PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's ice hockey team recorded a 3-1 loss on Saturday, Feb. 8 against the Northeastern University Huskies at Schneider Arena. With the loss, the Friars record fell to 11-19-0 overall and 6-11-0 in Hockey East on the season, while the Huskies extended their win streak to seven games.
The game marked the last time that the Huskies and Friars will meet in the regular season, as Northeastern won the season series, with a 2-1-0 record against Providence.
At the end of the first period, the Friars and the Huskies were scoreless. Providence outshot Northeastern 15-12 in the period, including 3-2 while on the power play.
Up until the final minute of play in the second period, the game remained scoreless. Kelly Wallace broke the even score in Northeastern's favor at 19:40 of the second period. Wallace's 17th goal of the year was scored from outside the face-off circle to the left of Providence sophomore goaltender Sarah Bryant (Bethlehem, Pa.). Tori Hickel assisted on the goal by feeding Wallace to set her up for a rush up the ice.
Northeastern extended their lead to 2-0 at 3:36 of the third period. Hayley Scamurra scored the goal that would turn out to be the game winner for the Huskies. Scamurra's fifth goal of the season came from the slot as she was set up on the play by Heather Mottau, who registered the only assist on the game winning goal.
Sophomore Molly Illikainen (Grand Rapirds, Minn.) cut the Friars deficit in half at 6:34 of the final period of play when she notched her sixth goal of the season. Illikainen sent a pass from behind the net to her line mates junior Beth Hanrahan (Poolesville, Md.) and freshman Cassidy Carels (Bruxelles, Manitoba), who tried to get the puck past Northeastern netminder Chloe Desjardins from right outside the goal crease. Illikainen found the loose puck on the opposite side of the scramble and tapped it into the open net to make the score 2-1.
The Friars effort to tie up the game in the final minutes fell short when Colleen Murphy scored an empty net goal for the Huskies as Bryant was on the Friars bench in favor of the extra skater. The goal was scored at 19:47 as Northeastern sealed the 3-1 win.
Providence finished the game outshooting the Huskies, 30-23. Bryant made 20 saves for the Friars in the loss, as she allowed two goals. Desjardins stopped 29 of the 30 shots she faced for the Northeastern win.
The Friars will play a home-and-home series against Boston University next weekend, beginning with a 3:00 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Agganis Arena in Boston, Mass. The two teams will conclude the weekend match-up on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 p.m. at Schneider Arena. The Friars' game on Sunday will be their annual Skating Strides Against Breast Cancer game.