HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES
#1 Northeastern and #6 Vermont will meet in the Hockey East Semifinals for the first time ever Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. The Huskies have defeated the Catamounts in all five of their prior postseason meetings, all coming in the quarterfinals.
Vermont returns to the semifinals for the third time in the last five seasons and is seeking its first appearance in the championship game, falling in each of its four previous semifinal contests.
Northeastern has moved on to the title game in each of the last nine seasons, including a run of six-straight championships from 2018-23. The Huskies’ six Bertagna Trophies are tied for the most in Hockey East Women’s Tournament history.
#2 UConn and #4 Holy Cross will meet for just the second time in the postseason Tuesday night in the semifinals after a 4-2 UConn victory in the 2024 quarterfinals. UConn went on to claim the Bertagna Trophy for the first time that year. The Huskies have reached the title game six times previously, including 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, each time playing against Northeastern. This is Holy Cross’s first semifinal appearance.
Hockey East announced finalists for three major awards yesterday.
Coach of the Year finalists are Dave Flint (Northeastern), Katie
Lachapelle (Holy Cross), and Hilary Witt (New Hampshire). Pro
Ambitions Rookie of the Year finalists include Nina Rossi (New
Hampshire), Ava Thomas (Boston College), and Stryker Zablocki (Northeastern) and in the running for Player of the Year are Tia Chan (UConn), Thomas, and Zablocki.
BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sydney Healey -
Boston University
Claire Murdoch - UConn
Sydney Healey (Sr., F; Arthur, Ont.) scored three times for BU in two Hockey East Tournament games, including the first two Terriers’ goals in a 3-0 Opening Round win over Providence. She then lit the lamp for BU in a 2-1 double overtime setback to Northeastern in the quarterfinals. Her goal against the Huskies came unassisted and shorthanded. She finished her season with a career-high 29 points.
Claire Murdoch (So., F; Toronto, Ont.)
tied for the Hockey East lead with four points on a goal and three assists to help UConn to a 6-1 quarterfinal victory over Maine. The sophomore now has nine points in her last three games, including five goals.
PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Emy McDermid - Northeastern
Emy McDermid (Fr., F; Airdrie, Alta.) scored the game-winning goal
in double overtime against Boston University to send Northeastern
to the Hockey East semifinals. The goal marked McDermid’s first
career game-winning goal and second career goal.
ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Callista Printz - New Hampshire
Callista Printz (So., D; Buffalo, N.Y.) led all blueliners nationally in
points per game, scoring one goal and adding three assists in New
Hampshire’s 5-4 setback to Holy Cross. She added one block and
was a plus-two in the game
STOP IT GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Ellie Simmons - Vermont
Ellie Simmons (Jr., G; Buffalo, N.Y.) made 37 saves, two shy of her
career high, on 38 shots in a 3-1 victory at third-seed Boston College, securing a road win over the Eagles to backbone the Catamounts to their fifth-ever Hockey East semifinal appearance. She
made six stops while her team was shorthanded.
HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS
Maeve Kelly, BU (Sr., D; Victoria, Minn.) Had two assists in a 3-0 shutout of Providence in the Opening Round, blocking three shots and finishing with a plus-three rating. She blocked five shots in two tournament games.
Mari Pietersen, BU (Jr., Goodwood, Ont.) Posted her fourth career shutout, making 20 saves in the Opening Round against Providence. She them made 34 stops in a double overtime quarterfinal game against North- eastern.
Jules Constantinople, NU (Sr., D; East Haven, Conn.) Handed out an assist and tied her season-high with seven blocks in a 2-1 double overtime win over Boston University.
Lisa Jonsson, NU (So., G; Stockholm, Sweden) Posted 39 saves with a .975 save percentage and 0.74 goals against average against BU to backstop the Huskies to another Hockey East Semifinals appearance. Jönsson posted the most saves of any winning goaltender in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.
Julia Mesplede, UVM (Sr., F; Bordeaux, France) Had two points (1g, 1a) with five shots on goal in a 3-1 win at Boston College in an quarterfinal upset of the Eagles.
Makena Lloyd-Howe, UVM (Fr., F; Tumbler Ridge, B.C.) Dished out her fourth assist of the season in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Boston College.
