Your Northeastern Huskies welcomed in the UNH Wildcats to historic Matthews Arena for their first home game of the new year. The ‘Cats made a game out of this one (with a little help from a video review), but at the end of 60 the Huskies prevailed with a 3-1 2-1 final. All eyes now look to Tuesday and a date at the TD Garden vs. BU, but more on that later.
The Huskies were ready from the opening draw, but it didn’t seem as if everyone on the UNH roster was. The first two NU shots on net of the game found the back of the net behind Sedona Blair. Tough start for the freshman, but she buckled down and looked solid the rest of the way.
First shift, first shot, first goal: The Mayor of Kingston, Skylar Irving won a face-off on the RW in the UNH zone (sometimes icing bites you). Skirv won the draw directly to Peyton “The Matrix” Anderson walking in from the RW at the top of the face-off circle. Anderson let a wrister go in stride, beating Blair to the glove side. Skate left, shoot right, celebrate with your friends. 1-0 Huskies and the game was 15 seconds old.
Literally seconds later, Allie Lalonde got her 7th of the season when she finished off a sweet feed from Holly Abela to put the Huskies up by a pair. Abela carried the puck through the neutral zone and laid the puck on Lalonde’s tape at the LW circle. Lalonde hit a quick drag snap and put one past Blair on the glove side again. Watch the video and pay attention to Abela’s pass: That dish went through 3 UNH player’s triangles to drop right onto Lalonde’s tape. Filthy. And if you heard Lalonde during the intermission on the ESPN+ feed: you know she’s all about getting pucks on net.
Just before the midway point of the first, UNH got one back. A shot from the point off a face-off win made it through to Gwyneth Philips and the rebound looked as if it went straight up in the air. The puck came down at Philips’ immediate left and bounced off a few bodies in front of the net before getting bunted past Philips. I wish the overhead angle had the actual replay to view, but what can you do?
The Great Wall of Gwyneth was on full display tonight, a fluky goal notwithstanding. She was tested tonight throughout the contest, mostly with shots through screens but also with some goalmouth opportunities; and it certainly looked as if the UNH game plan didn’t spare body contact for the opposing goalie. You know the old Jim Croce song lyrics “you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind and you don’t mess around with Gwyn” (or something like that). What’s really sad is that if any player on the team reads this, I’d wager they don’t know the song or Jim Croce.
And if you haven’t heard, (and frankly if you haven’t I’m a little shocked and a little disappointed), Philips hopped on the pod earlier this week and we had a nice convo before she went out and blanked Harvard in the Beanpot opener…. not a big deal.
In the 2nd Lily Shannon got what looked like her first G of 2024 when she put home a Megan Carter rebound but the goal was overturned? For goalie interference? I’m not a rules guy (you can ask anyone I play beer league with), but I thought the goalie had to be in the blue paint in order for it to be interference? The goal was disallowed and the sides headed to the 3rd with the Huskies holding a 1 goal lead.
In the 3rd the Huskies ramped up the fore-check and UNH ramped up the body contact. With the refs seemingly swallowing their whistles, the big bodies on the UNH roster were hitting everything in a white jersey. It didn’t matter much as the Wildcats still couldn’t figure out Philips and ended the night in a rugby scrum with Blair pulled for the extra attacker.
This was just the type of game to get the squad dialed in and fired up for BU on Tuesday. UNH came into this one with a lot of jam and took every opportunity to put a body on a Husky. They repeatedly tried to draw NU players into scrums and extra curricular nastiness and the Huskies did not bite. That type of self-control in the face of adversity will do the squad right on Tuesday under the bright lights of TD Garden. Oh you didn’t know? The Dawgs are heading to the home of the Boston Bruins to take on BU for the first ever Women’s Beanpot Championship played on TD Garden Ice. And thanks to our friends at WomenX there are discounted tickets available. It’s going to be a time.
But before we get all swept up in Beanpot hysteria…
Some thoughts from the couch:
- You think Meg Carter was invited to Team Canada by accident? It was plays like the one late in the first when UNH broke in on Philips 3:0 and Carter busted back like she was shot out of a cannon to knock the puck off Kira Juodikis’ stick. I know Carter is a Leafs’ fan, but that play was reminiscent of Ray Bourque. I would never insult Meg and compare her to like, Dion Phaneuf? It’s a tough game, try and name me a good TOR defenseman?
- Speaking of the defense: The entire D corp was sharp tonight and man did Tory Mariano get her 2 minutes worth out of that “interference” call, and she was strong on her stick all night. But there were some other things that stood out to me. Lily Yovetich had her physical game going (per usual) but tonight she was yapping too. Gotta love the after whistle convos out there. Kristina Allard had plenty of jump, along with an active stick. Great game all around by Allard and great decision making on when to jump in offensively. Jules Constantinople had some great plays on both ends of the ice and her fake shot/pass to Lalonde late in the game fooled even the camera man. And Abby Marohn? Super slick skating and very patient with getting her shots through on the offensive end. Must be all the extra sleep she’s been getting lately.
- Once again The Nailgun Line proved very effective. Lily Brazis (the OG) just missed on a number of opportunities and Mia (still no nickname) Langlois had a great hustle play (again) on Mariano’s delayed call. Langlois got on her horse and made it back to disrupt the play on the backcheck.. Could this line be the tone-setter? Could they be pushing the top 6 into another gear? Not a bad problem to have if your 3rd line is full of butt-kickers.
- Speaking of butt-kickers, The Premier Power Forward in Women’s Hockey Today is operating on another whole level. Playing like she’s full of vinegar and bad intentions, Katy Knoll is doing everything except scoring. Hard on the fore-check, physical along the walls and dogged on the back-check she’s a beast in all zones right now. And her biggest accomplishment tonight? Keeping her cool. It must have been on the board in the UNH locker room to see who could hit Knoll the most after the whistle. What’s great is that her style of play is filtering down amongst her teammates. Tonight we saw Taze Thompson getting physical along the wall and in front of the net, Abela was hunting the puck all 200 feet and was relentless on the fore-check and Irving was playing with physicality and pace. And The Nailgun Line? Those 3 beauties are like The Knoll Disciples. Leadership comes in all forms.
Up next is The Beanpot Championship vs. BU at the TD Garden and then a pair vs. Merrimack next weekend. Hope to see you!
You can read more about Brownie down below or follow him on:
Twitter: @abrow28
IG/Threads: @a_brow28
The Morning Skate 