Feb. 29, 2004

Box Score

The Providence College women's ice hockey team was defeated by No. 9 New Hampshire, 4-3, on Sunday, February 29 at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. in overtime. With the victory the Wildcats won the HOCKEY EAST Regular Season Championship.

New Hampshire's Rebecca Paul scored her first goal of the day at 3:36 of the first period as she was able to put a rebound past sophomore goaltender Jana Bugden (Corner Brook, Newfoundland). Senior Meredith Roth (Dubuque, Iowa) tied the game three minutes later as she received a pass from fellow senior Kelli Halcisak (Grosse Ile, Mich.) and junior Ashley Payton (Chesterfield, Mo.) and fired a laser through the five-hole of Melissa Bourdon.

The Friars controlled much of the second period as sophomore Karen Thatcher (Douglas, Mass.) scored twice to give Providence a 3-1 lead. Thatcher's first goal was scored one minute into the period as she finished a highlight-reel play roofing the puck top-shelf stick side. The play was set up with two tape-to-tape passes from sophomore Katelynn Laffin (Norwell, Mass.) and Payton. Bugden made an amazing glove save on New Hampshire's Lindsey Caleo on the power play at 11:10 as she dove across the crease to prevent a sure goal. Thatcher closed out the period when she beat Bourdon low blocker-side at the 19:24 mark with the assists going to junior Danielle Bourgette (Anaheim, Calif.) and Payton.

The Wildcats tied the game in the third period as Paul tallied two goals to record her first career hat trick. Carolyn Gordon scored the game-winning goal with 2:50 remaining in overtime for New Hampshire.

Providence was outshot by New Hampshire, 25-20. Bugden made 21 saves for the Friars as they fell to 15-13-2 overall on the season and 10-5-1 in HOCKEY EAST, while Bourdon made 17 saves for the Wildcats as they improved to 19-8-4 overall and 14-1-2 in HOCKEY EAST.

Providence College returns to action on Saturday, March 6 as they host Northeastern in the first game a home-and-home series at 2:00 p.m. at Schneider Arena.

Sunday, February 29, 2004
Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H.

PROVIDENCE (15-12-2/10-5-1)	1	2	0	0	--	3	  6/12	0/2
New Hampshire (19-8-4/14-1-2)	1	0	2	1	--	4	  4/8	3/4

Per.		Time		Team		Goal Scorer (Assists)
1		  3:36		UNH		Rebecca Paul (Allison Edgar, Lindsay Hansen)
1		  6:35		PC		Meredith Roth (Ashley Payton, Kelli Halcisak)
2		  1:00		PC		Karen Thatcher (Ashley Payton, Katelynn Laffin)
2		19:24		PC		Karen Thatcher (Danielle Bourgette, Ashley Payton)
3		  9:26		UNH		Rebecca Paul (Kristen Thomas, Carolyn Gordon)
3		13:01		UNH		Rebecca Paul (Martine Garland, Lindsay Hansen)
OT		  2:10		UNH		Carolyn Gordon (Lindsay Hansen)


Saves:
Jana Bugden (PC)	          	  8       7	    4	2    --	21	(62:10)
Melissa Bourdon (UNH)    	  7       7	    3	0    --	17	(62:10)