Box Score NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Senior goaltender
Mariah Fujimagari made 40 saves and
Emilie Brigham netted two goals and added an assist as the University of Maine women's ice hockey team defeated Merrimack, 5-3, on Saturday afternoon at Lawler Rink.
Merrimack held the edge in shots, 43-38, but the Black Bears received a great mix of superior goaltending and a high-offensive output to pick up their fifth Hockey East victory of the season.
Maine finished action 2-for-5 on the power play and added a shorty while the Warriors went 1-for-7 with the extra skater.
The Black Bears' offense struck early with three first period goals, beginning with
Jessica Jacques' second tally of the season. Jacques lit the lamp just 5:23 into the contest off an assist's from
Lydia Murray and
Emilie Brigham; the first of Brigham's three points on the day.
Brooke Stacey found the back of the net for the second-straight game as she notched the first of Maine's two first period power play goals.
Alyson Matteau recorded her 14th assist of the season on the play while Murray added her second of the game.
Brigham gave Maine a 3-0 lead with her power play goal, 14:38 into the first period.
Victoria Hummel and Jess Vallotton notched assists on the goal as Maine cruised into the second period with the three goal advantage. The goal would be the end of the day for Warrior starting goaltender, Samantha Ridgewell.
Merrimack got on the scoreboard just 44-seconds into the second period when Katelyn Rae scored on the power play.
However, Maine answered just over six minutes later when Brigham skated in shorthanded, off a pass from
Kristin Gilmour, and beat new Merrimack goaltender Lea-Kristine Demers.
Rae scored her second of the day for Merrimack with 1:13 remaining in the second period before adding her hat trick tally late in the third, closing the gap to 4-3 Maine.
But the Black Bears added an empty-netter from
Kara Washer, with assists credited to Stacey and Matteau, to help secure Maine's 5-3 victory.
Maine returns home for its final regular season home series of the year when it hosts UConn beginning on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.
-UMaine-
