University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Try For Fourth Straight Nutmeg Classic Title
11/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Nov. 23, 2010
STORRS, Conn. - Following their fourth straight Hockey East victory, UConn will take a break from league play and take part in the Nutmeg Classic this weekend. The tournament, which is hosted by Quinnipiac, includes Yale, Sacred Heart, Quinnipiac and the Huskies. UConn will open the weekend with a 7:00 p.m. contest against Yale on Friday (Nov. 26). Depending on the outcome of the game, the Huskies will either play in the championship game on Saturday (Nov. 27) at 7:00 p.m. or they will play in the consolation game which begins at 4:00 p.m.
Saturday's 2-0 shutout at Vermont marked the 10th straight victory for the Huskies over the past four seasons. During those 10 games UConn has outscored Vermont 40-6, while posting four shutouts. The win over the Catamounts also helped UConn remain tied for second place in the league standings, trailing Boston College who is 5-1-2 in league play this season.
Sophomore Kelly Horan (Methuen, Mass.) has been a consistent contributor to the UConn offense over the last two weeks, scoring a point in each of the last three contests (2G, 1A). Each of Horan's points has come on the game-winning goals, propelling her into a second place tie with teammate Jennifer Chaisson (Cumberland, Ont.) with seven points (3G, 4A) so far this season.
Alexandra Garcia (Pointe-Claire, Que.) posted her second shutout of the season in as many weeks, recording 27 saves against Vermont. Garcia, who has 385 saves this season, now has 1,250 career saves for a .928 save percentage which is tops on the UConn all-time list.
For three consecutive games now the Huskies have been perfect on the penalty kill, limiting their opponents to just 11 shots during 11 penalty play opportunities. UConn on the other hand has produced two power play goals over the last two weeks, one from Horan and one from Sami Evelyn (Nepean, Ont.). Evelyn became the ninth Husky to tally a goal this season when she recorded the game-winner against Vermont, joining teammates Horan, Chaisson, Taylor Gross (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Maude Blain (Magog, Que.), Jocelyn Slattery (Hugo, Minn.), Casey Knajdek (Woodbury, Minn.), Stephanie Raithby (London, Ont.) and Brittany Murphy (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the goal column.
The Huskies have won three consecutive Nutmeg Classic titles dating back to the 2007-08 season. During those three years UConn has gone undefeated in the tournament, topping Yale three times, Quinnipiac twice and Wayne State once. Last season, Garcia was tabbed as the Laurie Bellevue Award recipient after posting the best save percentage (1.00) throughout the tournament.
Nutmeg Classic
November 26-27, 2010
TD Bank Sports Center - Hamden, Conn.
Friday, Nov. 26
Sacred Heart vs. Quinnipiac, 4:00 p.m.
Yale vs. UConn, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 27
Consolation Game, 4:00 p.m.
Championship Game, 7:00 p.m.
