BIDDEFORD, Maine – The University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey team began their 2021-22 campaign with a bang producing four goals in a season-opening victory against non-conference opponent the University of New England.
 
UNE was coming off a 2019-20 season which saw the Nor'Easters go 16-9-2 and 10-4-2 in the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC). This year, in the inaugural season of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), UNE is projected to finish in second place and earned one first-place vote. 
 
When and Where: Friday, October 29, 2021 – University of New England – Harold Alfond Forum
 
Score: Huskies 4, Nor'Easters 1
 
History: This was the 17th meeting between the two programs. UNE leads the series 10-5-2.
 
The Records: Southern Maine: 1-0-0; UNE: 0-1-0
 
The Goaltenders: sophomore Haley McKim (Moncton, NB, Canada): 1-0-0, 24 saves, .960 save percentage; Delanie Corcoran: 0-1-0, 19 saves, .826 save percentage
 
Three Stars of the Game: 
1st star: graduate student Shannon Colbert (Manomet, MA), one goal, one assist, two points, nine faceoff wins, two blocked shots
2nd star: Haley McKim: 24 saves, .960 save percentage 
3rd star: junior defender Jordan Colbert (Manomet, MA): one goal, one assist, two points
 
How It Happened:
 
-At the 14:03 mark, USM began the first powerplay of the game. USM could only get a couple of attempts off, the best one was where junior forward Amanda Crowley (South Yarmouth, MA) ripped an attempt from the near dot in the attacking zone that was swallowed up by Corcoran. USM won 12 faceoffs to UNE's seven in the first period while they outshot the Nor'Easters by one (nine-to-eight).
 
-McKim was a wall in the early stages of the second period as she stopped three shot attempts in a span of 30 seconds. Jordan Colbert finally broke the deadlock 8:29 into the new frame when she clapped an attempt from the point by the Huskies bench that trickled over the goal line and out of the reach of Corcoran. Shannon Colbert added an insurance tally picking up a loose puck on the blue line that resulted in a breakaway goal in which she dangled around Corcoran with about five minutes to go.
 
-UNE came within one just 43 seconds into the third period. Keely Kasputis picked up a loose puck that was hurled into the slot and she cashed home an attempt right in front of the cage to cut the deficit to 2-1. About three minutes later, the Huskies gained that score back as senior forward Shannon Douglas (Telford, England) redirected a shot by the right side of the net to regain the multi-goal edge for USM at 3-1. Sophomore forward Zoe Solomons (Saugus, MA) wristed home her first marker of the season top shelf to expand the Husky lead to 4-1. 
 
Up Next: The Huskies open their home slate tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. against Endicott College. If you plan on attending, please read over the USM athletics spectator policy by clicking here.
 
Southern Maine Athletics has gone to fully digital game programs, please click this link to access the game programs to future Husky home events!