Box Score |
RPI FanshopTROY, N.Y. - Sophomore center Amy Boucher scored both goals, including the tie-breaker in the third period, and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) women's hockey team defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 2-1 in a non-league game at the Houston Field House. The Wildcats improve to 4-13-1, while the Engineers fall to 4-8-2. Saturday's game was the second in two days between the two schools, which skated to a 3-3 tie on Friday.
After Rensselaer tied the score at 6:37 of the third period, Boucher (Edmonton, AB / Edmonton Thunder) put the visitors back ahead with a power play goal at the 11:41 mark. Stationed in the high slot, she took a pass from Amy Schlagel (Blaine, MN / Blaine) and snapped the puck past everyone, going stick side on the netminder. The goal was her team-leading eighth of the season. Haley Breedlove (Plano, TX / Alliance Bulldogs), who also had an assist on Boucher's first goal of the contest, earned the secondary helper.
The Wildcats struck first when Boucher deflected a Breedlove left point shot past RPI netminder
Lovisa Selander (Sollentuna, Sweden / SDE Riksserien) at 15:57 of the first period. Boucher was stationed just outside the crease when she change the flight of the puck. Junior Cassandra Vilgrain (Calgary, AB / Edge School for Athletes), who sent the puck to Breedlove near the blueline, had the secondary assist.
The score remained 1-0 after two periods despite there being 20 shots on goal. Selander made 13 saves for the Engineers, while Kyra Smith (Littleton, CO / Littleton) had seven stops on the other end.
RPI junior
Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA / Washington Pride) tied the game when she one-timed a loose puck past Smith. Defenseman
Josefine Hansen (Copenhagen, Denmark / Shattuck St. Mary's) had her shot blocked, but it caromed to Gruschow at the left faceoff dot and she tallied for the fourth time in the past two games and eighth time this year. Freshman
Taylor Schwalbe (Anchorage, AK / Shattuck St. Mary's) also had an assist on the play.
Rensselaer pulled its goalie in hopes of scoring with an extra attacker for the second straight night, but UNH held the Engineers off. Smith finished with 15 saves, while Selander stopped 27 shots for RPI.
The Engineers are back in ECAC Hockey action on Friday when they host Yale University at 3pm at the Houston Field House. New Hampshire is also back on the ice on Friday when it hosts Merrimack College in a Hockey East contest at 7pm.
