Huskies erupt for six third-period goals to down Panthers 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The University of Southern Maine erupted for six third-period goals Tuesday evening to turn a close game into a rout as the Huskies defeated Plymouth State University, 7-0, in an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East hockey game at Hanaway Rink.

            Freshman Erin Banfield (Montpelier, Vt.) scored all three of her goals in the third period to record her first career hat trick for USM.  Classmate Brittany Soar (Boxborough, Mass.) contributed a goal and two assists, and junior Katie Paradis (Rochester, N.H.) collected three assists as the Huskies improved to 2-6-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the ECAC Women's East.

            It was a scoreless game until the final minute of the second period when sophomore Kailey Bubier (Auburn, Maine) scored a short-handed goal for the Huskies, skating right to left across the slot and back-handing the puck through traffic into the goal to make it a 1-0 game after two frames.

            Freshman Shannon Cronin (Wakefield, Mass.) knocked in a loose puck for USM at 3:40 of the third for her first career goal, and Soar capitalized on a Panther turnover behind the goal to slip the puck into an empty net at 6:59 to put the Huskies up, 3-0.  Banfield potted her first of the night at the 7:45 mark, and junior Joanna Gaube (Woodstock, Conn.) notched her first of the season on the power play to make it a 5-0 game with 11 minutes remaining. Banfield finished off the scoring and her hat trick with power play goals at 12:06 and 19:14.

            The visitors finished with a 40-16 advantage in shots on goal, while connecting on three of nine power play opportunities.  Freshman goalie Jordan Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded the victory in goal, making 16 saves.  PSU freshman goalie Ali Ponte (Richmond Hill, Ont.) made 30 saves on 35 shots before being relieved with 11 minutes left. 

            PSU, 0-7-1 overall and in conference play, travels to western New York this weekend for non-conference games Friday and Saturday at Buffalo State.  Southern Maine is done for the semester, and will be back on the ice with a five-game home stand the first two weeks in January. 

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