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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Sophomore Katie Couture scored with 3:09 remaining and the University of Southern Maine added a short-handed, empty-net goal in the final seconds to earn a 3-1 ECAC East League women's ice hockey victory over the University of New England on Friday afternoon (Jan. 30) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Huskies improve to 5-11-1 (3-6-1 ECAC East) with the triumph, while the Nor'easters settle back to 4-11-3 overall (1-8-1 ECAC East).

UNE sophomore Gabriella Moscato put the hosts in front with 2:10 to go in the 1st period, knocking in a rebound at the right post after an initial shot by classmate Richelle Skarbowski was stopped.

USM got even before the midway mark (7:29) of the 2nd frame, when junior Kaleigh Heath stepped into the slot and placed a wrister into the upper left corner. First-year Mikhaela Schultz and senior Julia Pearl assisted on the play.

Through 40 minutes the shots were just 15-14 in favor of the Huskies, but the visitors upped the pressure in the 3rd stanza to hold a 14-4 advantage. Couture's game-winner came from the middle off a feed from sophomore Lynn Kozlowski, and Pearl padded the cushion with four seconds left by gaining possession on the penalty-kill and skating to center-ice before flipping a shot into the open cage.

Senior Liz Bergstrom turned in 17 saves for Southern Maine, which heads for New England College on Saturday (1 p.m.).

The Nor'easters, who went 0-for-5 on the power play, received 26 saves from sophomore Sydney Helmbrecht. Big Blue visits Plymouth State University on Saturday (2 p.m.).


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