Box Score

Postgame comments (Jim Madigan - YouTube.com)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Northeastern men's hockey team (4-5-1, 2-5-1 HEA) turned in its first multi power play goal showing of the season, but the Huskies surrendered the first six goals at Providence (5-4-1, 4-3-0 HEA) on Friday night and ultimately lost, 6-2, at Schneider Arena.

Senior captain Vinny Saponari has been stringing it along, riding a five-game point streak with his first power play goal of the season and 10th in his college career. The Powder Springs, Ga., native has logged six points (3-3-6) in his last five outings.

Junior Cody Ferriero also found the back of the net with the extra skater for his first goal of the season. Senior Garrett Vermeersch accounted for a pair of assists for his first mutli-point game of the season and 11th of his career. Rookie Colton Saucerman and sophomore Joseph Manno also registered assists in the setback.

Senior goaltender Chris Rawlings started for Northeastern and stopped 10-of-13 shots in 22:51 minutes of work. Junior netminder Clay Witt made his first appearance of the season and relived Rawlings, turning aside 17 shots on 20 attempts in 37:02 minutes of play. Providence goalie Jon Gillies recorded 22 saves in the win.

Providence outshot Northeastern, 33-24, but the Huskies' power play unit outworked PC's with a 2-for-6 performance. The Friars went 1-for-5 on the power play.

Providence attacked first and was the beneficiary of its small ice surface. Tom Parisi whacked a pass from Paul de Jersey wide of the net, but due to a small piece of real estate behind the net, the puck caromed quickly off the glass and Tim Schaller was able to sneak it in past Rawlings for a 1-0 lead at the 8:28 mark of the first period.

Northeastern gained its first power play opportunity after Steven Shamanski was hauled off for holding at 14:05 of the first. Ferriero posed the most formidable threat on the near post, but Gillies shifted over and made the stop to keep the Huskies scoreless in the two-minute window.

The Huskies were able to stave off PC's first power play attempt after Saucerman took a late interference call, but Providence came out firing in the second stanza and forced out Rawlings on two quick tallies just over a minute apart.

Chris Rooney put the Friars ahead, 2-0, after an errant clearing attempt in Northeastern's end. Rooney swiped a pass in the far corner and swept it past Rawlings on the left dot at 1:41 for the two-goal cushion.

At 2:51, Derek Army snuck the disc past Rawlings with a backhander to push the Friars ahead, 3-0. Mark Jankowski set the play up with a feed through the slot and the crisp pass was quick enough to knock Rawlings off his bearings as Army was in perfect position for the pass.

Head coach Jim Madigan opted for Witt after Providence's third goal and a flurry of power play chances followed for the Huskies. Unfortunately, for Northeastern, the post bailed out PC on two occasions.

Army was whistled for a cross-check at 4:02 followed by Shamanski's trip at 5:18 of the second period. Gillies denied newcomer Kevin Roy on a great set up from classmate Mike McMurtry and sophomore Ludwig Karlsson clanged the pipe from 15 feet out, but the Huskies could not capitalize with 45 seconds of two-man advantage.

Northeastern gained another opportunity after Rooney took a seat for interference at 7:56. Vermeersch banged NU's second pipe in as many power play chances but PC's penalty kill continued to stand its ground and denied Northeastern with the extra skater.

Vermeersch and classmate Drew Ellement returned the favor and surrendered a nine second two-man advantage to PC at 12:01 of the second. The Huskies killed off Vermeersch's roughing call but Mark Jankowski made Northeastern pay for Ellement's call at 13:06.

Providence ran its cycle in NU's zone and de Jersey hooked up with Jankowski in between the circles. Jankowski quickly snapped the puck through traffic and beat Witt five-hole to give the Friars a four-goal lead with the power play strike.

Army added his second tally of the evening in transition to make it a 5-0 game. Tim Schaller cleared the puck out of PC's end and de Jersey tossed the puck on net. As the disc was flying through the air, Army picked it out with his stick and redirected it at 4:44 of the third period.

A few exchanges later, Army solidified his hat trick at 8:07. Army benefitted from a scrum in front of Witt and as the puck floated in front of the open goalmouth, Army swatted it in as he fell to the ice for the 6-0 Friars' lead.

The Huskies finally curbed their scoring draught with Ferriero's power play goal at 11:20.

Vermeersch worked the forecheck and sent the puck all the way back to Saucerman in the far corner. Saucerman connected with Ferriero in stride through the neutral zone and Ferriero raced in on Gillies. Ferriero let off a hard snap shot and the puck trickled past the initial block for NU's first goal of the night, 6-1.

Northeastern added its second power play goal late, taking advantage of a Myles Harvey roughing call (15:55)

Vermeersch generated the play through the neutral zone and handed the puck off to Manno on the right side of PC's zone. Manno crafted a nice juke around his defender and shifted the puck to Saponari on the other side. Saponari touched the puck in with a soft backhander at 17:01 to cap Friday night's scoring.

Northeastern stays on the road and heads north for another Sunday night showdown. The Huskies skate into Gutterson Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. puck drop at Vermont. Northeastern has defeated the Catamounts the last four-straight meetings.

Game Notes
• Vinny Saponari is on a career-best five-game point streak as a Husky. Saponari has accounted for three goals and as many helpers over that span.

• Cody Ferriero is riding a three-game point streak after scoring his first goal of the season on the power play. The PPG marks Ferriero's first one since scoring at Vermont on Jan. 27, 2012. It marks his fourth-career power play goal at Northeastern.

• The Huskies are now 7-for-49 on the power play this season. Northeastern scored a pair of power play goals at Providence, marking the first time NU's turned that trick this season.

• Garrett Vermeersch has recorded 11 multi-point games as a Husky. Seven of those instances have included two assists, including tonight's performance.