By Madeline Sattler, News Staff
The women’s ice hockey team is looking to improve on last year’s successes as its season opens this weekend at Syracuse and Colgate universities.
“We’re excited for the season,” head coach Dave Flint said. “We’ve got a few goals, but they’re all real attainable.”
The Huskies were third in the Women’s Hockey East Association (WHEA) behind crosstown rivals Boston College and Boston University in the WHEA Preseason Coaches Poll.
Last season, Northeastern finished first in the WHEA and claimed the first regular season title in school history. Northeastern also won its first Beanpot title in 14 years, a feat they will look to repeat this year.
“We want to repeat all the things we did last year with the Beanpot and regular season [title],” senior forward Casey Pickett said.
The Huskies saw their first game action on Sunday with an exhibition match against the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. Although Northeastern was on the losing end of a 6-4 score, Flint noted that he was pleased with how the game went.
“I didn’t know what to expect with it being our first game and playing against a team that is that good,” he said. “But I thought we did a lot of good things.”
Forward Jess Koizumi got the Blades on the board after 90 seconds of play. Northeastern freshman forward Paige Savage got her first collegiate goal shortly thereafter to tie up the game. Sophomore defender Ann Doherty and sophomore forward Kendall Coyne assisted the goal.
The Blades scored twice, on goals by Kelly Steadman and Karen Thatcher, before Pickett recorded the Huskies’ second goal. With 21.4 seconds left to play in the second period, Savage sent a shot that bounced off the keeper Mandy Mackrell to Pickett, who was there for the rebound.
“I think our speed was good and I think we were moving the puck a lot better than we did last year,” Pickett said.
Thatcher scored early in the final period to give the Blades a two-goal advantage. Four minutes later, senior forward Siena Falino pushed the puck past goalie Lauren Patterson to pull the Huskies within one.
Late in the final period, freshman forward Tori Hickel tied the game at four with her first collegiate goal. Junior forward Katie MacSorley had the assist.
“The freshmen did great today,” Flint said after Sunday’s game. “They had two of our goals and they’re going to be counted on [this season].”
The tie was short-lived as Steadman scored her third goal just over a minute later. Then Flint opted to pull sophomore goaltender junior Kelsey O’Sullivan with just under a minute to go. It proved costly as Kate Buesser scored an empty-net goal despite a diving effort by Coyne.
“I think the game had a lot of momentum shifts,” Coyne said. “We were getting adjusted to being as a team and being together the first game.”
Sophomore goaltender Chloe Desjardins will look to take over keeper duties. She will have big shoes to fill after last season’s goalie Florence Schelling had a career season. Schelling led the WHEA in goals against average, save percentage and win percentage.
Desjardins saw limited time last season and will have to adjust to a full-time role this year.
“I think as Chloe gets experience, she’s going to get better and better,” Flint said. “She’s a very good goalie and we just need her a little bit more playing time.”
In Sunday’s exhibition match, Desjardins allowed three goals in 40 minutes of playing time and stopped 15 shots on goal.
The Huskies will open up their season this weekend on the road. They will play at Colgate tomorrow at 7 p.m. and take on the Syracuse Orange on Saturday at 4 p.m. Their home-opener will be the following weekend against Union University.
“We’re going to try to tune up a few things in the D-zone and try to get a game plan for Friday and Saturday,” Flint said. “I’m pretty optimistic about the season.”
