The University of Maine women’s ice hockey team finished its string of six non-conference games against teams ranked in the top 10 in the country in the national polls with a 2-1 win over No. 8 Colgate in Orono on Saturday.
Second-period goals 1:21 apart by juniors Raegan Wurm and Lily Fetch erased a 1-0 Colgate lead and sophomore goalie Kiia Lahtinen made 40 saves to backstop the victory.
Freshman Isabelle Michaud assisted on Fetch’s game-winner.
UMaine snapped Colgate’s five-game winning streak vs. the Black Bears. It was UMaine’s first victory over Colgate since 2004.
Colgate had won the first game of the series, 5-2, on Friday night.
Lahtinen was named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Week and freshman Lulu Rucinski was chosen the Defender of the Week.
Lahtinen stopped 75 of 80 shots on the weekend and now leads Hockey East with 260 saves. That is also the second best in the country.
Rucinski scored her first career goal on Friday and also had an assist.
She wound up plus-one in plus-minus on the weekend and had seven blocked shots and four shots on goal.
Players receive a plus-one if they are on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a minus-one if the opponent scores one.
Her 18 blocked shots on the season leads Hockey East.
“It was a well-earned win,” said fourth-year UMaine coach Molly Engstrom. “It was a confidence booster for the team. Everyone was on the same page.”
It was her 11th win over a ranked opponent.
“I’m proud of the team. After ending that stretch with a win, we’re looking to take that momentum into conference play,” Engstrom added.
In its previous four games against ranked opponents, UMaine lost to defending national champ and No. 1 Wisconsin 5-0 and 5-0 in Madison, Wis. and 3-2 and 4-3 in overtime at No. 7 Quinnipiac.
UMaine has also beaten unranked Saint Anselm 3-0 and is now 2-5 on the season.
“The team is playing well,” said Engstrom, who had just one senior in the lineup this weekend along with seven juniors, six sophomores and six freshmen. “The girls feel like they have their foot in the door. They proved that to themselves, that they can do it.”
The Black Bears are still looking for their first power play goal after failing to convert their first 19 chances. They have killed 21 of 22 power plays against them.
“We were able to get our fourth line out there [vs. Colgate], our defensemen are getting better every day and Lahtinen is stoic and solid back in the net,” Engstrom said.
The UMaine coach said killing penalties helps bring the team energy.
UMaine has next weekend off before traveling to Providence for its league openers on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at 2 and 3 p.m., respectively.
That weekend off gives the UMaine team a chance to “reset,” Engstrom said.
