AROUND HOCKEY EAST: #10 Providence climbed to first place in the league standings with a 3-0 win over New Hampshire on Wednesday. Madison Meyers (Colchester, Vt.) pitched a 26-save shutout for the Friars ... #2 Boston College earned just its second regular-season, non-Beanpot win at Harvard Wednesday night, earning an 8-1 victory on the back of Makenna Newkirk's (Scottsdale, Ariz.) three points (2g, 1a). Newkirk extended her point streak to 14 games with the showing, while rookie forward Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont.) dished out a pair of primary assists to increase her national lead in assists (22) and points (37) ... Boston University and Northeastern traveled to Washington, D.C. to compete in a tournament against #1 Wisconsin and Minnesota State. In the tournament's opening day, the Terriers took a 5-2 victory from the Mavericks that saw Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont.) score her second hat trick in as many weeks as part of a four-point outing. In the next game, Northeastern took down the previously undefeated Badgers, 3-2, thanks in part to a career-high 39 saves from freshman backstop Aerin Frankel (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.). It marked just the second time in program history that the Huskies downed the nation's top-ranked team. In the second day, the Terriers fell to Wisconsin, but Bach scored twice in a 4-2 setback. Northeastern emerged with a 2-0-0 record, topping Minnesota State, 6-1 ... Merrimack earned a weekend sweep of Princeton, taking wins over the Tigers by scores of 1-0 and 4-1. Samantha Ridgewell (Outlook, Sask.) got the start in net for each game, stopping a total of 54 of 55 shots over the weekend ... Maine skated to a 1-0-1 weekend against Union on the road. Tereza Vanisova (Strankonice, Czech Republic) earned four points in the two games for the Black Bears, scoring twice in a 3-3 draw on Friday and assisting on both goals in a 2-1 triumph over the Dutchwomen the next day ... UConn hosted the annual Nutmeg Classic tournament, welcoming Penn State alongside in-state rivals Yale and Quinnipiac. In the tournament's opening day, the Huskies' Natalie Snodgrass (Eagan, Minn.) sent her club into the championship game with a shootout-winner. The next day, Snodgrass netted two goals in the title tilt against Quinnipiac. In the standings, UConn earned two ties in the tournament games ... Vermont took a 0-1-1 record out of a two-game stint at home against RIT and Minnesota Duluth at the Windjammer Classic. Amanda Drobot (Churchville, Pa) scored the Catamounts' only goal in the 1-1 stalemate with RIT on Friday.
AERIN FRANKEL - NORTHEASTERN
Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont.) led the NCAA for the second straight week with six points and five goals. She scored a hat trick in a 5-2 win against Minnesota State Friday and both of BU's tallies against #1 Wisconsin in a 4-2 setback.
Aerin Frankel (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) tied a career-high of 39 saves on 41 shots, leading her Huskies over previously undefeated and top-ranked Wisconsin and snapping the Badgers' 16-game win streak. Frankel's day included 30 stops over the final two periods.
Natalie Snodgrass (Eagan, Minn.) helped her UConn Huskies reach the Nutmeg Classic title game for the first time since 2008, scoring the decisive shootout tally against Penn State. In the championship game against Quinnipiac, she scored both goals for UConn in a 2-2 stalemate.
Samantha Ridgewell (Outlook, Sask.) earned a pair of victories for the Merrimack Warriors over the Princeton Tigers. In two outings, Ridgewell kicked out 54 of 55 shots, allowing just one goal and posting her second career shutout in Friday's 1-0 win.
HOCKEY EAST WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Makenna Newkirk, BC (Jr., F; Scottsdale, Ariz.) Scored two goals and added an assist in an 8-1 win over Harvard, extending her point streak to 14 games.
Daryl Watts, BC (Fr., F; Toronto, Ont.) Dished out a pair of primary assists in an 8-1 win over the Crimson. Currently leads the nation in assists (22) and points (37).
Grace Bizal, BC (Jr., D; Minnetonka, Minn.) Registered helpers in both games against the Huskies, surpassing her previous career-high for assists (7) just 13 games into the season.
Victoria Bach, BU (Sr., F; Milton, Ont.) Led the country in goals (5) for the second consecutive week, thanks in part to Friday's hat trick against Minnesota State. She also scored twice against #1 Wisconsin the next day and added an assist for six points on the week.
Jesse Compher, BU (Fr., F; Northbrook, Ill.) Had two helpers, a career high, in Friday's win over the Mavericks and set up the winning goal.
Taylor Wabick, UConn (Fr., D; Winnipeg, Man.) Picked up an assist against Quinnipiac and helped a UConn defense that allowed just three goals in the two outings.
Annie Belanger, UConn (Sr., G; Sherbrooke, Que.) Allowed only three goals against and made 59 saves in two outings, picking up 1.38/.952 numbers.
Courtney Maud, MC (Fr., F; Georgetown, Ont.) Had a pair of assists against Princeton on Saturday, a 4-1 win over the Tigers.
Tereza Vanisova, ME (So., F; Strankonice, Czech Republic) Earned four points over Thanksgiving weekend, scoring twice in a 3-3 tie with Union on Friday and assisted on both goals in a 2-1 triumph over the Dutchwomen the next day.
Daria Tereshkina, ME (Fr., F; Chelyabinsk, Russia) Scored the opening marker of Saturday's game, a 2-1 win over Union.
Ebba Strandberg, ME (So., D; Kahnawake, Que.) Dished out a pair of helpers in a 3-3 stalemate on Friday.
Tori Sullivan, NU (Jr., F; West Bloomfield, Mich.) Racked up five points (1g, 4a) in Washington, D.C., helping the Huskies top #1 Wisconsin and Minnesota State.
Maureen Murphy, PC (Fr., F; Buffalo, N.Y.) Scored twice last week, once in a 3-0 win over UNH on Wednesday and once in the second game against Cornell.