BOX SCORE

DURHAM, NH - Despite holding a 2-0 lead for the first two periods, the Union College women's hockey team fell 3-2 in overtime against the University of New Hampshire on Tuesday. Maggie Hunt scored a power play goal 41 seconds into overtime to lift the Wildcats to a non-conference victory over the Dutchwomen at the Wittemore Center.

UNH, playing its third game in five days, won its second consecutive game to improve to 6-9-2 overall, 3-3-1 at home at 4-1-1 against teams from the ECAC. Union fell to 3-11-1 with its fourth consecutive loss and second game in three days. The squad remans at 1-4-1 in the ECAC.

With 29 seconds remaining in regulation,  Kristina Lavoie was stationed in the slot and drew a hooking infraction against the Dutchwomen. Freshman Shenae Lundberg denied Nicole Gifford in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime. 

UNH opened OT with 1 minute, 31 seconds remaining on its fourth power play of the night. Lundberg stopped an early shot by Hunt, but the Wildcats maintained possession and cycled the puck to Kristine Horn in the high slot. She slid a pass to the top of the right circle to Gifford, who quickly sent the puck across the slot and Hunt's low shot from the hashmarks ricocheted off the left post into the net to complete the Wildcats' comeback effort.

Union took a 1-0 lead at 7:40 of the first period when freshman Bryanne Panchuk stole the puck deep in the left circle, skated to the front of the net and lifted a shot inside the right post despite being hooked by a UNH defender. It was her fourth goal of the season, moving the rookie to eight points. The Dutchwomen immediately went on the power play, but the Wildcats' penalty kill unit did not yield a shot in the next two minutes to keep the deficit at one goal. 

UNH went on its first power play at 14:06, and in the waning seconds of that skater advantage Horn's shot from the high slot beat Lundberg but ricocheted off the right post. Seconds later, Lavoie jammed the puck in the net from the top of the crease, but a Wildcat skater played the puck with a high stick behind the net to negate the play.

With 40 seconds remaining in the first period, Lavoie's wrister from the left circle deflected off Lundberg's glove and the crossbar to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Union. 

In the opening minutes of the second stanza, Union's Molly Kate Devin was denied by Gilligan at the left doorstep. The rebound sailed high in the crease and was batted aside by Lavoie. However, Devin was able to extend the lead to 2-0 at 5:30 when she scored a power play goal after being fed the puck by freshman Christine Valente from behind the net. UNH netminder Jenn Gilligan was unable to find the puck with numerous bodies in front of her, and Devin was able to go five hole.

Freshman Kelly McGrath nearly extended the lead to three when she fired a crushing shot with seven minutes left to play in the period. However, Gilligan quickly moved over to make the save and clear the puck. Despite numerous chances by junior Rhianna Kurio, the scored remained at 2-0 in favor of the Dutchwomen heading into the final frame.

The Wildcats came back to score twice in the third period to tie the game at two. Lavoie trimmed the deficit to 2-1 at 9:20 when she collected Gifford's pass deep in the left circle, maneuvered across the low slot and tucked a backhander into the open right side of the net. 

In the 12^th minute, sophomore Stefanie Thomson led a 2-on-1 rush down the left wing and she threw the puck to the slot, where junior Nicole Bartlett fired a one-timer that Gilligan kicked aside with her extended left leg pad.

UNH went on a power play at 11:49 and produced an excellent scoring chance 30 seconds later when Gifford's pass across the crease found Jenna Lascelle at the left post, but Lundberg slid across with a kick save to deny Lascelle. 

New Hampshire leveled the score, 2-2, at 13:50.  From the right point, Horn fired a hard, low diagonal pass that Heather Kashman redirected inside the left post. Lascelle was also credited with an assist on the play.

Lundberg stopped 29 shots, including 10 in both the second and third periods and one in overtime, while UNH's Gilligan stopped 15 shots.

UNH finished the game with a 32-15 shot advantage. Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play.

The Dutchwomen travel to St. Lawrence and Clarkson this weekend, playing four games in seven days. They face the Saints Friday, December 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. and take on the Golden Knights Saturday, December 3rd, at 4:00 p.m.