Box score
Post-game press conference
Annie Hogan interview

The No. 9 Northeastern Huskies fell to No. 4 New Hampshire on Friday night by a score of 5-3 in the opening game of the Sun Life Frozen Fenway doubleheader, the first-ever outdoor women's college hockey game. The Huskies held a 3-1 lead into the third period, but a four goal rally by the Wildcats earned them the win. Freshman Brittany Esposito (Edmonton, Alberta) scored two goals and senior Annie Hogan (Medford, Mass.) added two assists.

With the snow cascading down upon the ice, the teams combined to score three goals in the first four minutes of the opening period before the conditions began to affect both sides. Esposito scored the first-ever goal in an outdoor women's college hockey game at the 1:29 mark with a hard wrister into the top right corner of the net. Hogan earned the lone assist after opening up the middle of the ice with a perfect drop pass to Esposito inside the UNH blueline.

"She did a great job," Esposito said of Hogan after the game. We get along so well off the ice, it translates onto the ice. Today, we knew where each other was the whole time and [Hogan] was definitely looking for me."

Just 2:12 later, fellow freshman Casey Pickett (Wilmington, Mass.) added to the Huskies' lead off a turnover behind the New Hampshire net. Attempting to cycle behind her own net, UNH defender Raylen Dziengelewski was stripped of the puck by Pickett, who quickly spun in front of the net and unleashed a shot over the glove of Wildcats' goaltender Lindsey Minton.

The two-goal advantage was shortlived, however, as UNH responded only 18 seconds later. Senior Shannon Sisk picked up a pass from sophomore Sarah Cuthbert on an odd man rush and tucked it through the pads of NU goalie Florence Schelling.

The offensive outburst was quickly put to rest as mother nature took its course on the final 16 minutes of the first period. New Hampshire senior Kelly Paton-- the leading scorer in Hockey East with 32 points-- lost control of the puck on a breakaway as the disc refused to budge on the snowy ice.

"Towards the end (of the period), you could tell the ice was really chippy and at the end of the periods, it was really hard to make a pass and hold onto the puck," Esposito explained. "I don't know, it really doesn't matter when you get to play in Fenway Park."

New Hampshire threatened to score twice before the period ended, but Schelling was up to the task. The sophomore netminder stopped Kristina Lavoie's deflection to open a UNH power play midway through the frame, and then knocked away Kristine Horn's attempt on the doorstep with 2:20 remaining.

Trailing 2-1 heading into the second period, New Hampshire head coach Brian McCloskey elected to pull Minton from the game (three saves on five shots) in favor of junior Kayley Herman. The move energized the Wildcats early on as junior Julie Allen produced two glorious scoring chances on a breakaway, but again Schelling rose to the occasion with two huge pad saves.

Following a penalty to the Wildcats' Kailey Chappell, Northeastern went back to work in the offensive zone. Hard work behind the cage by junior Kristi Kehoe (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Hogan led to Esposito's second tally of the night and second power play goal in as many games. Hogan provided the primary helper with a pretty feed to Esposito in front from directly behind the Wildcats' cage 7:28 into the period. With the goal, Esposito set a new career high with two goals in a game, and more importantly, gave Northeastern some breathing room on the scoreboard at 3-1.

The two goal advantage held into the third period, when New Hampshire's potent offense turned the tide of the game. Allen cut the Huskies' lead to 3-2 with 18:30 remaining after putting away her own rebound in the low right slot. Senior Micaela Long then evened the scoreline just under 10 minutes later with a one timer from the right wing boards off a feed from junior Courtney Birchard.

The Huskies could not stop the bleeding there as Lavoie gave New Hampshire its first lead of the night at 14:30. Birchard initiated the goal by feeding the puck to Long in the Huskies' zone. Long promptly released a shot-pass toward the front of the net, which Lavoie calmly redirected around the sprawling Schelling.

In the final minute, Northeastern co-head coaches Linda Lundrigan and Lauren McAuliffe elected to pull Schelling for an extra attacker in a last effort to knot the scoreline. Birchard again proved to be a thorn in the Huskies' side as she stole the puck at center ice with 20 seconds remaining and fed Lavoie for a backhander into the empty net.

Northeastern conceded five goals in a game for the first time this season. Entering the game, Northeastern had given up only three third period goals all season; on Friday, the Huskies surrendered four to UNH.

"I don't know what happened in the third," said Esposito. "We may have gotten a little ahead of ourselves. It was a tough game, they're a really good team. Next time around when we play them, I'm really excited to get out there and get them back for this."

Schelling also allowed four goals for the first time this season, despite making 28 saves and playing a strong game from outset.

"Florence is a great goaltender," Lundrigan said of Schelling after the game. "She was the difference for most of the game, we were outshot and we were winning."

Birchard led all players with three points (all assists), while Lavoie and Long each produced a pair of points each. In addition to Esposito's career-high two goals in the game, Hogan tied a career high with two assists as well.

With the loss, the Huskies fall to 12-5-2 on the year and 6-4-2-1 in Hockey East. The Wildcats improve to 13-2-4 and 7-1-1-0 in conference. Both teams are tied in the standings with 15 points apiece, one point back of first place Boston College.

The Huskies return to action on Monday, Jan. 11 vs. Boston College at Matthews Arena at 7 p.m.