HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

The 2022-23 season began in earnest last weekend with four Hockey East programs picking up non-conference wins and an additional four teams claiming victory in exhibition play.

Boston College earned a 4-1 win over Franklin Pierce thanks in part to Hannah Bilka’s two-point (1g, 1a) outing. Abigail Levy finished with 17 saves in BC’s season-opening win, including nine in the second period alone. She tallied her 3,000th career save with her 15th stop of the contest.

Providence split a weekend series against St. Lawrence. Freshman forward Reichen Kirchmair made her collegiate debut with a bang, scoring the overtime dagger in Friday night’s 3-2 win for her first NCAA tally.

New Hampshire took a split series against Union, riding 25 saves from Nicky Harnett to a 5-2 win on Saturday. Harnett stopped all 15 shots in the third period to hold off the pressing Dutchwomen and secure the win.

UConn swept a weekend series over RIT, claiming a 3-0 win on Friday and a 3-2 win on Saturday. Tia Chan and Camryn Wong returned from a year with Team China for the Olympics to pitch a 30-save shutout and score the game-winning goal, respectively, on Friday.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Hannah Bilka - Boston College

Hannah Bilka (Sr., F; Coppell, Texas) Tallied one goal and one assist and a game-high seven shots on goal in BC’s season-opening win over Franklin Pierce. It was her 23rd career multi-point game and she picked up her 50th career assist, just the 30th player in BC history to do so. She finished as a plus-two on the game.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Reichen Kirchmair - Providence

Reichen Kirchmair (Fr., F; Oakville, Ont.) Totaled two points this past weekend, a goal and an assist. Reichen scored her first career goal on Friday night, an overtime tally to lift the Friars over St. Lawrence, 3-2

HOCKEY EAST DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Emily Rickwood - New Hampshire

Emily Rickwood (Gr., D; Brantford, Ont.) Recorded a goal and eight blocked shots in UNH’s split weekend with Union. In Saturday’s game, she carried the puck from the defensive blue line into the attack zone before wristing a shot into the cage to give UNH a 1-0 lead just 62 seconds into the game. She finished that game with two blocked shots and an even rating. In Friday’s season opener, Rickwood led all skaters with six blocks.

HOCKEY EAST GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Nicky Harnett - New Hampshire

Nicky Harnett, UNH (Sr., G; Plymouth, Mass.) Made 25 saves to backbone UNH to a 5-2 victory against Union College on Sept. 24. She stopped all 15 shots in the third period to keep the Dutchwomen at arm’s length and finish with a .926 save percentage. She went 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .926 save percentage.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Kate Ham, BC (Fr., F; Hingham, Mass.) Scored the game-winning goal and the first goal of her career in BC’s season-opening win over Franklin Pierce. She registered two shots on goal and one blocked shot. C

Cayla Barnes, BC (Sr., D; Eastvale, Calif.) Tallied one goal and one assist and three shots on goal in BC’s season-opening win over Franklin Pierce on Saturday.

Abigail Levy, BC (Gr., G; Congers, N.Y.) Finished with 17 saves in BC’s season-opening win over Franklin Pierce, including nine in the second period alone. She tallied her 3,000th career save with her 15th stop of the contest.

Ida Kuoppala, ME (Sr., F: Pedersore, Finland) Scored Maine’s first goal of the game against Quinnipiac on Friday and set up the Black Bears’ second goal for a two-point outing.

Brianna Brooks, UNH (Jr., F; Whitby, Ont.) Tallied a team-high three points in a weekend split against Union. She recorded an assist in the season-opener and then matched her personal bests in both assists and points with two assists in Saturday’s 5-2 victory. Brooks’ other stats included 18 faceoff wins, three shots, one blocked shot and plus-three rating.

Kelly Harty, UNH (Fr., F; Billerica, Mass.) Made her collegiate debut and recorded one assist, two shots and a plus-one rating in UNH’s 5-2 win over Union. Harty earned the assist on UNH’s fourth goal of the game, which gave the Wildcats a 4-0 lead just 22 seconds after scoring the third goal.

Caroline Peterson, PC (Gr., F; East Falmouth, Mass.) Over the opening weekend for the Friars, Peterson had two goals for Providence against St. Lawrence on six shots on goal. She was a crucial piece in the Friars win on Friday, tying the game at 1-1 early in the second period and helping PC to a 3-2 overtime win.

Lara Beecher, UVM (Fr., F; Buffalo, N.Y.) Potted two goals in Vermont’s 6-0 exhibition win over Ottawa.

Maddy Skelton, UVM (Jr., F; Isanti, Minn.) Dished out two assists to help the Catamounts kick off 2022-23 with a 6-0 exhibition victory over Ottawa.