By Madeline Sattler, News Staff
The Huskies continued their winning ways with a 5-1 victory over the University of Vermont Catamounts in the first round of the Women’s Hockey East Association (WHEA) playoffs.
Sophomore forward Kendall Coyne had four points while junior forward Kelly Wallace added two goals to lift the Huskies over their WHEA opponents. The Huskies have not lost to the Catamounts since Feb. 14, 2009.
“I didn’t really like the way we played in the first,” head coach Dave Flint said. “I’m glad we got it together and didn’t continue the path we were down after the first period.”
The Catamounts came out fast and the Huskies had trouble keeping pace.
Vermont got on the board first on a goal by sophomore forward Amanda Pelkey. She skated down the ice and got past sophomore defender Colleen Murphy. Her shot sailed over the glove of sophomore goalie Chloe Desjardins to give her team the early lead.
The Huskies had their chances in the first period including two 2-on-1 opportunitiess by senior forward Casey Pickett and Coyne, but they could not get solid shots off.
“After the first we regrouped and we talked what we needed to do,” Coyne said. “We realized if we don’t step up than this is the last game of our season.”
The second period was all Northeastern. They locked it in and pounded shots on Vermont junior goalie Roxanne Douville. The Huskies had 22 of their total 48 shots in the second period.
Coyne got the Huskies on the board and extended her scoring streak to a career-long 14 games.
The Illinois native sent the puck from just inside the blue line to the front of the net where several players were crashing. But the disk managed to slip past everyone into the back of the net.
Freshman defender Tori Hickel scored her first collegiate post-season goal later in the period. She took the pass from Coyne on the right faceoff dot and sent a shot past the glove of Douville to give Northeastern their first lead.
“I think they were playing very hard and to have a team like that in front of you trying their best I think it pushes you to do the best back for them,” Desjardins said. “I have a very good team in front of me.”
32 seconds later the Huskies added to their score.
Douville was off-balance and Pickett got the shot past the goalie to give Northeastern a two-score advantage.
The Huskies did not let off the gas and continued to pound Douville with shots in the third period.
Wallace was the big scorer in the final frame as she accounted for both Husky goals.
“Coach talked all week about playing for each other,” Wallace said. “We’re just doing this for our seniors and for Northeastern.”
Her first came off a cross from Coyne who brought the puck from behind the goal and sent it to the top of the crease where Wallace redirected on net.
Less than three minutes later, Pickett took advantage of a Catamount turnover and sent the puck to Wallace on the left side of the net. Wallace shot the puck off the gloves of Douville into the back of the goal.
The defense took care of the rest and Desjardins didn’t let anything past her.
“We’ve been banged up on defense,” Flint said. “But I think we’re 19-0 when leading after two periods, so they know how to play with a lead and protect the lead.”
The victory is the eighth in a row for Northeastern and advances them to the WHEA semifinals. They will take on the Boston College Eagles next Saturday.
