Courtesy Vermont Sports Information
DURHAM, N.H. – Taylor Willard and Cassidy Campeau scored third period goals as Vermont came from behind to defeat New Hampshire 3-2 Saturday afternoon in Hockey East action from the Whittemore Center.
The Wildcats looked to open the scoring early for the second straight afternoon with their first power play of the game 5:05 into the first period. A point shot was deflected in front of Vermont’s Madison Litchfield and Amy Boucher quickly passed the puck across the slot to Margo Lund who rang the shot directly off the post. Litchfield recovered in time to smother the puck as it sat in the cross.
Lund was able to open the scoring 6:29 into the second period with a great individual effort. In transition she fired a shot that Litchfield couldn’t corral, Lund fired the rebound back on net and Litchfield padded it aside, but she couldn’t stop Lund a third time as she put the second rebound in for her fourth goal of the season.
The Catamounts equalized at the 9:58 mark of the second period as Sammy Kolowrat picked up her first career goal. A loose puck in front of New Hampshire’s Kyra Smith was knocked out to the point and Kolowrat fired a shot that found the back of the net through traffic.
New Hampshire regained its lead 32 seconds later with a power play goal from Nicoline Jensen. Jensen took a feed at the point from Taylor Wenczkowski and fired a high wrist shot that Litchfield never saw as Jensen picked up her second goal of the season.
Vermont tied the game once again with an even strength tally 5:32 into the third period. From the point Gina Repaci cycled the puck down low to Campeau and Campeau fed a pass behind the net to Dayna Colang. Colang reversed the puck back to Campeau and she cut to the net and beat Smith with a wraparound effort for her second goal of the season.
The Catamounts took their first lead of the afternoon with 9:09 left in regulation as Willard struck for her ninth goal of the season. Bella Webster passed back to Rachael Ade at the point and Ade fed the puck over to Willard who fired a high-rising shot over the left shoulder of Smith.
In the final seven minutes of regulation the Catamounts clamped down on defense and kept the Wildcats to the outside. With an offensive faceoff and 54.7 seconds left New Hampshire called timeout, but after the faceoff they were unable to get a shot off. Litchfield only had to make three saves in the final minutes to clinch her second win of the weekend.
“Two comebacks this weekend showed how much heart this team possesses,” said head coach Jim Plumer. “Again we got monster games from Madison Litchfield and Taylor Willard and it was just as important to get contributions from Sammy Kolowrat and Cassidy Campeau. This was a total team effort and it’s nice to finally put back-to-back wins together.”
The Catamounts return to action next weekend as they host No. 1 Boston College in their regular season home finale on Sunday, February 14. Faceoff against the undefeated Eagles is set for 2 p.m.
NOTES: With the two wins this weekend Vermont is now tied for fifth place in Hockey East with New Hampshire at 14 points, with the season series win (2-1-0) the Catamounts have the tiebreaker … Vermont is now 6-4-2 against New Hampshire under Coach Plumer … It was the second time in program history the Catamounts have swept a weekend series at the White Mountains.