March 3, 2011

Top-seeded Boston University will host the WHEA Championships this weekend

No. 5 seed Northeastern vs. No. 1 Boston University (Sat. at 12pm, Walter Brown Arena)

- The Terriers 4-2 all-time in the Hockey East playoffs, as the defending champions and it marks their first appearance as tournament's No. 1 overall seed.

- The No. 1 seed is 13-2 all-time and 7-1 in the Semi-final round of the playoffs.

- BU and Northeastern have met once previously in the WHEA Tournament, a 2009 quarterfinal meeting, which the Terriers won, 2-1.

- Northeastern defeated Connecticut in the Quarterfinals to advance to this Semi-final round against BU.

- Last week, Northeastern had two players record three point games against UConn. Sophomore forward Rachel Llanes tallied three assists, while sophomore forward Casey Pickett tallied two goals and an assist.

No. 3 seed Providence College vs. No. 2 Boston College (Sat. at 3pm, Walter Brown Arena)

- BC and PC have met three previous times in the WHEA Tournament, all in semifinal play in consecutive years from 2005 to 2007. The Friars were victorious in the most recently playoff meeting in 2007, by a 3-2 score. Providence owns a 2-1 record vs. BC in tournament play.

- PC is the only team in league history to play in the semifinal round in all nine years of the tournament.

- The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds have split eight all-time meetings vs. each other all-time in the tournament.

- BC is 2-5 in the tournament all-time and Providence is 10-5.

- PC's Genevieve Lacasse's 132 career saves in the tournament rank second all-time to Jana Budgen's (PC) 164 stops.

- Providence defeated Maine, 5-2, in the quarterfinals to advance to this semifinal game against BC.

- Providence senior forward Laura Verhanta had two goals last week against Maine.

WHEA NOTES

- Providence College won the first three WHEA Tournament Championships (2003, 2004, 2005), New Hampshire then won four straight league tournament titles (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and followed most recently by Boston University's first title in school history in March of 2010.

- The WHEA Championship Game will be played on Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. The game will be tape delayed on the New England Sports Network (NESN) at 4 p.m., following NESN's Boston Red Sox baseball coverage. Both WHEA semifinals games will be broadcast live on the internet by Pack Network at www.hockeyeastonline.tv. Games will be sold on an individual basis for $7.95.

- Tickets for the 2011 Women's Hockey East Championship are on sale now. Tickets for the semifinals and Championship are $5 for adults, $3 for BU faculty/staff, senior citizens, children, students and $2 group rate (10 or more). Students with a valid identification from any WHEA school get in free. To purchase group tickets call 617-358-7016. Tickets can be purchased in person at Agganis Arena, at Walter Brown Arena on game day, and through www.Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets and via phone 800-745-3000.