BOSTON - Looking to win at least one game in the Women's Beanpot for the fourth consecutive season, the Northeastern women's hockey team will battle No. 7/7 Boston University for third place in the tournament consolation game on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. The Huskies and Terriers played to a 3-3 tie in overtime during the 2011 consolation game, but NU has since defeated BU in both the 2012 championship and 2013 semifinal games.
All-time in the Beanpot Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday night's Beanpot championship game between No. 1/1 Boston College and No. 4/4 Harvard, Northeastern will still possess the most titles (16) heading into the 2016 tournament (Harvard 13, Boston College 5, Boston University 1). The Huskies have played in the Beanpot consolation game 11 times since the inaugural Beanpot in 1979, sporting a 6-4-1 record. Northeastern has not won the consolation game outright since it defeated Boston University, 4-0, in 2005, and has remained winless in five consecutive third-place contests. Overall, NU has finished first 16 times, second nine times, third seven times (including one tie in 2011), and fourth four times.
Against Boston University in the Beanpot Northeastern leads Boston University, 16-4-1, in 21 all-time Beanpot meetings, and has not lost to BU in the tournament since the 2009 consolation game. The Huskies topped the Terriers, 4-3, in the two programs' lone championship game meeting in 2013, and eliminated BU, 4-4 (2-0 in a shootout), in the 2010 semifinals. On Feb. 7, 1995, Northeastern shutout Boston University, 24-0, during the first round in what remains as the most lopsided tournament game in Women's Beanpot history. NU won 13 straight Beanpot games against the Terriers from 1983 to 2005, and the Huskies have also won three of their last four tournament meetings opposite BU.
Scouting the Terriers Boston University is one of two teams in Hockey East to have two 30-point scorers this season (Boston College). Junior forward Sarah Lefort leads the Terriers with 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 27 games in 2014-15, while team captain Marie-Philip Poulin has registered 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) in five fewer games. BU ranks second in the conference in goal differential per game (+0.85), and enters Tuesday night having won five out of its last seven games. Victoria Hanson and Erin O'Neil are both among the top five goaltenders in Hockey East in goals against average with marks of 2.54 and 2.72, respectively.
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 win and a spot in the tournament final.
Heather Mottau picked up her 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.
Huskies in the 2014 Beanpot The Huskies advanced to their third consecutive championship game with a 4-3 victory against No. 3/5 Harvard in the first round of the 2014 Beanpot, but were shutout by No. 7/7 Boston College, 3-0, in the title game. NU jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Crimson in the semifinals courtesy of first-period goals by
Colleen Murphy and
Kelly Wallace, and took a 4-1 lead into the final stanza. Two Harvard goals midway through the third period cut the Huskies' lead to just one, but NU held off the Crimson's extra attacker to seal a berth in the Beanpot finals. One week later, the Huskies battled BC for the tournament crown in a true road game at the Conte Forum, but fell short as the Eagles converted on two of their three power-play opportunities.
Brook Whitney inducted into Beanpot HOF Former Northeastern player Brook Whitney (class of 2003) was 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.
Masters lifts Huskies to first OT win of year Hayley Masters' game-winning goal 38 seconds into overtime awarded the Huskies their first extra-period win of the season as NU scooted past Providence, 2-1, on Feb. 6. After surrendering a first-period goal to the Friars' Haley Frade, Northeastern stepped up its defense, led by goalie
Chloe Desjardins, who went on to save 26 shots, including all 15 during the final two stanzas.
Melissa Haganey tied the game at 6:49 in the third period, and a quick start to the extra frame allowed the Huskies to steal two points and improve their chances for home ice in the league quarterfinals. NU is now 1-0-4 in five overtime games this year.
Mottau saves point streak with overtime assist Heather Mottau kept her point streak alive against Providence on Feb. 6 when the sophomore assisted on
Hayley Masters' game-winning goal 38 seconds into overtime, helping NU defeat the Friars, 2-1. Mottau's 18th assist of the year extended her point streak to seven consecutive games, the longest any Northeastern player has achieved this season.
Against ranked competition Northeastern is 2-8-0 this season against opponents ranked in the USCHO.com or USA Today polls. The Huskies shutout No. 8/10 Mercyhurst back on Oct. 17, and scored six goals in a winning effort against No. 6/6 Boston University on Nov. 11. NU has also faced No. 1/1 Boston College four times this season, and is one of only two teams in the country to have scored more than two goals in a single game against the Eagles (Harvard).
Desjardins tabbed Defensive Player of the Week Chloe Desjardins was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, Feb. 9, for her performances against No. 1/1 Boston College and Providence. The senior goaltender posted a 1.50 GAA and .953 save percentage last week, stopping an impressive 61 of 64 shots. Desjardins became just the third NU goalie to win 50 games when the Huskies scooted by the Friars, 2-1, in overtime on Feb. 6. She joins Erika Silva (61 wins) and Shannon Meyers (57) as the only members of the Huskies' 50-win club.
