With Saturday’s 2-2 tie against Providence College, the Northeastern men’s hockey team has officially earned the dubious honor of having the longest winless streak to start a season in the 72-year history of the program, going 0-5-2.
For Husky bench boss Bruce Crowder, though, it’s not time to throw in the towel yet.
“I think under the circumstances, it was a good tie,” the eighth-year coach said. “Playing the 15th ranked team in the country, we’re happy with the point. We’re not quite sure where we’re at, but we know we’re not as bad as our record. I’ve said all along that I like this hockey team. I like our speed and I like what we’re getting from defense.”
Goaltender Keni Gibson, who has struggled in 2003, played a strong game in net for the Huskies, stopping 25 shots, including four overtime attempts that saved NU from yet another loss.
“Our goaltending was a lot better, I think Keni had his best game of the year,” Crowder said.
Gibson was also pleased with his effort.
“This was our best game of the year by far. It was my best game, too,” he told gonu.com after the game. “It’s good to get a game like that under my belt.”
For Crowder, Gibson’s struggles have never been about talent.
“That was the type of goaltending we need from him,” he said. “He played out, he played aggressive. That’s what we need from that position. It’s no different than a starting pitcher in baseball or a point guard in basketball. I pretty much told him that he’s gotta get back to playing the way he did for parts of last year and really his freshman year. We know he can do it. It’s not about his skill. We said ‘it’s up to you to do it,’ and he did it.”
NU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a period and six minutes, but was unable to hold the lead as PC’s Peter Zingoni and Torry Gajda scored a pair of goals in the final five minutes of the second frame to extend NU’s winless streak.
Brian Swiniarski notched his team-leading fifth goal of the year in the first period, which is also good for ninth in Hockey East. The sophomore swatted the puck out of midair at the Providence (5-2-2, 1-2-2) blue line, skated in alone and deposited an ice-level shot past Friar goalie Bobby Goepfert.
For Crowder, the offensive outburst from Swiniarski is an unexpected bonus to the disappointing start.
“To be honest I really didn’t expect it,” Crowder said of Swiniarski’s deft scoring touch to open the year. “He’s just shooting the puck, and he’s in one of those zones where whatever he throws at the net is going in. That’s the key, he’s hitting the net. We’ve been telling the guys all along to put the puck on net, and put a little pressure on the opposing goaltender. Make him make a stop. Make it tough on the kid. Brian’s done a good job with that.”
Six minutes into the second period, senior assistant captain Eric Ortlip padded the NU lead after picking up the puck from a Swiniarksi face off win, Ortlip fired a shot at Goepfert before burying the rebound for his third goal of the young season.
NU outpaced Providence in the first half of the third period, but in the final moments of the frame Providence kept pressure on Gibson.
“I think for the first 10 minutes of the third period we dominated them,” Crowder said. “What happened after that was that we got a little tense and started playing to not lose, instead of to win.”
Northeastern out-shot Providence 34-27, the fourth time they have done so this year, but was unable to score more than two goals, which has happened five teams in the current campaign.
“We’ve got to find a way to score more than two goals a game,” Crowder said. “That puts even more pressure on our goaltending situation. It’s been like our goaltending. We’re shooting better in practice and getting glorious opportunities. I’d feel a lot worse if we weren’t getting those opportunities. I like what we’re doing, though. I have all the confidence in the world that we’ll figure it out.”
The NU faithful might have to wait another week before NU enters the win column. Friday the Huskies travel to Orono, Maine for a contest with No. 4 Maine.
