FINAL SCORE: New Hampshire 6, Vermont 2
DURHAM, N.H. – After the first two meetings of the season went to extra time, the Wildcats scored less than five minutes into the first period and never looked back, defeating Vermont 6-2 Saturday afternoon at the Whittemore Center.
 
Vermont falls to 4-6-1 and 3-4-1 in Hockey East play while New Hampshire improves to 6-1-3 and 4-1-3 in conference play and retakes the top spot in the conference standings.
 
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"We didn't match UNH's internsity in the first period today and we could never dig ourselves out of that hole" Head Coach Jim Plumer said. "I'm disappointed that we couldn't take advantage of the oppurtunity we had this weekend. We will learn from it and go forward."
 
The Wildcats killed an early elbowing penalty and turned the momentum in their favor with a goal 4:33 into the game. Amy Schlagel took a shot from the Catamount blue line that deflected in front of the net and got past Sydney Scobee for the even strength goal.
 
Just over four minutes after their first goal, Devan Taylor picked up the puck from Ali Praus in the Catamount slot and ripped a shot over Scobee's shoulder to double the UNH lead. The goal came on a delayed penalty against Vermont, leading to the Cats killing their first penalty of the game.
 
With 1:30 remaining in the first period, Julia Fedeski took a shot from the point that was stopped by Scobee, and Ellie Sasaki put the rebound in for the third UNH goal of the frame.
 
The teams traded chances through the first half of the second, which included two minutes of 4 on 4 play beginning 3:58 into the period. Kristina Shanahan had a great scoring chance for the Catamounts. With just under 16 minutes gone, she cut to the slot on a UVM odd-man rush, and ripped a one-timed shot from a pass just wide of the Wildcat net.
 
Despite multiple chances on each, Vermont could not capitalize on a pair of power plays in the period. New Hampshire gained possession in the Catamount defensive zone during UVM's second power play in the final minutes. On a delayed penalty against Vermont, Schlagel scored her second goal of the afternoon after Carlee Turner hit her with a backdoor pass coming out from behind the net.
 
New Hampshire added a fifth goal during a minute-long power play to begin the third. Nicole Dunbar fed the puck to Carlee Turner for the goal.
 
The Catamounts got onto the board with 14:05 remaining in the final period. Shanahan received a pass from Alyssa Gorecki and carried it down to the Wildcat goal line. She pulled up, and hit defenseman Daria O'Neil streaking down the slot, who cut to her backhand and buried the puck past Ava Boutilier.
 
Mackenzie MacNeil scored her second goal of the weekend 26 seconds later. Boutilier blocked a shot from the point by Amanda Drobot and also the Gorecki rebound effort as she crashed the net. MacNeil then cut in from the faceoff circle and finished for the goal.
 
Grace Middleton scored the fourth combined goal in the first 8:53 of the period, when she picked up her own rebound and got the puck past Melissa Black, who replaced Scobee to begin the period.
 
Neither team broke through for the remainder of the game as New Hampshire held on to win 6-2. Scobee finished with 22 saves while Black finished with 7 in the third period. Vermont outshot New Hampshire 41 to 35 and won the faceoff battle 35-27.
 
The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub is the presenting sponsor of the 2017-18 women's hockey season