The good news for the Wildcats of New Hampshire is that they matched the No. 1 team in the country shot for shot and goal for goal over the final two periods of Sunday afternoon’s game.
The bad news, however, is that those same Cats were outscored 4-0 over the first 20 minutes, while being badly outplayed.
The shots after one period were 25-3 in favor of Dartmouth, which defeated New Hampshire 6-2.
The first Dartmouth goal came from the stick of defensman Liz Macri, who scored within the first three minutes of the first period for the second straight game. Only 4:24 later, Carly Haggard netted her 10th goal of the year to put Dartmouth up 2-0.
Dartmouth continued to ride its wave of momentum, going ahead 3-0 on what proved to be the eventual game-winner by Correne Bredin at 14:25. Exactly two minutes later, Carrie Sekela closed out the first-period scoring, netting her 10th of the year.
Down 4-0 and having been thoroughly dominated throughout the first period, it would have been easy for UNH to pack it in. But the Cats came out firing in the second period, controlling the play and getting on the board when Jamie VanMassenhove knocked home a rebound from in close on the power play to cut the Dartmouth lead to 4-1. Kira Misikowetz and Nicole Stefanilo assisted on the play.
Unfortunately for UNH, Dartmouth would regain a four-goal cushion with 1:39 left in the second period as a Correne Bredin shot from the blue line fluttered through a screen and past UNH netminder Jen Huggon, who never got a look at it.
The third period was evenly played and the two teams again exchanged tallies. Lydia Wheatly scored first for Dartmouth, blazing her way up ice and through the UNH defense to get in all alone and stuff a backhander into the net. Kristine Butt of UNH closed out the scoring with 4:02 left in the game.
Amy Ferguson ended with 20 saves for Dartmouth, while Jen Huggon turned away 39 shots.
The win moves Dartmouth to 12-1-1 (10-1-1 ECAC) while UNH drops to 13-8-0 (9-5-0 ECAC).
