BOSTON -- Looking to bounce back from a 6-2 setback against Vermont on opening night, the Northeastern men's ice hockey hits the road for the first time this season on Friday to take on No. 6/4 Colgate in the first of two contests this weekend at Starr Rink.
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Established in 1929, the Northeastern men's hockey program initiates its 83rd season of operation. From 1943 to 1946, the Huskies' program was discontinued due to World War II, but every other year from 1929 to 2014 Northeastern has been playing hockey at Matthews Arena.
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Northeastern possesses an overall mark of 894-1136-139 (.444) and a Hockey East win-loss total of 271-393-99 (.420). NU has won 25 games twice in program history, including the 1981-82 season (25-9-2) and, most recently, in 2008-09 (25-12-4) when the Huskies took their fourth trip in team history to the NCAA tournament. Northeastern is currently under its 10th coaching regime as bench boss
Jim Madigan returns for his fourth season at the helm of the Huskies.
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Road trip!Northeastern's first road trip of the season will also serve as the team's longest road trip of the regular season. Hamilton, New York sits 270 miles away from Boston, edging out Orono, Maine (243 miles) and Burlington, Vermont (216 miles), where the Huskies will visit later this season.
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This weekend's trip to Central New York pales in comparison to the travel schedule Northeastern endured in 2013-14, when it traveled to South Bend, Indiana two times (894 miles), and Canton, New York (364 miles). Under head coach
Jim Madigan, NU is 10-5-3 (.639) when having to travel more than 200 miles, including a 4-2-1 mark last season.
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Starr-y eyedThis weekend will mark the first time that Northeastern has ever played at Starr Rink on consecutive nights. The Huskies are 9-11-0 all-time at Colgate, including a 4-3 overtime win on Oct. 30, 2004, the last time the teams squared off in Hamilton.
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A win on Friday would give Northeastern two straight wins at Starr Rink for the first time since Jan. 22, 1977 when NU topped Colgate 7-4 before a 9-8 overtime win on Nov. 29, 1974.
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Recapping NU's season opener vs. VermontVermont used a four-goal second period and a hat trick from Jonathan Turk to knock off No. 16 Northeastern on Saturday night at Matthews Arena, 6-2.Â
Mike Szmatula and
Dax Lauwers scored for the Huskies, while
Clay Witt made 21 saves through two periods before giving way to
Derick Roy (10 saves) at the start of the third.
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Turk scored twice in the second before adding a third late in the third period to lead the charge for the Catamounts, who also received multi-point nights from Mike Paliotta (one goal, three assists), Mario Puskarich (one goal, two assists), Alexx Privitera (two assists) and Kyle Reynolds (two assists). Brody Hoffman made 22 saves in goal for UVM, which outshot NU 37-24 in the game.
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Heading into enemy territorySince
Jim Madigan took the reins of the program in 2011, Northeastern hasn't been afraid to take on some of the nation's top teams away from the friendly confines of Matthews Arena. Since the 2011-12 season, the Huskies have defeated six top-ten teams on the road (USCHO.com poll), including two last season. In those games, NU outscored its opponents 26-12.
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This pack of Huskies is used to playing in uncomfortable atmospheres, and faces another one this weekend at Starr Rink. Colgate is 32-22-4 (.586) in the last three seasons at home, and has finished above .500 in each of the last three seasons at Starr Rink.
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Northeastern, meanwhile, logged its most road victories since the 2008-09 season with a 10-7-1 mark on the road in 2013-14. The Huskies finished the year tied for sixth in the nation with 60 goals scored on the road.
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Stiff schedulingThere aren't any easy games in college hockey, just ask the Huskies; Northeastern begins the regular season with six of its first seven games against teams that made the NCAA tournament last season. To top that, each of its first 10 games come against team who are either ranked or receiving votes in the USCHO.com preseason, including a pair on the road at No. 6 Colgate this weekend.
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It's the first time since the 2005-06 season that NU has started the season with three straight games against NCAA tournament teams from the season before, and the first time in program history that the Huskies play six of their first seven games against national tournament teams.
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In all, Northeastern will square off against eight teams from last season's national tournament field, the most for NU since the 2004-05 season.
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Roy enters season in elite companyWinger
Kevin Roy is back in the Red and Black for his junior season on Huntington Avenue. He enters the 2014-15 campaign with 36 goals and 44 assists in 66 career games (1.21 points per game), and could become just the 46th player in program history to reach 100 career points, and 21st player to do it in three seasons or less.
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On Sept. 30, Roy was named one of college hockey's ten impact forwards in 2014-15 by USCHO.com. One opposing coach called Roy, "as skilled as any player in the country, especially around the net."Â On Oct. 3, Roy was also named one of the top 50 NCAA players to watch in 2014-15 by The Hockey Writers, coming in at No. 20.
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At Witt's endRedshirt senior goaltender
Clay Witt received similar laurels from USCHO.com on Oct. 2 when the Brandon, Florida native was named one of the top ten impact goalies of 2014-15. Witt was tied for second in the nation (.932) last year, and expectations have risen for the netminder in his final year of eligibility.
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"I fully expect him to add on to where he left off last season, to be one of our leaders," said head coach
Jim Madigan, "and be that strong force between the pipes to give our team the confidence that we need each game to go out there and win."
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Witt was also named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List on Oct. 3, which is awarded annually to college hockey's top netminder.
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Returning firepowerWith 21 letterwinners back from a season ago, the Huskies won't be at a shortage for options in the attacking end of the ice. NU's returning skaters combined for 86 goals and 154 assists during the 2013-14 season. Their 240 points, which was 78% or NU's offensive output in 2013-14, is more than 16 teams compiled in total last year.
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Northeastern's freshman, now sophomore, class led the charge in 2013-14 with 125 points (42 goals, 83 assists), which was third in the nation in rookie scoring. Four out of the team's top seven scorers last season were freshmen.
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Da-X marks the spotMostly known for his presence in the defensive zone, senior blueliner
Dax Lauwers contributed at the other end of the ice last weekend against Vermont. The Anchorage, Alaska native snapped a 59-game goal scoring drought when he lit the lamp in the third period.
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The all-time series with the RaidersNortheastern and Colgate are colliding for the first time since the 2007-08 season, with the Huskies holding a 27-17-2 edge in the all-time series. This weekend marks the first time since 2004 that the two squads will meet at Starr Rink following matchups on neutral ice at the Denver Cup, UConn Hockey Classic and Badger Showdown in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. NU has won four of the last five against its former conference foe, and is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings.
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Scouting ColgateColgate plays host to Northeastern after splitting its weekend series against No. 6 St. Cloud State. The Raiders won the series' opening game, 3-1 behind goals from Joe Wilson, Evan Peterson, and Kyle Baun before St. Cloud State responded with a 3-1 victory of its own on Saturday.Â
Sophomore forward Andrew Black is leading the Raiders in points this season with two through the team's first two games. Black finished with 14 points a year ago, but is off to a fast start this year with two assists. Behind Black on the stat sheet is junior forward Tyson Spink, who finished the 2013-14 season as the Raiders leader in points (33) and assists (23).Â
In between the pipes for Colgate this season has been sophomore Charlie Finn. The netminder started both games for the Raiders last weekend, and has allowed four goals and logged 55 saves. At the helm of Colgate hockey is Don Vaughan, who is in his 22nd season as bench boss of the Raiders with a career record of 349-346-80. Vaughan has guided his team to five 20-win seasons, three NCAA tournament berths and 20 appearances in the ECAC tournament.Â
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The road aheadThe Huskies will return home next Friday to resume conference play against Massachusetts. NU took two-of-three against the Minutemen last season, including both league games. Northeastern is 45-26-10 all-time against UMass, and 5-3-2 in the last 10 contests.
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