By Jared Sugerman
The women’s hockey team played its first two games of the 2007-08 campaign this weekend, earning a point in a 2-2 stalemate with North Dakota after opening the season with a 5-3 loss against Minnesota. Both games were part of the Nike Bauer Women’s Classic, held at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.
After falling short despite a valiant effort against tournament host Golden Gophers Friday, the Huskies quickly found themselves trailing the Fighting Sioux Saturday. Getting her first career start in goal, freshman Leah Sulyma was beat by Casandra Flanagan at 3:56 of the first period, giving North Dakota a 1-0 advantage.
After a scoreless second period, freshman forward Alyssa Wohlfeiler tied the game at the 16:31 mark of the third, scoring her first collegiate goal. North Dakota would retake the lead just 12 seconds later when Jodi Holland banged in a rebound for the Fighting Sioux.
With Northeastern’s hopes of salvaging the weekend all but dashed, head coach Laura Schuler made a daring move and pulled the goaltender early to get an extra attacker on the ice. Schuler’s bold strategy payed off, as senior captain Nikki Petrich tied the game.
Sulyma came back and made three more stops in overtime to preserve the tie, giving her 26 saves for the game.
Senior goaltender Sarah Belliveau received the starting nod for the Huskies’ regular season opener. Though her numbers were not as impressive as Sulyma’s, Belliveau was facing a markedly tougher foe in the seventh-ranked North Dakota team.
The Golden Gophers had a 2-0 advantage just 5:50 minutes into the first period of Friday’s game, but freshman forward Kristi Kehoe cut Northeastern’s deficit to one by scoring her first career goal at 13:58 of the first.
Berman and junior defensemen Erin Reil also registered goals for the Huskies, but they couldn’t catch the Gophers, who would skate to a 5-3 victory on the strength of a hat trick by senior forward Erica McKenzie. Belliveau made 32 saves in the loss.
Northeastern returns to New England to face Quinnipiac Friday, before playing its first two games at Matthews Arena Oct. 20 and 21. Both home games will be against Niagara at 2 p.m.
