The University of Maine women’s ice hockey team took to the ice for its first game of the 2014-2015 season, beating rival University of New Hampshire 2-1 at home. UMaine improves to 1-0-0 (1-0-0 Hockey East), while UNH falls to 0-1-0 (0-1-0 Hockey East) on the young season.
UNH got off to a quick start, dominating the first 5 minutes of play. Maine eventually was able to slow the momentum with their speed and aggressive forechecking, beating defenders to the puck and winning battles along the boards.
Despite this effort by Maine, UNH scored first at 3:39 in the first period. Third-year forward Haley Breedlove took a shot from the left circle that was stopped by Maine goalie Meghann Treacy, but Treacy was unable to control the rebound, and the puck was chipped into net by third-year forward Margo Lund for the 1-0 lead.
Maine was able to counter less than 10 minutes later when first-year forward Brooke Stacey carried the puck into the offensive zone and dropped it off for fourth-year forward Hailey Browne. Browne skated to the top of the left circle before uncorking a wrist shot the beat UNH goalie Vilma Vaattovaara top shelf to tie the score at 1-1.
“My linemate, Brooke Stacey, she was taking it in along the boards, and she dropped it back to me,” Browne said on her first goal of the season. “I shot through the defenseman and the screen and it went top corner.” For Stacey, the assist was her first collegiate point.
Maine continued to be aggressive offensively, putting pressure on the UNH defense. The Black Bears would take the lead in the second period, when third-year defenseman Kelsey MacSorley skated the puck into the offensive zone from center ice, went to the backhand, and beat Vaattovaara five-hole to give the Black Bears the 2-1 lead.
“I got the puck at center ice and I took it wide, beat the [defense] and put the puck on net,”MacSorley said on her game winning goal. “We’ve been practicing putting the puck on net and that’s what I did.”
Maine almost scored late in the third period, when a shot by second-year defenseman Kristin Gilmour was tipped in front of the net by first-year forward Victoria Hummel, who was screening the goalie. The shot trickled towards the far post, but was cleared by the UNH defense.
Both teams were not afraid to put the puck on net, Maine taking 37 shots and UNH taking 26. Both goaltenders played well, Meghann Treacy was the foundation for Maine’s offense, making 25 saves.
“I just went shot by shot, and just took things one shot at a time,” said Treacy on her performance on Saturday.
“I was thinking about the team, about their attitude, how positive they were,” Treacy said. “I was really jacked up about the team. I felt like we had the game in our hands.”
Maine did have the game in their hands, and Treacy’s performance was a large part of that. She made 12 saves in the second period alone, as well as five big stops in the first period during a UNH power play. Maine was able to kill off both penalties during the game. Treacy also commented on the penalty kill for Maine, and the adjustments that were made.
“Early on there were a few glitches,” Treacy said. “There was a screen and I talked to my [defense], and they cleared it for me and I got to see every puck. Everyone was calm.”
Despite being the losing goaltender, Vilma Vaattovaara made 35 saves in a solid performance for UNH.
Maine played a strong and fast game, highlighted by a solid forecheck and impressive play by the younger members of the squad. Maine used its speed to beat opponents to the puck, as well as some creative passing plays to develop scoring opportunities. If this game is a sign of things to come for the Black Bears women’s hockey team, this could be a very promising season.
The Black Bears will return to the Alfond on Oct. 3 and 4 for a weekend series against Robert Morris University.