By Bailey Putnam, deputy sports editor
The Northeastern women’s hockey team traveled up to Orono, Maine this weekend, where they split decisions with the University of Maine Black Bears.
The Huskies turned a two-goal deficit into a 5-2 victory with three third period goals on Saturday. The following night, the Huskies took almost twice as many shots as the Black Bears but couldn’t convert, falling behind 4-2.
The odds were slated against NU as the team headed into the third period Saturday. Playing with a seven game losing streak looming over them, the Huskies started the third period down 2-0.
Things needed to change for the Northeastern women and that came in the form of three third-period goals within three minutes of each other halfway through the frame.
Freshman forward Denisa Krizova put NU on the board seven minutes into the period. Less than three minutes later, sophomore forward Hayley Masters took a feed from sophomore defender Heather Mottau and buried the equalizer.
The hot streak only picked up steam for the Huskies from there. After winning the ensuing faceoff following Masters’ goal, the Huskies barreled down the ice and netted a third goal just 10 seconds after the equalizer. Masters dished a pass to sophomore forward Melissa Haganey for her second of the season.
Krizova and Masters were not done scoring after the three-minute barrage. Both added an insurance goal to safely propel Northeastern to a 5-2 victory over Maine.
The third-period explosion of offense was not the only factor that went into the win for the Huskies. Senior goalie Chloe Desjardins turned aside 40 of 42 shots for her second straight 40-save performance.
Though Northeastern was able to generate offense the following day, the second game of the series did not fare so well. NU outshot the Black Bears 42-25 but couldn’t find the back of the net the way it had the previous night.
The Huskies fell behind again to the Black Bears, this time down 3-0 halfway through the game. Krizova netted her ninth of the year to put the Huskies on the board and within two goals before the second period ended.
The Huskies sought to repeat their third period display from the night before, but a Black Bear empty net goal late in the period set NU back by an insurmountable deficit. Junior forward Kendall Coyne added a goal for the Huskies to make it 4-2, but the effort would prove to be too little and too late, as the score remained the same when the final buzzer sounded.
The Huskies look ahead to a Friday night tilt against the University of Vermont in Burlington. After that, they take on the Boston College Eagles in the first round of the Beanpot on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at Harvard University.
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
