University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Providence
No. 7 Huskies Fall in Women's Ice Hockey Shootout at No. 8/9 Providence
2/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 12, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - For the second time this season the No. 7 University of Connecticut women's ice hockey team suffered a shootout loss to the No. 8/9 Providence Friars on Friday night. It took four rounds for the Friars to pull ahead at Schneider Arena and thwart a comeback attempt by the Huskies that tied the game 3-3. Freshman Maude Blain (Magog, Que.) scored twice while senior Michelle Binning (Oshawa, Ont.) added to her team-best scoring total.
Blain and Binning scored in the final period of regulation to tie the game 3-3 after the Friars pulled away with two goals in the second period. Binning assisted Blain's second goal of the night less than four minutes into the third period to bring the Huskies within one (3-2).
Just past the midway point of the third period with assists from junior Jennifer Chaisson (Cumberland, Ont.) and sophomore Sami Evelyn (Nepean, Ont.), Binning scored her 17th of the season on the power play. It was the second UConn (18-7-5, 9-4-5-1) power-play goal of the night, making the Huskies 2-for-6 with the man advantage at Providence (13-9-9, 9-4-5-2)
It was all even with shots on goal in overtime with Providence and UConn each registering three. With neither team able to score in the extra session, the Huskies entered a shootout against the Friars for the second time this season. This time it took four rounds of shooters to determine the winner as all four UConn attempts were turned aside by Genevieve Lacasse.
Laura Veharanta was able to slip one past sophomore Alexandra Garcia (Pointe-Claire, Que.) for the win. Garcia finished the night with 29 saves against the Friars.
Following Blain's first period power-play goal, Providence's Arianna Rigano scored with less than a minute remaining before the first intermission. It was the first of what would be three unanswered Friar goals, including one on the power play by Alysse Ruff with less than five minutes remaining in the second period.
UConn bounced back in the third period with Blain and Binning scoring to tie the contest and force overtime for the fifth time this season. The Huskies remain behind the Friars by two points in the standings after Providence took the second point in the shootout win. The two teams face-off again on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum.
Game Notes
• In addition to leading the team with 17 goals, Michelle Binning has also scored a team-best seven power-play goals.
• This is just the second multiple-point game of Maude Blain's rookie season and her first against a Hockey East opponent.
• The Huskies are 1-4 in Hockey East shootouts this season, winning their lone one in 2009-10 at Boston University on Dec. 4.
