Box Score  | Season Stats | Press Conference | Highlights | Infographic

PROVIDENCE – A goal and an assist from Zach Aston-Reese gave the Northeastern men's ice hockey team (1-9-2, 0-5-2) a 2-1 lead early in the second period, but No. 1 Providence (7-0-3, 1-0-2) responded with the game's final four goals to top the Huskies on Friday night at Schneider Arena, 5-2.
 
Garret Cockerill also scored for Northeastern, his third goal in the last four games, while Ryan Ruck made 24 saves in goal. Nick Saracino (three assists) and Mark Jankowski (two goals) led the Friars, who received 21 stops from Nick Ellis.
 
PC outshot NU 29-23 in the game and won 35-of-58 face-offs. The Huskies went 1-of-4 on the power play while Providence went 2-of-6.
 
Goal descriptions:
• Providence got on the board less than four minutes into the contest as Mark Jankowski capitalized on a PC power play. With Northeastern in the box for hooking, Nick Saracino fired a shot in on goal that Ruck knocked down, but the rebound sat atop the crease, and Jankowski was there to hammer it home before Ruck could locate it.
 
• The Huskies fought back to tie the game at one with 4:46 left in the first period on Cockerill's third of the year. With Northeastern on the power play, NU quickly moved the puck around the zone as Zach Aston-Reese found John Stevens stationed at the right side of the net. Stevens patiently waited for a passing lane to open before sliding the puck up to Cockerill, who had crept in from the blue line. Cockerill then unleashed a one-timer from just above the hashmarks that beat Ellis.
 
• Northeastern took a 2-1 lead early in the second period on a goal from Aston-Reese just 4:19 into the frame. After NU caused a turnover in the attacking zone, the puck landed on Aston-Reese's stick, and he quickly wheeled and fired a shot that beat Ellis shortside.
 
• The lead would be short lived, though, as Providence struck right back with a goal from Gilmore, who tossed a wrist shot on goal from the point off a feed from Brandon Tanev to beat Ruck.
 
• With 1:31 to go in the period and Providence on the power play, the Friars regained their lead thanks to Jankowski, who took a pass from Jake Walman and let a shot go from the point that beat a screened Ruck for Jankowski's second of the evening.
 
• Robbie Hennessey extended the Providence lead to two just 2:17 into the third period when he netted his second of the season. After taking a pass from Niko Rufo, Ryan Tait sped down the left side before dishing to Hennessey on the far post for a tap in past Ruck.
 
• Tait got into the act with 8:10 remaining in regulation when he tossed a backhand over the shoulder of Ruck from the left side for his fourth goal of the year.
 
Stats of the game:
• Northeastern is now 53-81-17 all-time against Providence, 14-29-2 all-time against the defending national champion, and 8-8-7 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll.
 
• Cockerill is riding a four-game point streak (three goals, one assist), which ties a career-long.
 
• John Stevens and Aston-Reese's both recorded their 50th career points with assists on Cockerill's power play goal.
 
• Aston-Reese has at least one point in each of his last three games (2-2-4).
 
The road ahead:
• Northeastern and Providence will meet again tomorrow night in the series finale at Matthews Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. for NU's Military Appreciation Night.