen McHugh a one-on-one breakaway. McHugh finished her wrister top shelf for her second goal in as many games.
- Vermont scored two unanswered goals (9:21,16:55) to close the period and take a 2-1 lead.
- Shots favored the visitors in the second period, 12-3, while the Catamounts had the only power play opportunities of the frame, going 1-for-2.
- The Friars came back to tie the game in the third period on Lunny's third goal of the season at the 5:04 mark. Lauren DeBlois (Lewiston, Maine) ripped a shot off the back wall that Lunny finished on the near post.
- Hjalmarsson scored the game-winner for Providence with 15.1 seconds remaining on her fifth goal of the season. Lunny punched the puck to Hjalmarsson off the wall that she skated in between the two circles before finishing a wrister off the right post.
- Each team was shutout on the power play in the third, with Providence going 0-for-3 and Vermont failing to convert on its lone opportunity.
- Despite the Friars outshooting the Catamounts 8-6 in the third, Vermont held the game advantage at 20-18.
- Overall, the Catamounts went 1-for-4 on the power play while the Friars were 0-for-4.
- Lunny led the Friars in scoring with a goal and an assist, which included the game-tying tally and the primary helper on the game winner.
HOW THEY SCORED
1-0 (Providence) - 2:49/2nd - EV - Kathleen McHugh (Dove, Julien) - skated from center ice to far faceoff circle and connected on a wrister top shelf.
1-1 (Vermont) - 9:21/2nd - PP - Corinne McCool (Poulin-Labelle, Karjalainen) - deflection in front of the crease off of shot from the point.
2-1 (Vermont) - 16:55/2nd - EV - Sini Karjalainen (Humphrey, Caldwell) - rebound after blocked shot from just outside the slot.
2-2 (Providence) - 5:04/3rd - EV - Hayley Lunny (DeBlois, Fransoo) - collected a pass from the boards right outside the crease and snuck the puck past the UVM goalie inside the pipe.
3-2 (Providence) -19:44/3rd - EV - Sara Hjalmarsson (Lunny) - after Lunny caused a UVM turnover at the point, Hjalmarsson collected the puck and drove to the slot, firing in a shot.
GOALTENDERS
Providence:
Clare Minnerath - 19 saves, 2 goals against
Vermont:
Blanka Skodova - 14 saves, 3 goal against
STAT COMPARISON
Providence -
Shots: 21
Face-offs: 18-38
Power plays: 0-4
Penalty kill: 3-4
Vermont -
Shots: 17
Face-offs: 20-38
Power plays: 1-4
Penalty kill: 4-4
PC GAME HIGHS
Shots: Hjalmarsson (4)
Goals: McHugh (1), Lunny (1), Hjalmarsson (1)
Assists: Five Players (1)
Points: Lunny (2)
LOOKING AHEAD
Providence will continue conference play and next compete in a home-and-home series against Merrimack. The Warriors entertain the Friars in game one on Friday, Nov. 22 (6:00 p.m.) while Providence hosts the finale on Saturday, Nov. 23 (2:00 p.m.).