By Madeline Sattler, News Staff

The Northeastern women’s ice hockey team finished up its regular season Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 victory over the Providence College Friars extending its winning streak to seven and heading into the postseason with momentum.

It was the final regular season game for forwards Siena Falino, Rachel Llanes and Casey Pickett, and defender Casie Fields, all of who were honored in a ceremony before the game.

In a fitting senior night ending, each senior had a point in the victory and Llanes scored her 100th as a Husky late in the second period. The Friars made things interesting in the end, but Northeastern locked in and halted the Friar comeback.

“I thought it was a big day for our seniors,” head coach Dave Flint said. “I’m just happy we pulled out the win and got the two points and kept the winning streak going.”

The Huskies came out fast scoring their first goal just over three minutes into the game. There were lots of bodies in front of the net as the Huskies took several shots before sophomore forward Lucie Povova knocked one through.

Just 1:51 later, Falino scored her first goal of the season. Fields dropped the puck off to junior forward Claire Santostefano, who sent the puck central. Falino was waiting at the top of the crease to redirect the shot on goal.

Falino, who hails from Centerport, N.Y., has played four seasons for the Huskies and appeared in at least 30 games each year. Her goal on Sunday was her first since Feb. 4, 2012 against the University of Connecticut Huskies.

Fields got her first assist of the season on the Huskies’ second goal of the day. She came to Northeastern from Buffalo Grove, Ill., and also played four seasons here.

“They all want to have the perfect senior day and have everything go well for them,” Flint said. “I’m just happy we got the win for them and Siena got a goal.”

Freshman forward Paige Savage extended her scoring streak to six games about halfway through the second period. She took the puck in the neutral zone, pulled a move on Friar goalie junior Nina Riley and scored the Huskies’ third goal of the afternoon.

Pickett and Llanes had a two-on-one that generated the final Husky goal of the day.

“It was a great pass, a great play by [sophomore forward Kendall Coyne] to get it up to Pickett and then I just finished it,” Llanes said. “I had the easy part.”

Pickett took the puck from her own defensive zone down the right side with her teammate skating down beside her. She then crossed the puck to the middle where Llanes shot it past Riley for the goal and 100th career point.

Llanes became the 23rd player to hit the century mark. She has been a major contributor to the offense this season with 13 goals and 23 assists as part of the Huskies’ top line.

“It was pretty exciting to get it in my senior game,” Llanes said of her 100th point. “I was saving it all for this game. I’m just happy that I did get it today.”

Pickett, another player who reached the 100-point mark earlier this season, is also a part of the top line with 19 goals and 23 assists. She has served as a tri-captain the past two years.

The third period was all Friars, as they proved that the game was not over and almost completed the comeback.

The first goal came mid-way through the period during a Friar power play on a shot that went through the legs of sophomore goaltender Chloe Desjardins.

Less than two minutes later, the Friars added another one off a rebound that bounced right to the stick of sophomore forward Haley Frade, who beat Desjardins and put it in the net.

The Friars’ final goal came off a shot that rocketed over Desjardins’ left shoulder into the corner of the net.

“We kind of got complacent and tired,” Pickett said. “But it was nice to see us kind of regroup for the last two minutes and finish out what we needed to finish.”

The Huskies locked down on the Friars’ offensive push and didn’t let the game get away in the final minutes.

Desjardins had 36 saves in the victory and was named Women’s Hockey East Association Co-Defensive Player of the Week.

The Huskies finished the season up with 21 wins, 13 of which were against teams in the WHEA. They also secured third place in the conference and will host a home playoff game Saturday evening at 7 p.m. against the University of Vermont.

“The first season is done, the second season starts now,” Flint said. “The best part about it is you can keep playing as long as you keep winning.”