Sports

UMaine draws mixed results

By Ryan Clark

Posted on Feb. 06, 2006, at 12:00 a.m.

Sometimes the only thing worse than a sweep is going back to square one.

After Saturday’s 5-1 loss against the University of Connecticut, the University of Maine women’s hockey team defeated the Huskies 2-1 on Sunday at the Mark Edward Freitas Arena in Storrs, Conn.

The mixed result still sees the Black Bears, who improved their record to 13-6-6 overall and 5-6-4 in Hockey East, four points out of the final conference playoff spot. The last spot is held by UConn.

Sunday’s matinee saw the Black Bears make a comeback after the Huskies got on the board in the first period with a goal from Janelle Armitage. Before the Black Bears rally, the Huskies had won the previous 11 games where they scored first.

Connecticut’s lead would only last until the middle of the second period when junior forward Brigitte LaFlamme scored her team-leading 14th goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1. LaFlamme scored her 13th of the season in Saturday’s loss.

Throughout most of the third period, the game proved to be an offensive stalemate as both teams had a difficult time trying to generate offensive opportunities. With a little more than five minutes left, the Black Bears broke the deadlock as a power play goal by Patricia Gagnon gave UMaine the 2-1 lead.

Gagnon’s goal came with two seconds remaining on the power play. Since she has been in a Black Bear uniform, Gagnon has scored nine points in six games.

Beside Gagnon and LaFlamme’s play, the Black Bears received a 15-save effort from netminder Rachel Gettings, who replaced Genevieve Turgeon for the second game of the series, as she had given up five goals in the first game. For Turgeon, the loss was her first game since UMaine’s Jan. 22 tie against Providence.

Saturday did not see a nice return for the freshman netminder as UConn got on the board first when junior Natalie Vibert beat Turgeon 5:51 into the first period on a power play goal.

Despite the early goal, UMaine was able to make a quick comeback as passes from Gagnon and Hampden native Kim Meagher found LaFlamme, who tied the game at 1-1.

The goal was the last offensive output UMaine had as the Huskies scored four unanswered goals en route to victory.

UConn’s eventual game-winning goal came early in the second period, as junior Katherine Van Deveire scored just 5:26 into the frame. Later in the period Van Deveire, added a short-handed insurance goal for her second of the game.

Besides LaFlamme’s goal, the only offensive bright spot UMaine had was outshooting UConn, 20-19.

The Black Bears are in action at Alfond Arena next weekend against Vermont, hosting a two-game set Saturday and Sunday.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 6th, 2006, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.