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Senior goalie Ava Boutilier made 17 saves for the Wildcats
New Hampshire Blanks Union, 7-0
Senior goalie Ava Boutilier made 17 saves for the Wildcats

Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Sophomore defenseman Brianna Legros (New Liskeard, Ontario) recorded a career-high three assists to propel the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team to Friday night's 7-0 victory against Union College at Messa Rink.

Legros' three points led four Wildcats who tallied multiple points. Junior Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) scored two goals while sophomores Brianna Brooks (Whitby, Ontario) and Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario) both tallied a goal and an assist.

Senior goalie and captain Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) recorded 17 saves for her first shutout of the season and 13th of her career. She was also credited with an assist, the third of her career.

Union starting goalie Olivia Rinzel stopped 20 shots and allowed four goals in 33:47; she was charged with the loss. Hope Crisafi made 13 saves and yielded three goals in 26:09 of relief action.

UNH moves to 4-8-2 while Union is now 2-13-1.


UP NEXT

- New Hampshire and Union conclude the two-game series Nov. 27 (3 p.m.).

- The Wildcats begin a four-game homestand with a two-game series against the University of Vermont on Dec. 3-4.


FIRST PERIOD

- UNH recorded a 13-8 shot advantage in the opening 20 minutes and scored goals 5:28 apart to build a 2-0 lead.

- The Wildcats were whistled for a tripping penalty 26 seconds into the game, but Union did not record a shot on goal during that skater advantage.

- Moments later, Boutilier denied Ashley Adams on the first shot of the game.

- New Hampshire advanced the puck to the other end of the ice, where freshman Kira Juodikis (LaSalle, Ontario) was turned aside by Rinzel.

- A shot from the stick of senior Emily Rickwood (Brantford, Ontario) ricocheted off the post at 4:31.

- Senior Paige Rynne (Ancaster, Ontario), with the assistance of senior captain Lauren Martin (Cambridge, Ontario) and sophomore Chavonne Truter (Uxbridge, Ontario), gave the 'Cats a 1-0 lead at 12:04.

- Boutilier once again denied Adams (at 12:39) and then one minute later she did the same to Maddie Suitor.

- UNH went on its first power play of the game and junior Tamara Thiérus (Saint-Jérôme, Quebec) scored 12 seconds later to extend the lead to 2-0 at 17:32. Juodikis and junior Annie Berry (Milton, Mass.) were credited with assists.

- Boutilier stopped both the initial shot and attempt off the rebound by Grace Heiting in the 19th minute to keep UNH advantage at two goals.

- The Wildcats had a push in the closing minute, but freshman Brooke Hammer (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Brooks were turned away by Rinzel.


SECOND PERIOD

- UNH scored three more goals with a 14-4 shot advantage in the second stanza.

- Junior Jada Christian (Caledon East, Ontario) gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead at 5:15. Senior Lindsey Dumond (Hampton, N.H.) and Legros set up the tally.

- Union was whitled for too many skaters on the ice at 11:39 and then for tripping at 12:42 to give New Hampshire a 5-on-3 power play for 57 seconds.

- The Wildcats did not convert on that two-skater advantage but scored on the continuation of the power play to take a 4-0 lead at 13:47. Brooks potted the goal with the assistance of Legros and Boutilier.

- Crisafi replaced Rinzel in the Dutchwomen's net at that point.

- New Hampshire scored just 11 seconds later, however, on Truter's goal at 13:58 that was set up by Rickwood and sophomore Kyla Bent (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and extended the advantage to 5-0.


THIRD PERIOD

- UNH outshot the hosts 13-5 and potted two more goals in the third period.

- Union opened the final frame with 79 seconds remaining on a power play, but Boutilier stopped the only shot she faced to keep the margin at five goals.

- Christian's second goal of the game pushed the lead to 6-0 at 4:41. Brooks picked up her second assist and Legros increased her assist total on the night to three.

- Senior defenseman and captain Maddie Truax (Gardner, Mass.), with an assist from Shea Verrier (Reading, Mass.), capped the scoring at 15:41.


GAME NOTEBOOK

- New Hampshire finished with a 40-17 shot advantage.

- The Wildcats went 2-for-4 on the power play and were a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

- Union had the slightest of advantages, 17-16, in the faceoff circle.

- Brooks, who entered the weekend as the leader in Hockey East faceoff winning percentage, won 6 of 9 faceoffs.

- The 'Cats blocked 17 shot attempts in comparison to Union's eight.

- Legros and classmate Charli Kettyle (Perth, Ontario) led all skaters with three blocks apiece.

- Legros, Rickwood and Truax all finished with a game-high +3 rating.


UNH NOTEBOOK

- A total of 15 Wildcats recorded a point.

- Legros had not recorded multiple assists or points in a game prior to this.

- This was Christian's first career multiple-goal game. The two points matched a career high (done twice previously).

- Christian scored a goal for the second consecutive game, and she has recorded a point in four of the last five games with a goal in three of them.

- Brooks matched her season and career high of two points.

- Truter's season-high two points equaled her career high.

- Juodikis extended her point streak to three games with her assist; she has a goal and two assists in the streak.

- UNH matched its season high with two power-play goals.

- The seven goals marked the highest by the 'Cats since Oct. 14, 2017, when they were 9-1 victors against College of the Holy Cross.


SERIES NOTEBOOK

- UNH has a 3-1-0 lifetime record against Union College.

- The visiting team has won all four games.

- This was the first meeting between the programs since Jan. 15, 2013, when UNH prevailed 4-2.