Women's Hockey East Weekend Preview
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Providence College hosts a pair of Women's Hockey East games this weekend

No. 5 Boston College vs. UConn - Fri. 10/28 at UConn, Sat. 10/29 at Boston College

- After going 1-0-1 against No. 3 Quinnipiac last weekend, earning a 0-0 draw at home and a 4-1 road win, the Eagles turn to another home-and-home with the UConn Huskies

- UConn is coming off their own 1-0-1 weekend, taking a 4-2 win and a scoreless tie from Penn State, including its first home win of the season on Saturday. This marks the Huskies' first Hockey East matchup of the season.

- Boston College freshman forward Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass.) had a three-point game on Saturday with a goal and two assists, while sophomore forward Makenna Newkirk (Scottsdale, Ari.) notched her second goal of the season in a 4-1 win at Quinnipiac. Newkirk's marker proved to be the game-winner.

- Eagles goaltender Katie Burt (Lynn, Mass.) kicked out 40 shots in the two-game series against the Bobcats, including 17 in the win on Saturday. Burt has backboned BC to the top spot for goals allowed per game among Hockey East teams with a 1.50 mark through four games.

- UConn junior goaltender Annie Belanger (Sherbrooke, Ont.) racked up 39 saves in a 0-0 stalemate with Penn State, bringing her total to 153 on the season to go along with a .956 save percentage. Junior defenseman Leah Lum (Richmond, B.C.) tallied another two goals Saturday, including the game-winner, giving her four strikes over the last three games.

- Last year, Boston College swept the season series against UConn, outscoring the Huskies 13 to 4 in three games.


Northeastern vs. Merrimack - Fri. 10/28 at Northeastern

- Northeastern enters the final weekend of October riding a seven-game undefeated streak, going 6-0-1 since October 7, including two wins against Boston University, taking 6-2 and 4-3 decisions in a pair of Tuesday night tilts.

- After starting the season with a six-game road stretch, going 2-4-0, Merrimack took a 1-0-1 weekend at home against Robert Morris. The Warriors head back out for a quick one-game road game at Northeastern before returning home for three straight.

- Northeastern sophomore goaltender Brittany Bugalski (Boynton Beach, Fla.) picked up where she left off last season with more impressive play; through eight games she has a .940 save percentage with 204 saves and three shutouts.

- Huskies junior forward Shelby Herrington (Bow, N.H.) had a two-goal outing in the first game against the Terriers on October 18 while classmate and fellow forward McKenna Brand (Nevis, Minn.) burst for her own two-goal performance at BU on October 25.

- Merrimack heads into Matthews Arena boasting sophomore forward Katelyn Rae (Courtice, Ont.), who leads all Hockey East skaters with eight goals in eight games played. Four of those goals have come on power plays. Sophomore forward Jessica Bonfe (Woodbury, Minn.) also notched a goal in each game last weekend to give her five on the season.

- Sophomore goaltender Samantha Ridgewell (Outlook, Sask.) saw her first action of the season against Robert Morris on October 22, making 28 saves in a 3-3 draw.

- Northeastern swept Merrimack last season, outscoring the Warriors 19 to 4 across three games


Providence vs. Maine/Merrimack - Fri. 10/28, Sat. 10/29 at Providence

- Providence faces its first Hockey East opponent since opening the season against Boston University on September 25, a 5-2 loss to the Terriers. Last weekend the Friars dropped both games against Princeton, 4-2 and 7-3, to run their record to 3-5-0 on the season.

- After a weekend off, Maine continues its stretch of 11 consecutive Hockey East foes. The Black Bears' last game came on October 15 in a 3-2 win over Boston College, putting an end to the Eagles' conference undefeated streak at 52-games, a run that dated back to February 2014.

- Senior forward Cassidy Carels (Bruxelles, Man.) and sophomore forward Christina Putigna (Grimsby, Ont.) lead the Friars in points with 10 and seven, respectively, and each added a goal in the series against Princeton.

- Senior goaltender Alanna Serviss (Chicago, Ill.) has started in net the past three games for the Friars and has compiled a 1-2-0 record while making 81 saves.

- Maine freshman forward Tereza Vanisova (Strakonice, Czech Republic) has racked up four points in the last three games (2g, 2a), and leads the team with seven points on the season (4g, 3a). She is followed closely by fellow freshman forward Vendula Pribylova (Olomouc, Czech Republic) who has five points of her own (1g, 4a).

- In goal, Carly Jackson (Amherst, N.S.) pushed out 28 saves to help Maine secure the win against Boston College. She has 174 stops on the season with a .911 save percentage in seven games played.

- Last year the Black Bears edged the Friars in the season series, going 2-1-0.

- On Saturday, Providence will take on Merrimack, whom the Friars had a 2-0-1 record against last season


Vermont vs. UNH/Maine - Fri. 10/28 at UNH, Sun. 10/30 at Maine

- Vermont comes into this all-conference weekend having won its only Hockey East game played this season, defeating then-No. 9 BU back on October 9. Last weekend the Catamounts were swept by St. Lawrence in a home-and-home, 3-1 and 2-1.

- Vermont freshman forward Eve-Audrey Picard (Longueuil, Que.) and junior forward Kourtney Menches (Greer, S.C.) were the lone goal scorers each night, Picard scoring in the third period of game one to avoid the shutout, and Menches scoring in the first period of game two to put Vermont ahead.

- Catamounts senior goaltender Madison Litchfield (Williston, Vt.) got her second start of the season on Saturday, tallying 25 stops on 27 shots. As a team, Vermont has allowed just 2.17 goals per game over six games.

- UNH is 1-7-0 overall on the season, dropping both games to Clarkson last weekend. The Wildcats' lone win came in conference play on October 15, downing Merrimack, 6-2.

- Wildcats senior forward Jonna Curtis (Elk River, Minn.) continues to lead her team in points (5g, 3a), adding a goal and an assist against Clarkson.

- The Wildcats split goaltenders in the Clarkson series with sophomores Kyra Smith (Littleton, Col.) and Hilary Cashin (Fredericton, N.B.) each starting a game. Smith saved 32 pucks in a 3-1 loss while Cashin stopped 41 in another 3-1 loss, the first 40-plus save outing for a UNH goaltender since February 2015.

- Vermont took the season series against UNH last season 2-1-0.

- Vermont travels to Maine for the lone Sunday game this weekend, last year Vermont was undefeated against Maine going 2-0-1.