Your Northeastern Huskies took their talents (including vlogging – who knew?) up past White River Junction for a pair vs. the University of Vermont Catamounts this past weekend. The Huskies only played about 15mins of hockey Friday night and dropped the first game 3-2, but they left on a high note, winning 3-1 on Saturday and heading home with the regular season wrapped up.
Look, Friday night was a C+ effort and I think they should burn the game film. Were there some notables from the game? Sure thing, let’s talk about that before getting into Saturday’s game.
Mattie Robitzer came in for relief of Lisa Jönsson Friday midway through the 2nd and played well enough to earn herself a start in Saturday’s tilt. Robi looked good in both games. She was squared up to shooters, she tracked the puck very well and looked fluid with her side to side movements. Nice work from the Saboteur.
Secondly, friend of the podcast Skylar Irving continued her relentless points acquisition. The Mayor of Kingston dragged the Huskies within a goal in the 3rd Friday, but it proved too little too late. Still, Skirvs showed off her skating and hands as she carried this one down the LW and tucked it home far side.
And lastly, I’d be remiss to not mention the OG, Lily Brazis. Not only did The Nailgun cash in on Taze Thompson‘s rebound, but she did so playing in her 100th career NCAA game. Big players excel in big moments and Brazis fits that bill. What a beautician.
On Saturday, the lines were put into a blender a bit as Coach Carp played mixologist. Lily Shannon and Ella Blackmore swapped spots in the top 6 with the Honey Badger getting a spin with Irving and Jaden Bogden. The Brazis line saw Holly Abela move onto the wing and The Munchkin Line got Molly Griffin riding in Morgan Jackson‘s slot. I mean no offense to Griffin, but she’s not upsetting the status quo with her height on that line.
The pace was better than Friday’s game as the Huskies looked as if they were committed to playing the whole 60 this time around. It was Senior Night for the Catamounts and Gutterson Fieldhouse had a lively crowd for the matinee. Maybe the upset Friday night got the student body engaged a bit?
The sides entered the first intermission knotted at gooses but there were chances at both ends thanks to a steady stream of trips to the box by both sides (3 combined penalties in the first vs. 5 combined for Friday’s entire game). No matter who had the busier opening period, both Robitzer and Sidney Correa in the UVM net were out on top of their creases and proved unsolvable for the opening frame. However, as good as they both looked in net I’d have to give the sartorial edge to Robi in the red tarps. I’m not a jersey guy, but those sweaters are sweet.
Early in the 2nd, UVM got on the board with a power play goal from Natalie Zarcone. UVM worked the puck down low and Robitzer shut the door on the original bid at her right post. In a bit of a goalmouth scramble the puck was cleared to the left point and Ashley Kokavec fed Zarcone dropping down the slot and her shot beat Robitzer glove side as she scrambled back into position.
The sides retired for the 2nd intermission with the Huskies still trailing by a goal despite putting the hammer down in the closing minutes of the second. I don’t profess to know the mind of a D1 athlete, but it had to be creeping into the back of the Huskies heads what the bus ride home would be like if they dropped a 2nd straight.
Thankfully it didn’t take long for the Huskies to tie this one up in the final frame.
Lily Shannon converted an Éloïse Caron feed from behind the UVM net. Taylor Guarino put the puck on net from the left point and the puck skipped wide to Caron in the RW corner. Elo laid the blind backhand pass to the slot where Shannon was camped and she punched it home. Tie game.
And then, just 27 seconds later The Captain notched the game-winner. Lily Yovetich put the puck across to Tory Mariano who put the puck on net from the left point. With Abela and Brazis causing havoc at the blue paint, the puck popped to Taze Thompson gliding in from the slot and she put it in the open side for the go ahead. Say it with me: Good things happen when you go to the net. I feel bad for the fans that were getting popcorn during that sequence, you missed it.
A late power play for the Huskies was setup to put this one away, but UIVM had different ideas. With just a few seconds left on the man-advantage, Rose-Marie Brochu poked the puck away and broke in on Robitzer. Brochu moved right to left looking for an opening, but Robitzer stayed with her to deny the bid and keep NU ahead. No clip of the save? No problem Robi – I got you.
UVM pulled Correa with just under 2 minutes to play for the extra attacker. That’s when Irving salted this one away with the ENG. Yovetich corralled the puck in her own zone and found Bogden up the wall on the left side in her own end. Bogden (probably) said that she’s had enough of empty-netters and opted to push the puck ahead to Irving who got to the UVM blue line and sent home the dagger. Again, no clip but Brownie to the rescue.
When the final horn sounded, that signaled the end of the Huskies regular season. Up next is the Hockey East playoffs which means a trip to Providence College next Saturday night. Think the Huskies would like that weekend between the Beanpot games vs PC back? Well ladies, you’ll get your chance to rectify those games Saturday night at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
Some observations from the couch:
- Gotta love Jules Constantinople. Takes one off the dome on the bench and then, like she’s in the outfield at Wrigley, she tosses the puck back onto the sheet. And then on her next shift, she blows up a linesman at the UVM blue line. Classic.
- Way to go Mattie Robitzer! First NCAA victory, Hope they gave you the puck!
- Quick stick taps to Molly Griffin and Mia Langlois for being the extra forwards. You never know when the call will come, you don’t know which line you’ll skate with and you have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Not too many players can check their egos and take on that role so shout out to you both. And no, sadly still no nickname for Langlois.
- And lastly, again I’d like to point out the inequities in the men’s and women’s game. Do you think that the a NCAA D1 men’s game would NOT show the power play time on the broadcast? What the hell are we doing here? Do these athletes not deserve the same level of coverage and competence as their male counterparts? Be better. On our recent Beanpot wrap up podcast we talked about the difference in support, coverage and MONEY put into the men’s and women’s game and we had none other than Lily Yovetich to come on and talk about her experiences along her hockey journey. Check it out below. And also, if you’re reading this, you def enjoy the women’s game so keep an eye out for a new podcast that I’m getting going with Linda Lundrigan and Kelly Dyer Hayes (watch your feet cause I’m dropping some names) we’re going to cover the women’s game on a (hopefully) weekly basis. Breaking the Glass Hockey Podcast coming to you soon!
Here’s the Beanpot podcast featuring Yovetich:
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