Your Northeastern Huskies traveled to soggy Long Island to lay a smackdown on the LIU Sharks and ruin their home opener at Al Arbour Arena. The final was 6-0 and I’ll tell you what Dear Reader, this game wasn’t as close as that score makes it seem. Talk about a Get-Right-Friday-Night. This is just what the doctor ordered after a lackluster finish to their series against Penn State last weekend. The Huskies were clicking (except for a 5-7 min stretch late in the 2nd) and there’s nothing like a roadie to get the squad on the same page.
Before we go deeper into this and get to the highlights, can I just bang this drum again? Dear ESPN+ could you please for the love of Gretzky, keep the freaking puck in the camera frame? I mean, c’mon. These are D1 athletes and I think the viewing public is entitled to a better in-game experience than a drunk uncle who doesn’t know how to use the stabilizer on his iPhone 8. If this was a men’s game I guarantee Shaky the Clown wouldn’t be behind the camera. Breathe in and breathe out Brownie, this is only game #3 you gotta pace yourself. Namaste.
Back to the game: Allie Lalonde got her first NCAA goal and the eventual game winner when she beat Tindra Holm over the glove with less than 7mins gone in the game. Skylar Irving came down the LW and fed Lalonde in front and the freshman dragged the puck across before beating Holm. The Shattuck St. Mary’s alum showed great patience with the move across the slot and didn’t look rushed at all. Also heck of a game from the Mayor of Kingston tonight; Irving was noticeable in all aspects of this one and rung up 2 apples as well as going 10 for 17 at the dot. All we gotta do it TALK about Skirv coming on the podcast and she goes out and dominates. Coincidence?
With less than a minute to play in the opening frame Peyton Compton got her 2nd of the campaign when she came off the bench to keep the puck in the LIU zone. Compton came up the LW from behind the net and drifted up high before opening up at the dot and beating Holm over the blocker.
In the middle frame The Matrix entered the chat as Peyton Anderson got her first of the year when she blasted one over the glove of a diving Holm from the bottom of the RW dot. Irving broke down the LW and dog-walked her defender with an inside out move to her backhand before finding Anderson cross-crease for the one-timer.
That score held until intermission as the Huskies took their foot off the gas for a bit and were content to play solid defense in front of Gwyneth Philips. The Sharks got some opportunities, but you all know how Philips plays net regardless of what some one Mid-West writer thinks. That’s right I’m looking at you Nicole.
In the final frame, the Sharks got chippy and started taking dumb penalties. I mean, you’re down 3-0 and you’re up on a 5 on 3 power play, doesn’t that seem like the perfect time to take a selfish penalty and run Meg Carter? It’s not Maple Leaf Meg’s (or Captain Canada – I still haven’t put that debate to rest) fault that she’s that much better at hockey than you, is it? Why so mad LIU? With the threat of the power play neutralized by some ridiculously selfish play, the Huskies got back to business.
Kristina Allard got her first NCAA goal when she finished off a 4 on 3 rush by going hard to the blue paint. Molly Griffin (2 assists) broke down the LW and put a shot on net that Holm denied, but left the puck sitting on the doorstep. Allard swooped in and tucked it in: keep the change.
Late in the period Anderson got her 2nd of the game when the Huskies were on…. all together now, another power play. Lalonde put the puck on net from the top of the RW dot and Anderson had the re-direct in the high slot and The Matrix had herself a pair.
Less than a minute later, Allard finished off the scoring with her own 2nd of the night. Mia Langlois walked down Main Street with Allard and Compton and laid a sweet pass over to Allard who had opened up. Right in the wheelhouse and put that one in the back of the net. Great play and good on Langlois to show the rest of the squad that you are allowed to pass in odd player rushes. There you go Coach Carp, I said it for you.
Some other notables from the comforts of my couch:
- Glad to see Becca Vanstone get on the scoresheet tonight and get her first point as a Husky. Hopefully the first of many.
- The Premier Power Forward in Women’s Hockey Today didn’t register on the scoresheet but her impact was all over the game. Strong on the puck in all 3 zones and with a huge face-off win in her own end during the 5 on 3, Katy Knoll is showing great leadership and tenacity. Also good to see her charm readily evident in a scrum earlier when she helped adjust a helmet for her opponent.
- Lily Yovetich is playing at an unreal level so far. She looks better than she did at the end of last season (which was awesome, so whatever is an improvement on awesome – that’s where Yovetich’s game is)
- Holly Abela, Griffin, Irving and Langlois all had great games up front, and Rylie Jones looked solid on the back end with Jules Constantinople. Lot of young swag on that pairing.
- Abbey Marohn eating pucks and not giving any ducks. Just another day at the office for Abbey who might be leading the D corp with crispy outlets so far this season.
- Bold prediction: Taze Thompson gets her first of the year tomorrow night.
The Huskies will stay on the island tonight and square off again vs. the Sharks at 7:30pm
#HowlinHuskies
You can read more about Brownie in his bio below or follow him @Abrow28
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