BU Completes Comeback, Defeats UNH 5-3

By: Max Wolpoff

DURHAM, NH — Goals from Julia Fedeski and Jonna Curtis put the New Hampshire Wildcats up 2-0 after the first period. Starter Erin O’Neil allowed one more goal, but that would be all for UNH (1-8-0, 1-4-0 Hockey East) as the Terriers (5-4-0, 4-1-0 Hockey East) completed the comeback on three unanswered third period goals to win 5-3.

Terrier captain Kayla Tutino started the comeback with her second goal of the season. Minutes later, just as BU’s fifth penalty expired, UNH’s Amy Schlagel put the Wildcats ahead by two again.

Then it was the Sammy Davis show. With 5:02 left in the second, Davis potted her sixth of the year with assists from Sarah Steele and Lillian Ribeirinah-Braga. The freshman scored again with helpers from her new linemates, Kayla Tutino and Victoria Bach, to tie the game.

Davis was playing on the first line, replacing Sarah Lefort, who is playing for Team Canada in the Four Nations tournament in Sweden.

Two minutes and 50 seconds later, Victoria Bach broke the tie and gave BU a lead they would not relinquish. Maddie Elia and the second line put the game away with nine minutes to go as assists from linemates Rebecca Leslie and Rebecca Russo gave BU its fifth goal.

O’Neil made 36 saves, 16 in the second period alone, on a night where head coach Brian Durocher gave a goalie a consecutive start for the first time this season. UNH goalie Vilma Vaattovaara made 26 saves on BU’s 31 team shots.

The Terriers will return home to Walter Brown Arena Tuesday night to face the Yale Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in non-conference action.