No. 11 UConn women’s hockey secured its fifth consecutive victory on Saturday, shutting out the Providence Friars 3-0 at Schneider Arena.
The win lifts the Huskies to 5-0-1 in Hockey East play and 8-4-2 overall on the season. Both goaltenders kept the opening period scoreless as the two teams traded scoring chances, with UConn holding a 12-9 advantage in shots.
Sophomore forward Callie McLean broke the scoreless deadlock five minutes into the second period, burying her first career goal to put the Huskies ahead for good.
Junior captain Claire Murdoch followed midway through the frame with her fourth goal of the season, extending the lead to 2-0. Murdoch has now scored in back-to-back games and recorded a point in four consecutive contests.
At the other end of the ice, UConn goaltender Taylor Belchetz turned aside all 12 shots she faced in the second period to preserve the two-goal advantage, despite Providence holding a 12-10 edge in shots during that frame.
Freshman forward Caileigh Tiller added to the lead just 33 seconds into the third period, netting her team-leading eighth goal of the season to make it 3-0.
Providence pressed numbers forward in search of a response, but Belchetz and the UConn defense held firm to secure back-to-back shutouts. Belchetz finished the contest with 33 saves, claiming her fourth shutout of the season. The Huskies were narrowly outshot 33-32, though they have now recorded at least 32 shots in seven consecutive games.
Following the game in Rhode Island, UConn hits the road for a two-game series at Vermont scheduled from November 20-21.
