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Hockey East's top offensive and defensive teams collide on Tuesday night as the No. 8/8 Northeastern women's ice hockey team hosts No. 3/4 Boston University at Matthews Arena. The Terriers are averaging more than four goals per game, while NU hasn't allowed more than two goals in a game all season.

The Huskies are 4-0-0 to start the year for the second straight season, and are looking for a 5-0-0 start for the first time since the 2001-02 season. NU is one of only five teams in the nation without a loss this season (Boston University, Clarkson, Minnesota, New Hampshire).

Northeastern is coming off back-to-back victories against Union (4-1) and RPI (1-0) last weekend at Matthews. Kendall Coyne recorded her second career hat trick against the Dutchwomen, scoring all three of her goals during a 7:31 span in the third period, while Chloe Desjardins picked up her second shutout of the season on Saturday against the Engineers.

Prior to Friday's game against Union, Northeastern raised the 2011-12 Hockey East Regular Season Championship banner to the rafters of Matthews Arena. NU captured the program's first regular season title last season after a 15-3-3 record in league play, edging Boston College by one point.

The matchup with Boston University
Tuesday night is the 55th meeting between the two schools all-time, with Northeastern holding a 31-19-5 edge in the series. The Huskies were 3-1-0 against Boston University last season, including 2-0-0 mark at Matthews Arena. Head coach Dave Flint is 5-8-1 all-time against the Huskies.

The Terriers are off to a 3-0-0 start to the season with wins against No. 3/4 Boston College, Union and RPI.

Boston University is led by freshman forward Sarah Lefort, who has five of BU's 13 goals this season. Lefort's linemate, Marie-Philip Poulin, has a team-high five assist through three games while Janelle Kohanchuk (1-3-4), Isabel Menard (1-3-4) and Jill Cardella (0-4-4) all have four points for the Terriers.

Kerrin Sperry has started all three games for Boston University between the pipes, posting a 1.88 goals against average and .915 save percentage.

NU is Hockey East openers
Since the inception of Hockey East in 2002-03, Northeastern is 3-3-4 in conference openers, including a 2-0-2 record since 2008.

The Huskies got off to a hot start in conference play last season, winning its first five Hockey East games with victories against Maine, Connecticut and Vermont. The last time Northeastern lost its Hockey East opener was Oct. 27, 2007 against Connecticut, 5-3.

Last time out
The Huskies returned home to Matthews Arena last weekend to host ECAC foes Union and RPI. With the score tied 1-1 entering the third period on Friday against the Dutchwomen, Kendall Coyne took the game over with three third period goals to lift Northeastern to a 4-1 win.

Coyne netted her second career hat trick as the Huskies outshot the Dutchwomen 45-25, including a 20-8 mark in the second period. The Huskies were 2-of-3 on the power play while Union went 0-of-5. NU also dictated the faceoff circle, winning 35-of-53 draws, led by Casey Pickett's 10-of-11 performance.

On Saturday vs. RPI, Desjardins made 24 saves and Katie MacSorley netted her second goal of the season as NU defeated the Engineers, 1-0. Desjardins made 12 of her saves in the third period to earn her second shutout of the season as the Engineers outshot the Huskies 24-21 overall. RPI also controlled possession in the faceoff circle, winning 37-of-55 draws. Neither team could capitalize on the power play, however, as each squad went 0-of-5 on the man advantage.

Scoring spurts
When the Huskies score, they score in bunches. Northeastern leads Hockey East with 14 goals through the first two weeks of the season, and is tied for the league lead in first period and third period goals. The Huskies have scored goals less than three minutes apart on several occasions in 2012-13: at Colgate (two goals in 13 seconds), at Syracuse (two goals in 1:13) and against Union (two goals in 2:45).

NU scored four goals in the first period at Syracuse on Oct. 6, marking the first time since Jan. 22, 2012 against UNH that the Huskies netted four in the first. Northeastern's three-goal third period against Union was the first time since Dec. 4, 2011 vs. UNH that NU had three goals in the final period.

Remaining unbeatens
The Huskies are one of only five teams in the nation without a loss this season. Of the five (Boston University, Clarkson, Minnesota, New Hampshire, NU), three are Hockey East schools.

Early season triumphs
The Huskies have racked up the wins during the month of October in recent years, posting a 28-3-5 mark since 2008. Northeastern was 6-1-0 in October last season, including four straight wins to start the season. Under head coach Dave Flint, NU is 21-2-4 in games played in October.

Offense, defense, special teams
Northeastern's 4-0-0 start to the season is due in large part to NU's performance in all three phases of the game. The Huskies are third in Hockey East (t-8th in the nation) with 3.50 goals per game. NU also leads the conference (2nd in the nation) with 0.75 goals allowed per game, and has yet to allowed more than two goals in any game this season, including two shutouts.

NU has also excelled on the power play and while shorthanded. The Huskies are operating at 26% (5-of-19) on the power play this season, including a season-high three power play tallies at Syracuse.

Conversely, NU is one of only three teams in the nation with a perfect 100% penalty killing percentage (22-of-22), and already has two shorthanded goals this season.

Matthews magic
Matthews Arena has not been a friendly venue for Northeastern opponents in recent years. Last season, the Huskies were 15-2-0 at home, and has had an above .500 record at home since the 2009-10 season.

NU also outscored its opponents 62-19 last season in games played at Matthews Arena compared to a 39-28 edge in contests away from Huntington Ave. 

Since Dave Flint became head coach in 2008, Northeastern is 31-16-0 (.660) at home, and has won its last eight games at home dating back to last season by a combined score of 30-6.

Poll position
Northeastern remained at No. 8 in this week's USCHO Division I Women's Poll. The Huskies have previously been ranked 10th and ninth at times during the season. NU also entered the top-ten in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll last week at No. 8. The Huskies had been received votes in the last three polls.

Seven teams on this season's schedule are also included on the poll, including WHEA foes Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire and Providence.

Strength of schedule
This season's Huskies schedule features nine games against teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season. Northeastern will square off against Boston University four times in 2012-13, the first coming on Oct. 16 at Matthews Arena.

NU will also battle Boston College at least three times, beginning on Nov. 16 at Matthews Arena. Matchups on the road at St. Lawrence (Jan. 3) and at home against Cornell (Jan. 12) round out Husky competition against 2012 NCAA squads.

Additionally, Northeastern will play at least 13 games this season against teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the final 2011-12 USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll (BC, BU, Cornell, Harvard, St. Lawrence, Providence).

Four or more is best
Northeastern found its most success last season when the Huskies scored in bunches. When NU scored four or more goals in 2011-12, the Huskies were a perfect 12-0-0. Conversely, when the Northeastern offense scored two goals or fewer last season, NU was 4-4-3.

The Huskies have continued the trend early this season; NU has scored at least four goals in three of the team's four games this season.

Coyne, Desjardins earn second straight conference honor
For the second straight week, Kendall Coyne and Chloe Desjardins have caught the attention of Hockey East. Coyne was named the Athletic Republic Player of the Week while Desjardins earned WHEA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Monday. Additionally, the Huskies were named the conference's team of the week after a 2-0-0 weekend.

The duo led the Huskies to wins last weekend against Union and RPI. On Friday against the Dutchwomen, Coyne took the game over in the third period, scoring three goals in a span of 7:31 to help NU to a 4-1 victory. It was the second career hat trick for the sophomore forward, and third for the Huskies as a team in their last 14 games, dating back to last season.

Not to be outdone, Desjardins pitched her second shutout of the season on Saturday against RPI, making 24 saves, including 12 in the third period alone. The sophomore goaltender leads the conference and is second in the nation with a 0.75 goals against average and a .974 save percentage.

Huskies picked third in Hockey East Preseason Poll
Northeastern has been chosen to finish third in the league in the conference's preseason coaches' poll on Sept. 20. The Huskies earned 44 points in the poll, marking the second straight time that NU has been chosen to finish third.

NU is behind only Boston College, which is slated for the top spot in the league with 54 points (five first place votes), and defending league tournament champion Boston Univ. at 51 points (three first place votes). Both teams reached the NCAA Tournament last season.

Rounding out the poll was Providence (37 points), Maine (30), New Hampshire (28), Vermont (22) and Connecticut (14) in fourth through eighth place.

League things
All eight teams will qualify for the WHEA Tournament for the first time in league history, after the athletic directors voted to expand the tournament format. The top four seeds will host a one-game quarterfinal playoff game the weekend of March 1-3. The winners of the quarterfinal matchups advance and then are reseeded in semifinal play.

Hockey East will host the 2013 WHEA Championship Tournament at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center (HYCC) on Mar. 9-10. The semifinals will be held on Mar. 9th with games at 12:30pm and 3:30pm. The winners of each semifinal will advance to the 11th annual WHEA Championship Game on Mar. 10th.

Getting on them early
Scoring the first goal of the game was key to Northeastern's success in 2011-12. The Huskies were 18-3-3 when scoring first last season, compared to a 4-4-0 mark when their opponent was the first to score.

The Huskies have scored first in three of NU's four games this season (at Colgate, at Syracuse, vs. RPI).

On the national stage
Northeastern finished last season ranked ninth in the nation in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll. NU also finished the year sixth in the RPI, the second highest Hockey East school on the list, as well as 10th in the KRACH rankings.

Tenacious D
Northeastern used strong goaltending and team defense throughout the 2011-12 campaign. The Huskies went 12-1-1 last season when allowing two or fewer goals. The lone defeat came in the final game of the season against Providence when NU was shutout, 2-0 in the 2012 Hockey East Semifinals.

The Huskies have yet to allow more than two goals in a game so far this season, and currently rank second in the nation with 0.75 goals allowed per game. NU also has two shutouts in four games this season, the quickest the Huskies have shut out two opponents since the 2008-09 season.

O Captain, My Captain
Coming off a 22-7-4 season and its 15th Beanpot title, Northeastern has chosen its leaders for the 2012-13 season: senior Casey Pickett, as well as juniors Maggie Brennolt and Katie MacSorley will serve as tri-captains.

“We have three captains this year that are great role models on and off the ice,” said head coach Dave Flint. “I am looking forward to having Casey, Maggie, and Katie lead a talented group of athletes this season”

Century club
Seniors Siena Falino, Rachel Llanes and Casey Pickett all played in their 100th career games last season. Llanes and Pickett are tied for the team lead in career games played among active players at 107 games, each. Falino dressed for her 100th career game in the season finale against Providence. Next on the list is Casie Fields, who has played in 98 career games at Northeastern.

Northeastern likes to share
Last season's Husky team produced 158 assists on its 101 goals, which was 13th in the nation. NU's average of 4.79 assists per game was also among the nation's best (11th).

Among conference foes, the Huskies trailed behind only Boston Univ. and Boston College in that category.

Casey Pickett led the team with 23 assists last season, which was tied for third in Hockey East. Her total was the most for a Husky since Brooke Whitney had 34 helpers during the 2001-02 season. Pickett's 0.70 assists per game average was also ranked 30th in the country.

Desjardins' hot start
Currently in her first season as the NU starting goaltender, sophomore Chloe Desjardins has showed that she is up to the task. The Saint-Prosper, Beauce, Quebec native already has two shutouts in four games.

“She's been tremendous,” Flint said. “I was wondering how long it would take her to get comfortable at this level, and she's looking like a veteran right now.”

Desjardins is second in the nation in both goals against average (0.75) and save percentage (.974), and has been named the WHEA Defensive Player of the Week in each of the past two seasons. 

Desjardins also got into the act offensively against Union. She recorded her first collegiate assist on Kendall Coyne's power play tally in the third period. It marked the first time since 2010 that a NU goaltender has recorded a point (Florence Schelling vs. Princeton on Oct. 22, 2010).

Freshman make quick impact
Northeastern's three freshmen made immediate impacts on the scoresheet in NU's opening weekend at Colgate and Syracuse. Paige Savage netted the first Husky goal of the season, and the eventual game-winner, against the Raiders on Friday. It marked the second straight season that a freshman has netted NU's first goal of the season (Lucie Povova in 2011-12).

Jordan Hampton also scored on Friday at Colgate, while Tori Hickel had her first career multi-point night at Syracuse with a power play goal and an assist.  The trio also combined for a +4 rating during the weekend set.

Pickett leads nation in shorthanded goals in 2011-12
Casey Pickett gave the Huskies plenty of reasons to feel comfortable while shorthanded last season. Four of Pickett's 18 goals in 2011-12 came with the Huskies shorthanded, amidst a breakout 2011-12 campaign in which she scored 41 points and earned All-Hockey East Second Team honors.

The Wilmington, Mass., native did all her shorthanded damage before the Christmas break, tallying her fourth shortie of the year in a 5-1 win over New Hampshire on Dec. 4 – at the time, no player in the country had more than two. Pickett also scored shorthanded in NU victories against Colgate, Connecticut and Vermont.

Battle in the faceoff circle
The Huskies have won 52% of their faceoffs through the first four games of the season. Kendall Coyne leads the way with a .552 winning percentage (16-of-29) while Casey Pickett is close behind at a .549 clip (28-of-51).

When Llanes llights the lamp
When Rachel Llanes found the back of the net last season, the Huskies typically won. Northeastern was 8-0-1 in 2011-12 when Llanes scored a goal. The one “tie” was actually Northeastern's shootout win against Boston College in the Beanpot semifinal on Jan. 31 - the game goes down as a tie per NCAA rules.

Two weeks ago against Syracuse, Llanes tied a career-high with three points (1g, 2a) en route to a 5-2 victory.

Coyne, Savage go international
Sophomore forward Kendall Coyne and freshman forward Paige Savage started their seasons early this year by suiting up for Team USA in the 2012 Women's Under-22 Series against Canada in Calgary, Alberta from Aug. 16-19.

Both Huskies dressed for all three contests, helping the Red, White and Blue to a three-game sweep for the first time in series history. Savage netted the eventual game-winning goal in the series opener with a power play goal in the second period.

Coyne would then one-up her teammate in Game Two as the reigning Hockey East Rookie of the Year scored a goal and added an assist as the Americans picked up the 4-2 win.

The duo was also named to the Team USA roster for the Four Nations Cup on Sep. 27.

Esposito participates U-22 Canadian national camp
During the offseason, senior Brittany Esposito was one of 40 players invited to attend the selection camp for the Canadian National Women's Under-22/Development Team.

The Edmonton, Alberta native participated in the nine-day camp at the WinSport Canada Athletic and Ice Complex in Calgary, Alberta. Esposito has 24 goals and 36 assists in 81 career games with the Huskies.

Sophomore surge
Kendall Coyne burst onto the scene for the Huskies last season, leading the team in points (45), goals (26), shots (223) and game-winning goals (seven). Her point total was the highest for any Husky player since Hillary Witt in 1999-20 (55 points), while her goals were the highest at NU since 2001-02 (Brooke Whitney; 32).

She finished the year ranked ninth in the nation in goals per game (0.84), was third in points per game among rookies (1.45), and her seven game-winning tallies was the second highest in the country.

Coyne was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year, as well as the USCHO.com Rookie of the Year. The Palos Heights, Ill. native also earned WHEA First Team honors and was a candidate for the Patty Kazmaier Award.

Espo streaking to start season
Senior forward Brittany Esposito has one point in each of her past four games to start the 2012-13 season. She is tied for second on the team with one goal and three assists early on, and netted her first goal of the season on the power play at Syracuse on Oct. 6.

Esposito is two games away from matching her career-best six-game point streak, which she achieved last season from Dec. 3, 2011 - Jan. 15, 2012.

Out with the old...
The Huskies said goodbye to three seniors at season's end in Stephanie Gavronsky, Dani Rylan and Florence Schelling. Gavronsky was a Hockey East All-Second Team selection in 2012 after finishing posting 14 points (6g, 8a) last season. She was also a three-time selection to the Hockey East All-Academic Team.

Rylan was a stalwart on the NU defense during her career on Huntington Ave., and finished it off by dressing in all 33 games last season, tallying 10 points. The Huskies were 8-0-0 when Rylan registered at least one point.

The 2012 Hockey East Player and Goalie of the Year, Schelling rewrote the NU record books in her four years at Northeastern. In addition to her multitude of awards, she now stands as the programs all-time leader in goals against average, minutes, saves and save percentage.

Schelling was a two-time All-American, including a First Team selection in 2012, and was the first Husky to be named a Patty Kazmaier Award Finalist since 2004.

...in with the new
After a 2011-12 class that produced 84 points for last year's Huskies, Northeastern women's ice hockey welcomes three incoming freshmen to don the NU sweater for the 2012-13 season. The class includes two forwards and one defenseman.

Jordan Hampton comes to NU a veteran of the United States National Under-18 Team, which took the silver medal at the 2012 World Women's Under-18 Championship in Czech Republic. The promising defenseman earned an invitation to the USA Hockey National Development Camp in 2008, 2010 and 2011; she was selected to the All-Star Team in the latter two years.

Tori Hickel is a four-year captain and three-year Team MVP of the Alaska All-Stars. The versatile Alaska native spent the past two years at the North American Hockey Academy (NAHA), which like Assabet Valley produced three 2011-12 Huskies. Hickel was invited to the USA Hockey National Development Camp in each of the last four years, and was an All-Star selection as a defenseman.

Paige Savage was a teammate of Hampton at the Under-18 Worlds in Czech Republic, and classmate of Hickel at NAHA. The 5'8” forward captained the NAHA Under-19 Team last year, leading it to the Junior Women's Hockey League (JWHL) title as its leading scorer. She was also a member of the 2011 Under-18 World Championship Team, which won the gold medal.

Flint among winningest coaches all-time
Head coach Dave Flint enters his fourth season behind the bench at Northeastern. Flint, who previously coached at St. Anselm's for four seasons, has already made his mark on the all-time women's wins list.

Flint currently sits 32nd on the list with 155 wins, and is 21st among active coaches. He is also 21st in all-time winning percentage at .687 (12th among active coaches).

What makes Flint's feat even more impressive is that he did not coach the Huskies during the 2009-10 season, when he was on the coaching staff for the U.S. National Team that won the silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada.

NU adds Pellegrini to staff
Head coach Dave Flint announced the hiring of Jeff Pellegrini as assistant coach on August 30. Pellegrini, who brings coaching experience from all aspects of the sport, joins the Huskies after spending last season at Harvard.

“I couldn't be more excited to join a university with such a rich tradition in women's hockey,” said Pellegrini. “It's an honor to coach at such a storied institution with extremely competitive and committed student-athletes, and I will strive to continue the winning tradition here at Northeastern.”

Meet the Huskies
This season, NU invites you to “Meet The Huskies,” an in-depth look at the Northeastern women's ice hockey team. Each week, GoNU.com will feature one student-athlete from the women's ice hockey squad and find out about their lives on and off the ice, their pregame rituals, and why they ultimately chose Northeastern.

NU unveils digital media guides
The Northeastern athletic department introduces the official 2012-13 digital media guide for the women's ice hockey team. In an upgrade from previous media guides, this year's digital guides provide a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate format to access information for all 18 teams at Northeastern.

This season's digital media guides provide a glance into the student-athletes, coaches and history of each NU team, as well as a multitude of information on the University and the City of Boston. The guide also allows fans to learn more about a specific topic with a simple click of the mouse.

Join the conversation
Follow the Huskies all season long on the team's social media outlets. The official Facebook (facebook.com/GoNUwhockey) and Twitter (@GoNUwhockey) accounts for the team provide up-to-the-minute information on all things Huskies Hockey.

Be sure to like and follow all 18 Northeastern teams and join the conversation.

The road ahead
Following an off weekend, NU will remain home on Oct. 26-27 when Robert Morris and Maine visit Matthews for a 7 p.m. and 3 p.m. puck drop, respectively. The game against the Black Bears begins seven straight conference games for the Huskies.