The Northeastern University (NU) men’s ice hockey team kicked off their season with a bang, taking a 9-1 victory over the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) in an exhibition game Saturday night.
The Huskies maintained control of the game from puck drop until the final horn. Less than seven minutes into play, second-year forward Grant Jozefek got NU on the scoreboard. Three goals followed before the end of the period, one from first-year forward Bobby Hampton and two in quick succession from third-year forward Adam Gaudette. Both of Gaudette’s goals were assisted by fourth-year forward Dylan Sikura.
Both Sikura and Gaudette finished the 2016-17 season with impressive statistics, placing sixth and ninth in the nation for points, respectively. Gaudette currently holds the single-season record for power play goals, also the most in the nation, with 16 goals. Sikura became the first Husky to score three goals in a period since 2012, and also recorded the Huskies’ first natural hat trick since 2015 in a Jan. 27 game against University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Coming out of the locker room up by four going into the middle frame, the Red and Black got down to business. Sikura and Gaudette teamed up again, this time with Gaudette feeding the puck to Sikura just eight seconds into play for a 5-0 lead.
The team’s sixth goal shortly followed, buried over the shoulder of UPEI first-year goalie Matthew Mancina by NU fourth-year forward and captain Nolan Stevens. Sikura netted his second of the game during a five-on-three power play, wrapping up the second with the Huskies ahead by seven.
The game’s pattern continued early in the third, seeing a goal from second-year forward Matt Filipe, assisted by Jozefek. The Panthers broke the shutout halfway through the final frame, sneaking one past fourth-year goaltender Jake Theut on a UPEI powerplay. Second-year forward John Picking brought the Huskies’ final goal tally to nine with five minutes to go in the game.
Northeastern was able to split time between each goaltender, with Theut, third-year Ryan Ruck and first-year Cayden Primeau each seeing a period on the ice.
“We were able to jump on them quickly,” Madigan said of the game Saturday. “A good start, but knowing there is a lot of work ahead for us,”
In earlier commentary, the head coach had expressed confidence in his core players.
“When I look at the core (of the team) and I look at the younger players, who are both sophomores ready to take the next step and the incoming freshmen, I like what we have,” Madigan said. “I think we have a really solid foundation, and we’ll continue to get better as the season goes along.”
The Huskies’ eight-goal lead is a glimpse at the progress the hockey team has made over the years under Madigan, who brings decades of college and professional hockey experience to alma mater Northeastern. He does not plan on leaving anytime soon, as Madigan recently accepted a contract extension that will carry him through the 2020-21 season, marking his 40th year affiliated with Northeastern.
The head coach was recently named the first inaugural recipient of the Fernie Flaman Endowed Men’s Hockey Coach Fund, created in honor of renowned NU head coach Fernie Flaman. Madigan played under Flaman from 1981-1985 during his time as a student at NU, and then worked alongside him as assistant coach after graduating.
“I like the ring of it,” Madigan said. “Any time we get out Fernie’s name associated with the program and the head hockey coach position, it’s a good thing.”
The Huskies take the ice again Friday and Saturday night, hosting back-to-back games for the regular season opener against Sacred Heart University.
