The Husky Tournament concluded late Sunday afternoon at Matthews with the New
Hampshire Wildcats blitzing the Providence College Friars 8-1.  The tourney
was remarkable in that all the games featured clean, fast paced hockey.  It
was great to see the Wildcats and Friars going at it in the last game and
putting on such a good show.
 
The match opened somewhat slow, but both teams built into an up temp game
after the first goal.  Brandy Fisher (Winny Brodt, Kim Knox) knocked in a
rebound from a point shot to give UNH the lead.  The Wildcats were gradually
taking control of the game, but not without a fight from PC.
 
At the start of the second, Fisher (Sara Cross) scored again when she banked
one in off the post.  A few minutes later Fisher (Cross, Nicki Luongo)
completed her hat trick when she drove the puck to the far post, while being
hit.  Neither team's passing games looked that good, but the skating was
strong.  Melissa McKenzie (Brodt, Kali Wilson) dumped the puck into an open
net off a nice feed from the point to make it UNH 4-0.
 
By the final period, the Wildcats were in charge and the Friars were mostly
just reacting.  Wilson (Tina Carrabba) broke in for UNH and drilled her shot
through the goalie.  PC got one back when Myia Yates (Katie Lachapelle, Tina
Schairer) finished off a nice 1-2 at the far post.  Samantha Holmes (Kerry
Maher) made a lovely solo move on a power play to make it 6-1 New Hampshire.
Maher (Melisa Heitzman) followed the example, and went solo on a shorthanded
situation.  Heitzman (Carrabba, Michelle Thornton) touched in the prettiest
goal of the afternoon off a fine UNH three-way passing play.
 
In these dark times for the Friars, it was good to see the spirit the team did
generate today.  On defense, Alain Frankiewicz and fresher Valerie Bono
provided good coverage as they encountered wave after wave of Wildcat
attackers.  Up front, Amy Kotanchik and Jennifer Bill looked the most
dangerous and were moving extremely well.  Next weekend, PC has an important
home and home league travel partner series with Brown, and perhaps this
weekend's exercise will have them ready for the long climb ahead of them.
 
It was interesting to see how up the UNH players were for this last game.
Clearly they are enjoying their ride as the best team in the ECAC.  Captain
Fisher led the way for the Wildcats with her three goals and attacking forays.
She is the "go to" player when New Hampshire is in a tough predicament.
Holmes made some very intriguing passes.  The line of Carrabba, Heitzman and
fresher Thornton played the best as a unit.  They are an excellent two-way
line.  The blue line pair of Brandi Kerns and Luongo played exceptionally well
together.  They seem to anticipate each other well, and certainly snuffed out
the Friars.  Overall, it is nice to watch a team playing well and having a
good time.
 
 
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 hungerf
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