By Madeline Sattler, News Correspondent
Junior forwards Brittany Esposito, Casey Pickett and freshman Kendall Coyne have connected for 52 of the women’s hockey team’s 102 goals this season, and with two regular season game remaining, these three are still the United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) No. 7 Huskies’ go-to first line.
“You always want to get a game started on the right foot and get momentum right at the drop of the puck,” head coach David Flint said. “And they usually provide that for us.”
The three forwards have been some of the most productive on the team. Coyne leads the Huskies with 44 points while Pickett and Esposito have 35 and 25 making respectively, placing them as the second and third on the team.
“They get pressure right away down to the other goalie,” senior goalie Florence Schelling said. “That’s really important for us.”
The job of the starters on any team is to get the game going and set the pace. Coyne, Pickett and Esposito have done just that this season. The trio has scored 13 first period goals combined. Northeastern is 14-1-1 when leading after one period.
“They have been good,” Flint said. “I put them out there because we trust them.”
Not only has the offensive line been able to provide a spark to start the games, but they have also come through in the clutch. Coyne, Pickett and Esposito have combined for 11 game-winning goals.
“I just always want to win,” Coyne said.
Coyne is one of the offensive leaders in the Women’s Hockey East Association (WHEA). She leads the league in goals scored, 26, and second in total points, behind senior forward Jenn Wakefield of the Boston University Terriers.
Pickett is one of the three Northeastern captains and Sunday’s game against Maine marked the 100th in her Husky career. She also scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Boston University to win the Beanpot final.
“It’s a great feeling to know that you made your whole team happy,” Pickett said.
Coyne had the assist on the game-ending score. That was the second time in the game the duo picked up points. Earlier in the game, Pickett assisted Coyne on the goal that got the Huskies on the score board.
“That’s been a pretty common combination for us,” Flint said. “Esposito has also been a big part of that.”
Esposito is having a record season offensively. She’s had 17 assists this year, which doubles her career totals and puts her eighth in WHEA. She also exceeded her points scored, 25, total from last season.
“Esposito is probably our backbone defensively and Coyne is really good at getting the puck in the net and carrying it through the neutral zone,” Pickett said. “I just kind of do all of the other small things.”
She also is responsible for knocking in the game-winning goal in the Beanpot semi-final game against Boston College in a shootout that sent the Huskies to the championship game of the tournament.
The three forwards were quick to compliment their line-mates and said they have been happy with each other’s performances. Communication and bonding is also another part of their success this season.
“We talk everything through, every shift in every game,” Coyne said. “That’s what’s helping us be more successful in games.”
Esposito also added communication is going to be a key for them heading into postseason play.
Another large part of the Huskies success this year has been the play of Schelling in goal. The Switzerland native is tied with Noora Raty from the University of Minnesota and Alex Rigsby from University of Wisconsin for the most shutouts in the nation with seven. Schelling picked up No. 7 Saturday after a 4-0 wing over the University of Maine’s Black Bears.
“I think we can have some more offensive style plays because she’s our goaltender,” Coyne said.
Schelling has started 27 of 30 games this year. The Huskies are 19-5-3 in those games. She has already recorded more wins this season than in any of her previous three years, with a .947 save percentage and a 1.5 goals allowed average. These numbers place her in the top spots in WHEA and in the top 10 in USCHO’s nation-wide statistics.
“My game, no matter who we play, is the same,” Schelling said.
she came up big in the Beanpot title game against Boston University. She had a season-high 43 saves, which Flint noted it was one of the best performances he had seen out of his goalie.
Northeastern wraps up regular season play with two games against the Providence College Friars Friday in Providence at 7 p.m. and Sunday at Matthews Arena at 2 p.m. for Alumni Day.
Postseason play begins Feb. 25 – the Huskies clinched a first round bye, pushing them into the semi-finals March 3 – the Huskies will be relying heavily on their starters to set the pace of the game.
“I think we just have to play our roles and keep doing what we’ve been doing all season,” Esposito said. “Look what we have been able to do thus far.”
