- Three-Way Tie for Fourth Place Entering Final Two Weeks of Play
- Litchfield Sets Vermont Program Record for Career Wins
- Deraney, Crowley Close in on All-Time League Wins Record
AROUND HOCKEY EAST: The Boston College Eagles secured their fourth consecutive Women's Hockey East regular season title last week by earning a point in a 4-4 tie with UConn ... The Women's Beanpot concludes tomorrow at Northeastern as the Boston College Eagles and Northeastern Huskies battle for the 39th annual championship title. Last Tuesday, Eagles rookie Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass.) scored with just 2:48 remaining to lift her squad, 3-2, over the Terriers and into the Beanpot final. In the second contest, Northeastern used two goals from senior Paige Savage (Johns Creek, Ga.) and a goal and an assist from junior Halle Silva (Acushnet, Mass.) to top Harvard, 4-1 ... Later in the week, Boston College faced off with UConn as the Huskies battled to secure a playoff position. UConn jumped out to 3-0 and 4-1 leads by way of four different goal scorers, but three-point evenings from junior Megan Keller (Farmington Hills, Mich.) and sophomore Makenna Newkirk (Scottsdale, Ariz.) gave the Eagles a 4-4 draw. After earning a point Friday, the Huskies traveled to Providence Sunday and earned a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Catherine Crawley (Washingtonville, N.Y.) and Marisa Maccario (Marblehead, Mass.). The win locked in a playoff position for head coach Chris Mackenize's squad ... Providence took on Northeastern Friday in Boston, taking the Huskies into overtime after a third-period goal from junior Madison Sansone (Lockport, N.Y.) locked the game at three goals apiece. Northeastern escaped with the win and two points in league play when junior Lauren Kelly (Watertown, Mass.) found the back of the net 1:07 into the extra frame ... In the most meaningful series of the weekend, Merrimack and Maine split a two-game set in North Andover as the Warriors and Black Bears battle for the final playoff position in the Women's Hockey East Tournament as the two teams are separated by just one point with three games remaining for each team. Friday's contest saw a program-record seven goals from the Warriors in a 7-2 win, including six different goal scorers and two markers from sophomore Allison Sexton (Stonewall, Man.). Maine bounced back the next night with a 5-3 win, led by senior captain Emilie Brigham's (Anoka, Minn.) two goals and an assist despite a hat trick by Merrimack sophomore Katelyn Rae (Courtice, Ont.) ... Vermont took three of four points from New Hampshire in a two-game set in Burlington that saw Vermont draw the largest crowd for a regular-season game in Women's Hockey East history, as 2,136 spectators witnessed Friday's 3-3 overtime thriller. The Catamounts jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to two assists from Rachael Ade (Davenport, Fla.), but a goal and an assist from New Hampshire's Jonna Curtis (Elk River, Minn.) two helpers from Carlee Toews (Grand Prairie, Alta.) pushed the game to a 3-3 stalemate. Curtis scored the shorthanded, game-tying goal with just 3:54 remaining in the contest. The next night, Vermont senior netminder Madison Litchfield (Williston, Vt.) made 37 saves in a 3-1 win to become the Catamounts' alltime wins leader in program history, earning her 29th career victory with Vermont.
Makenna Newkirk (Scottsdale, Ariz.) paced all Women's Hockey East skaters with six points (3g, 3a) last week through two outings. In Tuesday's Beanpot semifinal, she scored twice and set up the decisive tally in a 3-2 win before adding a goal and two more helpers in a 4-4 tie Friday.
Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass.) had two points (1g, 1a), including the game-winning goal in the opening round of her first Women's Beanpot. She also tallied a goal in a comeback tie against UConn on Friday, securing the fourth consecutive WHEA regular-season title for the Eagles in the process.
Madison Litchfield (Williston, Vt.) set a Vermont program record with her 29th career win in net, a 37-save performance on Saturday in a 3-1 team victory. The senior backstop made 58 stops over two games, helping lift her Catamounts squad into third place in the Women's Hockey East standings. She currently sits first in league save percentage (.943) and second in goals against average (1.63).
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Megan Keller, BC (Jr., D; Farmington Hills, Mich.) Picked up four points with one goal and three assists including a 1-2-3 line in the Beanpot Tuesday as BC defeated BU, 3-2.
Leah Lum, UConn (Jr., F; Richmond, B.C.) Helped UConn to a 1-0-1 weekend record with three points (1g, 2a).
Annie Belanger, UConn (Jr., G; Sherbrooke, Que.) Had 62 saves in two starts on the weekend. She kicked out 35 shots on Feb. 3 against BC in a 4-4 tie and made 27 saves on Feb. 5 to earn a 2-1 win at Providence.
Catherine Crawley, UConn (Fr., F; Washingtonville, N.Y.) Finished the weekend with two goals and one assist, including UConn's opening goal in a 2-1 win over Providence.
McKenna Brand, NU (Jr., F; Nevis, Minn.) Extended her lead in the national goal-scoring rankings with her 22nd and 23rd tallies of the season. She netted one in the Beanpot semifinal win against Harvard and one in a WHEA contest against Providence on Feb. 3.
Lauren Kelly, NU (Jr., D; Watertown, Mass.) Scored the OT winner on NU's senior day to give the Huskies a 4-3 victory over Providence.
Rachael Ade, UVM (Sr., D; Davenport, Fla.) Netted the decisive tally on Feb. 4 over UNH, giving Vermont sole possession of third place in the Women's Hockey East standings with 22 points. The Catamounts sit two points ahead of the next closest programs with four games to go.
Eve-Audrey Picard, UVM (Fr., F; Longueuil, Que.) Earned a three-point weekend with one goal and two helpers in a three-point weekend for her team.