Your Northeastern Huskies traveled out of town this afternoon to take on the Boston College Eagles at Conte Forum in the first of a home and home series. Can I digress for a minute? The Friday ahead of school vacation here in the Commonwealth and Hockey East rolls out a 2pm puck drop? Are you trying to get me (A) divorced or (B) kicked off this remodel job? The powers that be at Hockey East HQ are def not working with me, that’s for sure. All good though, (thanks to ESPN+) as I was able to watch the game on delay; and as I always say, nothing better than beating BC. Today it took a little extra time, but the Huskies got it done 3-2 in OT.
In net for BC was Grace Campbell and squaring up roughly 188ft away was Godzilla Thanos Gwyneth Philips. Oh you remember Gwyn don’t you Nicole? That’s Gwyn with a captital G that stands for Goalie as in The reigning Netminder of the Year (and already named a finalist this year). That’s the same ‘tendy rocking a .952% save percentage and a 1.20 GAA. But Brownie, there’s 2 other goalies with numbers ahead of Philips. Yup, I see your false equivalency and I’ll raise you some facts: Philips has 15 more GP than the 2 players ahead of her. Do you know how much hockey that is? Some goalies play 15 games in an ENTIRE SEASON. Keep your gaslighting away from the Great Wall of Philips you Midwest biased pigeon.
(And the clip below wasn’t even her best save of the first.)
The teams were skating fairly evenly with chances at both ends. BC was doing their best to keep NU on the perimeter in the offensive zone and NU was making sure that BC had no long setups in their own end. This made for a fairly fast first period with up and down action. The goalies were the story of the opening frame, as the sides skated to the horn knotted at gooses. Maybe it’s those dynamic red sweaters, (especially compared to the mustard brown? baby poop? colored jerseys the Eagles were wearing), but the Huskies seemed to have more jump.
The Huskies dominated play for the most part in the middle frame, winning puck battles and with a greater time of possession. As the period wound down, the squad had some trouble working the puck out of their own zone; and Philips was called on to bail them out late with a 10-bell save on the split.
A late trip call on Abby Newhook put the Huskies on the woman-advantage with under 5mins left to play and that’s when Katy Knoll decided to do a Katy Knoll thing. Knoll gained the BC zone and after a back and forth with Jules Constantinople up top, she found Meg Carter at the far point. The Captain dished to Constantinople at the top of the umbrella and she laid it right in The Premier Power Forward in Women’s Hockey Today’s wheelhouse for the 1-T clapper from the top of the LW circle. Far side, under the bar and over the glove: 1-0 Huskies. We’ve been warning you to not let Knoll get hot.
With Carter in the box late in the period (not a major, happy to say Stripes got this one correct), BC looked as if they scored, but the goal was immediately waived off. The BC bench challenged the play, and credit to them, they got it right. The puck came in high on Philips from the point and got knocked down with a high stick. However, the puck went off Philips to the ice and Constantinople tried to either push it back to Philips or knock it to the end boards. Unfortunately for Constantinople, the puck trickled inside the left post and across the goal line. Upon review, the goal was good as the refs determined that Constantinople had possession? Tough one to swallow, and I’m guessing Constantinople now owes Philips a burrito.
In the final frame, NU was heavy on the fore-check and winning most puck battles. The Nailgun Line was especially effective as The Honey Badger Ella Blackmore along with The OG Lily Brazis and Ms. No Nickname Mia Langlois all were dominant down low in the BC end and busting back on D all night (and at one point Brazis played D barehanded). I have admitted that these beauticians are my favorite line to watch, but you cannot deny that you notice them every single time they are on the ice together.
With 3:30ish left in regulation Peyton Compton broke in alone and was denied by Campbell. The puck came out and was fed into the NU zone. Philips came out of her net to bank it off the sidewall and initiate NU back up the ice. In an occurrence as common as a lottery win, Philips fanned on the puck and it trickled through her and Julia Pellerin was there to tuck it into the open net. That goal was more fluky than the first BC goal and I have to ask….. have The Hockey Gods forsaken our Huskies????
With 1:22 the Huskies got Philips to the bench for Taze Thompson to come on as the extra attacker. Thompson hopped on the ice and drove straight down the slot and put a heavy wrister on net. Campbell made the initial save, but the puck rebounded all the way to the left point for Carter to walk into. Clapbomb, up high, far side: Tie game.
In the extra time, the first NU possession was when Philips shut the door on Jade Arnon’s bid from the slot. But after that? All Huskies. A huge face-off win to Philips’ right by Thompson led to Peyton Anderson carrying the puck up the left side of the ice into the BC zone. With her head up the whole way, The Matrix drew the defender into Campbell’s line of sight and let a drag-snap go from the top of the LW circle. You know where it went: far side over the glove under the bar. Keep the change. Great net drive by Thompson on the GWG.
Some thoughts from the couch:
- Great D by Jules Constantinople in the first while on the power play. BC broke in clean with a shorthanded bid and Constantinople came across and picked the puck clean without taking a penalty. Great heads up D today to go along with her 2 apples.
- Speaking of PP: Did my eyes see The Nailgun Line out there for some PP minutes? That’s a Texas-sized 10-4. You’re going to put those 3 beauties out there against only 4 defenders???? That’s going to be a problem for just about everyone NU faces.
- Great footrace won by Lily Yovetich with about 6min left in the 2nd as she turned and beat the BC player back into the NU zone and got the puck up and out of the zone, thwarting a BC bid with the game still scoreless. In true Yovetich style, she managed to chop the stick out of the BC player’s hands without a call. No whistle means no penalty.
- Watch out now, but Taze Thompson has gone 3-4-7 over her last 6GP and won the biggest face-off of the game today.
- The Mayor of Kingston may have been held off the scoresheet today, but she’s been wheeling the last week or so. I’m calling it now: Skylar Irving has a big impact on tomorrow’s game vs, BC. No pressure Skirvs, but I’m thinking 1-2-3 in the matinee.
- You might not believe me, but I said to my daughter when we were watching the game that Peyton Anderson had some jump today. No surprise that she got the game winner.
- Tory Mariano and Kristina Allard had their skating legs going as they both were jumping into the offensive zone in the third. At one point, Mariano dropped the puck to Allard deep in the LW corner. Not sure Coach Berm loved that play, but I like the aggressiveness.
- Lily Shannon went 4 for 5 at the dot today, Just pointing that out. Watch out for Shannon, she’s a playoff player.
Up next for the Huskies is the 2nd half of the home and home when the BC Eagles visit Historic Matthews Arena for a 2pm puck drop tomorrow. Hope to see you there!
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