By Gayle Simone
Maine scored three goals in the final six minutes of play to overcome a 2-0 deficit and handed Northeastern a 3-2 loss in a Hockey East matchup Saturday at Matthews Arena.
Vicky Johnstone scored her first goal of the season with just 1:26 remaining in the game to secure the thrilling come from behind victory for the Black Bears.
The Huskies seemed to have the game under wraps when Amy Goodney tallied a power play goal 5:21 into the third period to give NU the 2-0 lead. Rebecca Peters and Theresa Ella assisted on the play.
The goal came after Goodney drew a cross-checking penalty against Morgan Janusc. Janusc later helped her team earn the victory, though, as she assisted on the tying and winning goals.
At 14:46 Meagan Aarts brought the Black Bears within a goal when she fired a one-timer past NU goalie Chanda Gunn (27 saves) on the power play. Cheryl White started the play for Maine when she sent a crisp pass to Aarts from behind the net.
Maine tied the game with 2:17 left to play in regulation when Janusc sent Tristan Desmet in a breakaway.
Desmet crossed in front of the crease and slipped a backhander past Gunn for the goal.
Johnstone secured the win for Maine with her goal after a face off in the Huskies’ zone.
Freshman Crystal Rochon scored her third goal of the season with 1:17 left in the first period.
The Huskies were a man down when Rachel Bertram sent Rochon in on a partial breakaway. Rochon managed to get the puck in the net despite the fact she was taken down from behind. The backhanded shot slid past Maine net minder Lara Smart (37 saves) inside the far left post.
“Without the great pass from Bertram I wouldn’t have gotten the goal,” Rochon said.
The game Friday was another come from behind win, but this time the Huskies came out victorious.
Lindsay Snider scored her first goal of the season 10:29 in the third period to lift NU to the 4-3 win over Maine at Matthews Arena.
“All I could think of was ‘It’s about time,'” Snider said of her unassisted winner.
Mia Mucci put NU on the board first, 6:31 into the first period.
Kathryn Sands skated across the blue line and sent a drop pass to Rebecca Peters. Peters then hit Mucci in front of the net, who went top shelf over the glove hand of Smart to give NU the 1-0 lead.
Maine battled right back with the equalizer with just 1:42 remaining in the opening period.
The teams were skating four-on-four when Desmet scored on a pass from Cheryl White.
Cyndy Kenyon gave NU back the lead just 4:33 into the second with a power play goal.
Kenyon tipped in a Goodney shot past Smart (28 saves).
Maine would then score the next two goals to give the Black Bears the 3-2 advantage.
Aarts tallied a power play goal from Johnstone at 12:43 in the second. Just two minutes later, Kesna Tatomir found the back of the net as she beat Gunn (34 saves) to give Maine the lead heading into the third. Naomi Smethurst assisted on the play.
Goodney tied the game for NU at 8:26 of the third.
Being taken down in front of the net, Goodney was able to slip the puck past Smart for her third goal in two games. The goal was unassisted.
“Amy is a great player,” said coach Joy Woog. “She is a smart, complete player. She plays responsible and can move the puck.”
Snider ended the scoring 2:03 later to secure the victory and two points for the Huskies.
The Huskies improved to 7-5-3 for 17 points, third place in the Hockey East Conference and 13-8-7 overall.
With just five games left in the regular season and in the midst of their playoff run, Northeastern looks forward to their upcoming home-and-home series against Connecticut this weekend. NU will host UConn Saturday at Matthews Arena for a 2 p.m. face off, before traveling to Connecticut on Sunday for a 2 p.m. start.
NU, eager to forget Saturday’s contest against Maine, looks forward to the upcoming games.
“We have two days off and then we get back to practicing,” Rochon said. “We will be ready to look forward not behind.”
Junior co-captain Lori DiGiacomo agreed with her freshman teammate.
“We need to put the Maine game behind us,” DiGiacomo said. “We have to focus on the series against UConn. We have to go out hard and win those two games.”
The two teams have met two times earlier in the season. NU earned three Hockey East points from UConn with a 3-0 win and a 1-1 tie.
