Women’s hockey wins 15th Beanpot title

February 9, 2012

By Madeline Sattler, News Correspondent

For the first time in women’s Beanpot history, the Northeastern Huskies and the Boston University Terriers met in the championship game. And for the first time in 14 years, the United State College Hockey Online No. 7 Northeastern Huskies took home the title.

The scoring lead changed sides on multiple occasions and sent the game into overtime, but in the end it was the duo of freshman forward Kendall Coyne and junior forward Casey Pickett who clutched the win for the Huskies, 4-3.

At 5:27 into the 20-minute overtime period Coyne sent the puck to Pickett, who put it in the net for her 16th goal of the season.

“I had set goals for when I came here four years ago, and a Beanpot championship was one of them,” head coach David Flint said. “It took us a little while to get there, but now we did and it’s a huge boost for the team.”

Created with flickr slideshow.The game-winning goal Pickett and Coyne scored mirrored the Huskies’ first goal of the game. After a scoreless first, the second period opened with a BU penalty as senior forward Marie-Philip Poulin was sent to the box for roughing Husky defender sophomore Maggie DiMasi at 5:35. Less than a minute later, Coyne took a pass from Pickett and sent it into the goal.

“That’s been a pretty common combination for us,” Flint said. “You look at the big goals in the big games and one of those two usually has them.”

Northeastern had four shots on goal in the first period, while the Terriers put 13 on senior goalkeeper Florence Schelling, came up with save after save.

“Those are the games that I love the most, just because it keeps me in the game the whole time,” Schelling said of one-goal differentials.

The Northeastern goalie had a season-high 43 saves and recorded her 17th win of the season. After the game, Schelling was named the Beanpot’s outstanding goalkeeper.
“Our team plays totally different because they have confidence in her,” Flint said. “They know ‘Hey, we have a chance to win every game because she’s back there.’”

The second goal for the Huskies came off the stick of freshman Lucie Povova, who socred for her seventh goal of the season.

Northeastern held onto its lead until late in the second period. With four minutes left, Terrier freshman defender Shannon Stoneburgh finally broke Schelling’s shutout. Poulin passed the puck across the ice to Stoneburgh who slipped it under the legs of Schelling to record her first tally of the season.

Two-and-a-half minutes later, the Terriers tied the game. Northeastern sophomore defender Maggie Brennolt and sophomore defender Sonia St. Martin were both sitting in the penalty box, putting the No. 5 penalty kill unit to test. Freshman forward Kayla Tutino took advantage of the five-on-three opportunity and slipped one past Schelling.

“We had plenty of power play opportunities,” Boston University head coach Brian Durocher said. “[Northeastern] did a good job positioning.”

Both front lines came off the bench for the third period hungry for the win as shots bounced off Schelling and Terrier goalkeeper Kerrin Sperry, combining for 23 saves.

It wasn’t until 14:30 that Tutino finally broke the tie. Northeastern’s junior forward Brittany Esposito was sent to the penalty box for body checking. Senior forward Jenn Wakefield sent the puck across the middle where Tutino redirected it into the net, giving Boston University a short-lived lead and its second power play goal on the night.

“After [BU took the lead] I told them ‘Stick with it and keep throwing pucks to the net because something is going to happen,’ and it did,” Flint said.

Thirty-three seconds later, sophomore defender Sonia St. Martin scored her first goal of the season to tie the game at three and lead them into overtime.

“We bounced back after a late goal by BU and kind of showed what we’re made of,” Pickett said.

Both teams headed to the locker room for a short intermission before coming back onto the ice for the 20-minute overtime period.

As overtime began, the Terriers got two quick shots off, but Schelling was there to make the saves.

“I felt so confident the more shots I got,” she said. “I was like ‘There’s no way they’re going to score in overtime.”

Coyne and Pickett had a two-on-one opportunity heading down the ice. Coyne drew the defender over to her side leaving Pickett to face the goalie. At 5:27, the puck whizzed by Sperry to seal the win for Northeastern and its first Beanpot title since 1998. Following the goal, Pickett was mobbed by her teammates and was awarded the Beanpot’s Most Valuable Player award.

“It’s a great feeling to know that you made your whole team happy and I’m glad I could do that for everyone,” Pickett said.

The players were all smiles after their win, especially Schelling, who played in her fourth and final Beanpot tournament.

“Before the game Florence came up to me and she goes ‘You know what, I really want to win something in girl’s hockey, I really want to win it,’ and I think that’s how we played,” Coyne said.

The Huskies get back to work Thursday to prepare for a two-game weekend series against the University of Maine Black Bears who are currently ranked fourth in the Women’s Hockey East Association (WHEA).

“I want to win the regular season championship and go into the playoffs on a role,” Flint said.

Northeastern, currently sitting in first place in the WHEA, has four games left to accomplish this.

Video via NoontimeSports.