GORHAM, Maine -- Senior goalie Julia Benjamin (Tolland, Conn.) stopped 15 shots and classmates Jessie Scott (Barre, Vt.) and Bella Crugnale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored goals as the visiting University of New England Nor'easters shut out the University of Southern Maine Huskies 2-0 in a non-conference women's ice hockey game Saturday afternoon at the USM Ice Arena.
            The win was the third straight for the undefeated Nor'easters, all at the expense of the Huskies.  USM dropped to 1-3 for the abbreviated 2020-21 season.
            Benjamin got some first-period help from the crossbar to earn her second shutout of the campaign.  USM rookie forward Zoe Solomons (Saugus, Mass.) beat Benjamin from about 20 feet out, but her shot ricocheted off the iron.
            Scott gave the visitors the lead for good at 9:23 of the opening period when she potted the rebound of senior Kyra Yu's (Ogden, Utah) shot.  USM freshman goalie Haley McKim (Moncton, N.B.) made a save in close on Yu who had forced a Husky turnover, but could not contain the rebound.  Scott slipped her shot just inside the left post for her second goal of the season.
            Crugnale gave the Nor'easters an insurance marker at 7:17 of the middle period taking a drop pass from sophomore Carolyn Curley (Tewksbury, Mass.), curled into the left-wing circle and beat McKim from the faceoff dot.  Yu earned the second assist on the play.
            USM had a power-play opportunity in the third period, but was unable to get the puck on Benjamin.
            UNE finished the game with a 31-15 advantage in shots on goal, including a 14-2 edge in the second period.  McKim made 29 saves.
            Southern Maine is next scheduled to play on March 13 when it hosts Colby College at the USM Ice Arena.