By Sara Shaker, news correspondent
The Northeastern women’s ice hockey team opened the 2014-2015 regular season with back-to-back ties against Syracuse University at Tennity Ice Pavilion on Friday and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) at Gene Polisseni Center on Saturday.
“I thought we played well in spurts,” Head Coach Dave Flint said. “I don’t think we put together a complete game.”
Junior captain forward Kendall Coyne expressed her frustration after the game.
“Coming away with two ties against teams we could have beaten is disappointing,” Coyne said.
Syracuse started Friday’s game with a goal by freshman forward Alysha Burriss in the first period. With four minutes left in the period, Orange freshman forward Emily Costales skated into Northeastern’s defensive zone and delivered the assist for Burriss, who scored a wrist shot on Husky senior captain goaltender Chloe Desjardins.
After a slow start for the Huskies, Northeastern picked things up in the second period. Coyne retaliated with Northeastern’s only goal off a tip from freshman defenseman Lauren Kelly with just over seven minutes left in the second period.
“It was a great shot by [Kelly], and I just redirected it,” Coyne said.
Junior forward Paige Savage gave the puck to Kelly, who was at the point in the offensive zone. Kelly took a shot from the point, ricocheting off Coyne’s stick into the net for her 64th career goal. Coyne’s goal put her in a tie for ninth place in the Northeastern hockey program record book.
Coyne nearly had another goal at the end of the second period, but Syracuse junior goaltender Jenn Gilligan was able to stop it.
With a scoreless third period and a tie at the end of regulation, the teams went into overtime. Desjardins kept Syracuse from scoring again, stopping a total of 22 shots on goals throughout the game, but the Huskies could not put one in either, ending the game in a 1-1 tie.
“I think we didn’t put together a complete 60 minutes, and that’s what hurt us in the end,” Coyne said. “[But], obviously, it’s the first game.”
The Huskies came out seeking to score first on Saturday. After a slow start, Northeastern turned things around in the second period, taking a 2-0 lead. Sophomore forward Hayley Masters and freshman forward McKenna Brand each scored for NU.
Midway through the second period, senior defenseman Colleen Murphy seized an RIT clearance, giving the puck to Masters. Masters carried the puck into the offensive zone, putting a shot in the net.
Pushing the lead further, Brand scored Northeastern’s second goal six minutes later with just under three minutes of play left in the second period. Sophomore defenseman Heather Mottau passed to freshman forward Denisa Krizova at the point. After escaping an RIT defender, Krizova managed a pass to Brand, who fired a shot into the net, scoring the first power play goal of the season for NU.
Just after gaining the 2-0 lead, Northeastern took two penalties in the last two minutes of the period, giving RIT a 5-on-3 advantage. At the 19:07 mark, RIT freshman defenseman Christa Vuglar capitalized on the team’s power play, making the score 2-1.
The third period remained scoreless until the final minute, when RIT pulled its goaltender, sophomore Brooke Stoddart, and put another player in on offense, giving the team a man advantage on the ice. With 33 seconds left in regulation, RIT freshman forward Darcy Henderson scored off a rebound.
The Huskies found themselves in overtime for the second day in a row. Both teams fought for a winning goal, including a close chance from Coyne, whose shot could not find its way into the net. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. Northeastern outshot RIT 40-25.
“We ran out of gas in the third period and gave up a late goal, which you never want to do,” Flint said.
Despite two tie games, the Huskies have high hopes for the rest of the season.
“I think the sky is the limit for this team,” Flint said. The team’s goal is to win the Hockey East Championship and head to the NCAA tournament this year.
A new season means new players for the Huskies, which can result in a steep learning curve.
“We have to remember to be patient,” Flint said. “We have 10 new kids, and it’s going to take them a little time to acclimate.”
The Huskies look to find redemption this weekend in two straight games against Mercyhurst University at Mercyhurst Ice Center in Erie, Pa., starting on Friday at 7 p.m. and continuing on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
