CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - A first-period goal from junior Taze Thompson was all the No. 15 Northeastern women's hockey team (13-9-1, 8-7-1 HE) needed to beat the Harvard Crimson (3-14-1, 1-11-1 ECAC) 1-0 in the first round of the 2024 Dunkin' Women's Beanpot at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center Tuesday night.
With the win, the Huskies advance to the Beanpot final next Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. at TD Garden. NU, the reigning champion and leader in Beanpot titles, will play for its 19th win in the 45-year-old tournament against Boston University, who won the first semifinal in a shootout after a 3-3 tie with Boston College.
Senior goaltender Gwyneth Philips earned the shutout in net with nine saves, marking her 21st career shutout and moving into second place on the Huskies' career shutout leaderboard.
- Thompson opened the scoring against her former team, winning a physical battle in front and tipping in a shot from junior Tory Mariano on the power play to make it 1-0 at 11:42. It was her ninth goal of the season, a career high for the Sherwood Park, Alberta native.
- Sophomore Lily Shannon earned the second assist after cycling the puck around to Mariano at the blue line.
- At the end of the first period, the Huskies had the lead in shots 11-4 and had dominated play for most of the period, with just the one tally between both teams.
- While the second was a scoreless affair, it was anything but quiet. Freshman Ella Blackmore almost scored on multiple chances and the Huskies again outshot Harvard, this time 14-4, but nothing found the twine.
- Nothing changed in the third, as the Huskies fended off a 6-on-5 from the Crimson and held on for the win.
The Huskies have a week before the Beanpot championship, but will play New Hampshire Friday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. in Matthews Arena.
