BOSTON --Â The No. 11 Northeastern men's ice hockey team will look to pick up its third straight conference victory on Friday night when the Huskies play host to No. 18 Vermont for the first of two games this weekend at Matthews Arena, beginning at 7 p.m.
Friday will serve as the final league contest between the two squads before playing a nonconference game on Saturday night. NU previously topped the Catamounts at Gutterson Fieldhouse earlier this season, 3-0.
Northeastern is 7-1-3 in its last 11 games, its best stretch since the 2007-08 season (8-1-2), and enters Friday's tilt following a pair of victories against top-ten opponents last week. The Huskies bested then-No. 6/6 Providence on the road in overtime, 2-1, before knocking off then-No. 9/8 UMass Lowell 4-1 at Citi Frozen Fenway 2014.
The Huskies jumped five spots in this week's USCHO.com poll, checking in at No. 11. It is the program's highest ranking since the end of the 2008-09 season, when NU was ranked sixth in the country. Northeastern also cracked the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll for the first time this season on Monday at No. 11.
Senior forward
Braden Pimm has had the hot hand for the Huskies since returning from the holiday break, and has six goals and three assists in his last five games. Pimm scored four of NU's six goals last week, including the game-tying and game-winning goals at Providence, and was named the Warrior Player of the Week on Monday.
Redshirt junior goaltender
Clay Witt has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the nation this season, earning the start in 10 of Northeastern's last 11 games. The Brandon, Fla. native, a three-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honoree, made 85 saves in two games last weekend while allowing just two goals (.977 save percentage). Witt is second in the country with a .943 save percentage while is 584 saves are good for sixth in the nation. He is also one of nine goaltenders with at least 11 wins this season.
A win against Vermont would …
• Be NU's 888th victory all-time, and 268th Hockey East win.
• Mark the third time in team history, and first time since the 1980-81 season, that NU has started January 4-0-0.
• Give Northeastern conference tiebreakers against four opponents, and series sweeps of three (UML, MC, UVM).
• Make the Huskies unbeaten in 11 of their last 12 games (8-1-3), its best stretch since the 1997-98 season (9-1-2).
The all-time series with the Catamounts
Vermont holds a 27-21-5 advantage in the all-time series against Northeastern, which dates back to 1969. Northeastern has gone 5-4-1 in its last ten meetings and is looking to defeat Vermont at home for the first time since Nov. 19, 2011.
Northeastern dropped all three games to the Catamounts last season, but snapped their winless skid with a 3-0 victory earlier this season on Dec. 17 at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Kevin Roy recorded three points on the night with a goal and two assists while
Clay Witt made 44 saves in his second shutout of the season.
A look at Vermont
No. 18 Vermont enters Friday's matchup following a 3-2 loss at Colgate that saw the Catamounts battle back from two one-goal deficits before giving up the game-winner in the third period. The loss, the team's first after riding a five-game unbeaten streak since Dec. 17, gives the Catamounts an 11-7-3 record on the season. The team is 4-5-0 in Hockey East play and holds a 3-3-1 mark on the road.
The Catamounts are led by senior forward Chris McCarthy, who has posted 21 points on the season (eight goals, 13 assists). Trailing behind McCarthy is standout freshman Mario Puskarich who has tallied 8-10-18 totals, including four power-play goals.
Mike Santaguida and Brody Hoffman have alternated games in net since November with 13 and 8 starts, respectively. Santaguida is 6-5-2 this season with a goals against average of 2.45 and a save percentage of .916 while Hoffman has gone 5-2-1 and posted a 1.86 goals against average and a .932 save percentage.
Last time out
Northeastern netted a pair of shorthanded goals and added a power play tally en route to its first-ever outdoor win Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park, battling through sloppy conditions to top No. 9/8 UMass Lowell 4-1 at Citi Frozen Fenway 2014.
Clay Witt turned away 47 shots,
Braden Pimm scored a pair of goals and
Mike Szmatula added two assists as the Huskies improved to 13-6-3 and 6-4-1 in Hockey East.
Matt Benning and
Josh Manson also scored for the Huskies, who swept their season series with the River Hawks for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.
Lowell outshot NU 48-31 in the game and dominated the face-off dot, winning 49-of-74 draws. The Huskies were 1-of-4 on the power play while holding the River Hawks to an 0-of-3 showing on the man advantage.
When you're hot, you're hot
Northeastern enters Friday's game unbeaten in 10 of its last 11 games (7-1-3), its best stretch since the Huskies went 8-1-2 midway through the 2007-08 season. Since Nov. 22, NU is one of six teams in the nation with just one loss. Of those games, eight have come against conference opponents while four were against ranked teams. During that time, Northeastern is averaging 3.36 goals per game, allowing 2.36 goals per game and operating at 86% on the penalty kill.
Poll position
Following two wins against top-ten opponents last week, Northeastern moved up to No. 11 in this week's USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll. It is the program's highest ranking since the end of the 2008-09 season.
NU and Wisconsin were the biggest movers of the week with a five-spot jump in the polls, up from No. 16 and No. 14 last week, respectively. The Huskies are also one of eight Hockey East squads ranked in the top 20. Northeastern has been ranked in each of the last six USCHO.com polls, and has been either ranked or receiving votes for 13 straight weeks dating back to Oct. 14, 2013.
The Huskies also cracked the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top 15 poll for the first time this season, coming in at No. 11.
Huskies for Hobey
NU's
Kevin Roy and
Clay Witt are two of 68 players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which honors an elite NCAA men's ice hockey player who exhibits both athletic talent and strong sportsmanship.
Roy currently leads the team offensively with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) and is tied for 13th place nationally among top scoring leaders. He has averaged 1.27 points per game through 22 games so far this season and was named the Warrior Hockey Player of the Week twice (Dec. 23 and Oct. 14) while also earning the title of National Player of the Month in October.
In goal, Witt has backstopped 17 games for the Huskies while posting a 2.04 goals against average and a .943 save percentage, good for second in the nation. He earned the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week accolade three times this season and has made a total of 901 career saves.
Fans will be allowed one vote once every 24 hours and can access the ballot by visiting www.hobeybaker.com.
Pimm earns the 'A'
Prior to the Huskies' Citi Frozen Fenway 2014 game against UMass Lowell, NU head coach
Jim Madigan announced that senior
Braden Pimm has been named an assistant captain. Pimm earned the 'A' for his leadership both on an off the ice. Pimm joins captain
Josh Manson and assistant captains
Dax Lauwers and
Adam Reid who will wear letters for Northeastern for the remainder of the season.
Pimm picks up first career league honor
After scoring four goals in two games to lead Northeastern to two victories last week, senior forward
Braden Pimm was named the Warrior Hockey Player of the Week on Monday.
This marks the first career conference accolade for Pimm, who is in the midst of a career-season for the Huskies. The Fort St. John, British Columbia native began the week by scoring with 33.6 seconds remaining in regulation at No. 6 Providence on Tuesday before potting the game-winning tally 12 seconds into the extra frame to lift NU past the Friars at Schneider Arena, 2-1. Four days later, he scored another pair of goals against No. 9/8 UMass Lowell at Citi Frozen Fenway 2014 to help Northeastern to a 4-1 victory.
Pimm is third on the team with 14 goals and 10 assists this season, which is good for 10th in the nation. Eight of Pimm's 14 goals this season have come in special teams situations (six power play goals, two shorthanded goals), which is tied for the most special teams tallies in the nation. Pimm's six power play goals, meanwhile, are tied for sixth in the country and tops in Hockey East. Pimm has more than doubled his goal total from a season ago after posting six goals and 11 assists as a junior this season. Among senior skaters, he is tied for ninth in the country in total points this year.
Hey shorty
NU used special teams situations to its advantage on Saturday against UMass Lowell, scoring three goals in odd-man scenarios (two SHG, one PPG). It marked the first time since Oct. 18, 2008 that the Huskies netted two shorthanded tallies in a game. NU has five shorthanded goals this season, which is tied for fifth in the nation. Northeastern hasn't had more than five shorties in a season since 2008-09.
Cardiac canines
The Huskies have made a habit of doing their damage in the third period this season, scoring 30 of its 77 goals in the final 20 minutes of play. NU is tied with Wisconsin for third in the country in third period goals behind Boston College (32) and Providence (31).
In three of the last four games, Northeastern has trailed entering the third period and come back to either tie or win the game. The Huskies have also made use of pulling the goaltender this year, and lead the nation with five goals with the extra attacker, highlighted by two at Dartmouth on Dec. 30 to force overtime.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner
Northeastern has had several skaters step up when the team has needed them most in 2013-14, with 10 different skaters recording game-winning goals for the first time since the 2009-10 season and tied for the second most in the country. NU is one of eight teams in the country to have at least 10 players with game-winners.
Three of freshman
Dalen Hedges' six goals this season have proven to be game-winners, which is tied for fourth in Hockey East. Hedges is also one of just five freshmen with three game-winners, and matched
Kevin Roy's 2012-13 team-leading total.
Head of the class
The Northeastern rookie class has tallied 25 goals and 63 assists in 22 games this season, which leads the nation in points for a freshman class. Eight different NU rookies have tallied a point this season.
Freshman
Mike Szmatula is second on the team with 25 points this season (nine goals, 16 assists), and is third in the nation in rookie scoring with 1.14 points per game. He is also one of just three rookies to have at least 25 points this season. If Szmatula finishes the year first on the team in scoring, it would mark the third straight season that a freshman has led NU in scoring (
Ludwig Karlsson in 2011-12,
Kevin Roy in 2012-13).
The NU rookies have also tallied six game-winning goals this season, the most in the nation.
At Witt's end
Redshirt junior
Clay Witt has backstopped the Huskies throughout much of the season. The Brandon, Fla. native is 11-4-2 this year, one of nine goalies with at least 11 wins, to go along with a 2.04 goals against average and .943 save percentage (second in the nation).
His 584 saves, meanwhile, are the sixth most in the nation, much in part to a career-high 52 against Providence on Dec. 6, which is tied for the third most saves in a game in program history (George Demetroulakos vs. Boston University on Feb. 21, 1980). Witt leads the nation with 34.4 saves per game.
Sophomore surge
Sophomore forward
Kevin Roy has 31 goals and 31 assists in 51 career games with the Huskies. On Nov. 22, Roy became the 56th player in program history to record at least 50 points in their first two seasons in college hockey, and first since Wade MacLeod and Tyler McNeely in 2008-09.
Roy is averaging 1.2 points per game since arriving at Northeastern last season, and leads the team with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) this year. The Huskies are 12-3-3 when he tallies a point, and 8-1-1 when he scores a goal.
League things
The NU defense has made a point of tightening things up against conference opponents. Northeastern holds a 2.18 goals against average in Hockey East play, which is tied with Providence for second in the league and 10th in the nation, compared to a 3.09 goals against average against nonconference foes (38th in the nation).
Killing it on the PK
Despite being 11th in the country with 14.9 penalty minutes per game, the Northeastern penalty killing unit has stepped up its play in recent weeks. In the last nine games, NU has killed off 43-of-49 penalties (87.8%), which is eighth in the country (min. 30 attempts).
Powerful power play
The Northeastern power play unit has come into its own in recent weeks, netting four goals on the man advantage in its last four games. NU is 21-of-108 on the power play this season, and is one of 17 teams in the country with at least 20 conversions on the power play. The Huskies have worked hard to draw penalties throughout the season, as well, and they are one of 17 teams to have at least 100 power play attempts this season.
Senior
Braden Pimm has been the go-to player for power play goals this season for NU. He is one of 10 skaters in the country with at least six power play goals, which is tied for sixth in the nation and tops in Hockey East.
Filling the net
While head coach
Jim Madigan has shuffled the lineup a bit so far this season, one line of Huskies has remained intact.
Kevin Roy,
John Stevens and
Braden Pimm have been grouped together on the same line in 20 of NU's 22 games this year, totaling 33 goals and 32 assists along with a combined +25 rating. The Huskies are 13-4-3 when the trio skates together.
Rookies in the middle
The Huskies have relied on its freshman class to produce at the face-off dot all season, with a rookie serving as the primary center on all four of their lines.
John Stevens has won 51.3% of his face-offs this season, going 216-of-421. His 216 wins are 25th in the nation, and he is one of four freshmen in the nation in the top 25 in face-off victories.Â
Mike Szmatula (189-of-428; 44.2%),
Dalen Hedges (172-of-320; 53.8%) and
Tanner Pond (78-of-155; 50.3%) make NU the only team in the country to have four freshmen who have taken at least 100 face-offs this season.
As a team, NU is 756-of-1559, which is seventh in the nation and second in Hockey East.
Lending a helping hand
Northeastern has tallied 128 assists through 22 games this season, which is eighth in the country and third in Hockey East, sparked by 16 helpers from freshman
Mike Szmatula (tied for 17th in the nation). Szmatula, who is tied with Quinnipiac's Sam Anas for the most helpers among rookie skaters, has an assist in 11 of the team's 22 games this season, including three games with multi-assist efforts.
Offensive explosion
After scoring 81 goals all of last season, Northeastern has nearly matched that total in 22 games. NU is eighth in the nation with 77 goals this season, and its 3.50 goals per game average is also eighth in the country.
The Huskies' 12 goals on opening weekend were the most goals scored in the team's first two games of the season since NU scored 13 in the opening two games of the 2002-03 season.
Hello, my name is …
Northeastern houses 12 freshmen (eight forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender) on its 2013-14 roster, which is the most in Hockey East and tied with Sacred Heart for the most rookies in the nation.Â
Nine freshmen have seen playing time so far this season, and have accounted for 25 goals and 63 assists, which is 42.9% of Northeastern's total scoring.
Show dogs
Northeastern has four NHL draft picks on this year's squad. Sophomore
Kevin Roy is NU's highest draft pick after the Anaheim Ducks took him in the fourth round (97th overall) last year.Â
San Jose selected senior
Cody Ferriero in the fifth round (127th) in 2010 while junior
Josh Manson was an Anaheim sixth rounder (160th) in 2011. Newcomer
Matt Benning was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (175th) at the 2012 Entry Draft.
Oh brother
Northeastern's 28-man roster features two sets of brothers in Cody and
Nathan Ferriero, as well as Derick and
Kevin Roy. The Huskies are one of just two teams in the nation to have two pairs of brothers on its roster, joining Quinnipiac's Connor and Tim Clifton and Conner and Kellen Jones.
All eyes on me
Northeastern will take the ice in front of a national audience three times this season, as part of a two-year contract extension between NBCSN and Hockey East, the league announced Oct. 8. NU took on Boston College at Conte Forum on Nov. 1, and will also be on NBCSN for the Huskies' two-game set at Notre Dame next weekend.
In addition, NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets, will stream all league games telecast on NBCSN. All games will be live streamed via "TV Everywhere," the media industry's effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.
Poile named General Manager of U.S. Olympic Team
Alumnus David Poile has been named general manager of the 2014 United States Olympic men's hockey team, USA Hockey announced on Jun. 28.
Poile, currently the general manager of the NHL's Nashville Predators, played three seasons of varsity hockey at Northeastern from 1967 to 1970. He is 26th on the Northeastern all-time scoring list with 118 points, and he still holds the program record for hat tricks with 11. He was inducted into the Northeastern Hall of Fame in 1987.
The road ahead
Northeastern will head back on the road next weekend for its second trip to No. 15 Notre Dame. Four conference points will be on the line for the Huskies, who topped the Fighting Irish at the Shillelagh Tournament earlier this season, 3-2.
