Gameday Information: Game 27 vs. Providence
When	Friday, Feb. 6  |  7 p.m.
Where	Matthews Arena  |  Boston, Mass.  |  Directions  |  Tickets
Broadcast and stats	Stats  |  Video  |  Audio
Game Notes	Northeastern (PDF)
Social media	@GoNUwhockey   facebook.com/GoNUwhockey instagram.com/GoNUathletics Use #GoNU

BOSTON - Three days after pushing No. 1/1 Boston College to its limits in the 2015 Beanpot semifinals, the Northeastern women's hockey team returns to Matthews Arena on Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. to take on the visiting Providence Friars. The Huskies look to win their second straight game against Providence this season, having split a weekend series with the Friars on Nov. 15 (L, 1-4) and Nov. 16 (W, 6-2). Northeastern currently leads Providence by four points in the Hockey East standings, and a win on Friday will put the Huskies in great position to close in on home ice during the league quarterfinals.

All-time against Providence

The Huskies and Friars have been long-time rivals as members of both the ECAC and Hockey East. Although Providence holds a 56-48-11 edge in the all-time series, Northeastern has had the Friars' number in recent years, having won seven out of the last 10 head-to-head meetings. NU and Providence have been pitted against each other annually since Northeastern's inaugural season in 1980-81. The two programs have also met in the Hockey East tournament as recently as 2012 when the Friars topped the Huskies, 2-0, in the conference quarterfinals.

Last time out against the Friars

Northeastern converted on four power-plays for the first time since 1999 as the Huskies lit up the scoreboard in a 6-2 victory against the Friars on Nov. 16. Heather Mottau (three assists) and Kendall Coyne (two goals, one assist) each finished the game with three-point performances, while Denisa Krizova and Jordan Krause both tallied one goal and one assist. Goaltender Sarah Foss made 19 saves in net for the Huskies as the NU defense limited Providence to just 21 shots on goal. Krause and Krizova scored two goals within 14 seconds of each other midway through the second stanza, helping Northeastern score five unanswered goals in the period.

Scouting Providence

Despite starting the 2014-15 season winless in its first 12 games, Providence has since rebounded and ascended to fifth place in Hockey East with a 5-10-1 conference record. Beth Hanrahan is the Friars' lone 20-point scorer this year (13 goals, 11 assists), but teammates Haley Frade (seven goals, 12 assists) and Cassidy Carels (seven goals, 11 assists) are not far off her pace with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Between the pipes, Providence goaltender Allie Morse is ranked fifth in Hockey East in total saves (573) and boasts a GAA of 2.99. Defensively, the Friars allow the most goals per game in the conference at 3.32, but the team ranks sixth in the league in goals scored per game with a mark of 1.82.

NU gives No. 1/1 BC scare in Beanpot semis

A goal by McKenna Brand at 7:52 in the second period broke a scoreless tie between Northeastern and No. 1/1 Boston College in the 2015 Beanpot semifinals on Feb. 3, but three unanswered goals by BC gave the Eagles a 3-1 win and a spot in the tournament final. Heather Mottau picked up her team-leading 17th assist of the year when she fed a puck to Tori Hickel, who found Brand for the go-ahead goal midway through the second. Chloe Desjardins made 35 saves and ended the game with a .946 save percentage, her best mark in four games against top-ranked Boston College this season.

Brook Whitney inducted into Beanpot HOF

Former Northeastern player Brook Whitney (class of 2003) will be inducted into the Beanpot Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2015 between the first and second semifinal games on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Whitney ranks among the top 10 in scoring in Beanpot history with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in eight games, and is the Huskies' fourth leading scorer all-time with 172 career points (86 goals, 86 assists). A member of the Northeastern Hall of Fame Class of 2008, Whitney was a recipient of the 2002 Jeanne Rowlands Award for best female athlete at NU, and also received both ECAC and New England Player of the Year honors that season. 

Mottau sets career-long point streak

Heather Mottau extended her active point streak to six straight games on Feb. 3 as the sophomore registered her 17th assist of the year on McKenna Brand's goal in the second period of the Beanpot semifinals. Mottau's current streak of six games is a career-best; the defenseman notched a four-game point streak earier this season between Nov. 16 and Nov. 29. Her active steak is the third point streak the Milton, Massachusetts native has built this year.

Krizova named WHEA Rookie of the Month

Freshman Denisa Krizova was named the Pro Ambitions WHEA Rookie of the Month for January on Thursday, Feb. 5. Krizova ended the month of January with eight points (four goals, four assists) in six games, and combined for one goal and two assists in two games against No. 1/1 Boston College on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11. The rookie forward is currently ranked second in Hockey East in points per game (0.91) among rookies, and is ranked fifth in the NCAA in the same category.

Coyne scores 20 for third straight year

Junior forward Kendall Coyne became the first Northeastern player to score 20 or more goals in three consecutive seasons on Friday, Jan. 30 since Hillary Witt produced four 20-goal campaigns between 1996 and 2000. Coyne scored 26 goals as a freshman in 2011-12, 37 as a sophomore in 2012-13, and has netted 20 in 23 games played so far in 2014-15. She is also four points away from becoming just the third Northeastern player to record three consecutive 40-point seasons (Kim Haman 1991-94, Hillary Witt 1996-2000).

NU nearly perfect on penalty kill vs. BC

In four games this season against No. 1/1 Boston College, Northeastern has successfully killed 10 out of 11 penalties. The Huskies held the Eagles scoreless on four power-plays back on Nov. 8, and killed a perfect five extra-man opportunites on Saturday, Jan. 10. NU was also a perfect one-for-one on the penalty kill in the Beanpot semifinals on Feb. 3. 

History vs. No. 1

Northeastern's setback against No. 1 Boston College on Feb. 3, 2015 dropped the Huskies' record to 1-17-1 all-time against the top-ranked team in the nation. Northeastern's lone victory against a No. 1 team came on Jan. 5, 2001 against No. 1 Dartmouth (4-0). NU has played the No. 1-ranked team a total of four times in 2014-15 (all against Boston College), the most since the 2007-08 season, when the Huskies last played four games against the top-ranked team in the country.