By Jack Hodge, news staff
It was a big week for Northeastern University (NU) women’s hockey, starting off with a match against Providence College in Rhode Island Friday. Later in the week, the Huskies had one of their biggest games of the season: the Beanpot championship game in Matthews Arena, an electric battle between Northeastern and Boston College, with the Eagles taking home the title.
Sophomore goalie Brittany Buglaski’s performance over the course of the Beanpot tournament awarded her the Bertagna Award, given to the best goalie who participated in the Beanpot. Bugalski had 28 saves in the team’s semifinal win over Providence and posted 22 in the 2-1 final loss against Boston College, including three in 30 seconds in the third period.
In Rhode Island, the Huskies started strong, grabbing the lead six minutes into the game. Sophomore right-wing Kasidy Anderson stole the puck from Providence and made a pass to junior center Shelby Herrington, who shot into the high slot over the goalie’s glove. Later in the first period, Providence fought back and tied up the game 1-1.
Control of the puck was evenly split between the two teams in the beginning of the second period. However, with 7:30 on the clock, sophomore defenseman Ainsley MacMillan intercepted a pass and threw a wrist shot into the goalie’s pad allowing junior right-wing McKenna Brand to score off the rebound. This was Brand’s 23rd goal of the season; no other Division I player has reached the 20 goal mark.
Providence responded with a power-play goal by senior left-wing Kate Friesen, finding the back of the net and tying the game up. The Huskies made sure to take control of the game back before the period ended, with senior center Hayley Scamurra slamming in a rebound and making the score 3-2 heading into the third period.
Providence scored 4:25 into the third period, tying the game up and bringing the power struggle between the two teams into overtime. The Huskies made sure that the game ended quickly: Only a minute into overtime, junior defenseman Lauren Kelly took a wrist shot that brought the Huskies their 10th consecutive win over Providence College.
Tuesday marked the long-awaited championship Beanpot game. Both Boston College and Northeastern started strong on the ice. The first period consisted of back and forth turnovers, each team unable to take the lead.
Boston College drove the net hard in the second period, taking a total of 11 shots at the net in the period. Northeastern responded with power in the defensive zone. Senior defenseman Heather Mottau stopped a three-on-one play by Boston College with an interception, highlighting this defensive period. Because of the effort brought on by the Huskies, Boston College was unable to score in the second period and the tie game was brought into the third period.
Red and Black pushed into the offensive zone in the beginning of the third period. Anderson fired a shot from the center of the zone and the puck sailed straight to the back of the net, giving the Huskies the first goal of the game. Boston College pushed back with a goal from senior center Kristyn Capizzano tying the game at 8:37. It was then an all-out effort by both teams to determine who would score the game–winning goal. Unfortunately, Boston College scored at the end of the third and brought home the Beanpot trophy off an unlucky deflection.
“I think we gave a good effort tonight,” Bugalski said. “Talking in the locker room after the game, I think we are pretty motivated to come back at them on Friday and later in the season.”
The Huskies take on Boston College on Friday in Chestnut Hill. After the Beanpot loss, the Huskies will be fighting on hard on the ice in order to take the win from the Eagles.
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
