BOSTON -- Hockey East's top offense and defense go toe-to-toe when No. 8/9 Northeastern squares off with No. 10 Providence on Friday night in the first game between two top-ten teams at Matthews Arena since Feb. 21, 2009. The game will be televised live on Watch ESPN in the United States and on GoNU.com/xstream in Canada.
Friday's promotions
It's the biggest home game of the season to date on Friday as two of Hockey East top squads take the ice at Matthews Arena. Friday is Country Night at Matthews Arena with country themed music all night, and NU will hold a lasso contest on the ice during the second intermission.
All fans in attendance can also enter to win two tickets to see Kenny Chesney at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 25.
The Huskies are encouraging all fans to wear their cowboy boots and plaid to the game, and will also be giving away cowboy hats to the first 500 fans in attendance, sponsored by Coca-Cola.
Northeastern introduces new AD Jeff Konya | Read | Watch
Northeastern has named Jeffrey Konya as its next director of athletics and recreation. Konya has more than two decades of experience in college athletics, most recently as director of athletics at Oakland University, and was a 2017 recipient of the Under Armour NACDA Athletics Director of the Year award. He will begin his tenure at Northeastern on Feb. 1.
"Jeff Konya is a proven leader who has the passion and the vision to drive our athletic programs to new levels of success," said Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun. "When I met with Jeff during the search process, I was immediately struck by his energy, his entrepreneurial spirit, and the innovation that has defined his career. These are Northeastern values. And in Jeff, we found someone who shares those values."
Home sweet home
Northeastern is 11-3-0 at Matthews Arena, tied for the most home wins in the NCAA. The Huskies are averaging 4.36 goals per game at home, tied for third in the nation and outscoring opponents by an average of 2.14 goals per game (second in the NCAA).
A win on Friday night would give Northeastern seven straight regular season home wins for the first time since the 1983-84 season.
Huskies for Hobey
Northeastern forwards
Adam Gaudette and
Dylan Sikura have been nominated for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top player in the nation. Fan voting, which is open until March 4, plays a role in narrowing down the nominee pool to ten candidates. To vote for Gaudette or Sikura once per day, visit
GoNU.com/Hobey.
Gaud Is Good
Adam Gaudette owns the nation's scoring lead (36 points) and is tied for third in goals (17). His 12 multi-point games are the most in college hockey. Gaudette's been filling the net in every way, and is near the top of the scoring list in several categories:
Goal: Number (NCAA Rank)
Total Goals: 17 (t-3rd)
Power Play Goals: 8 (t-1st)
Shorthanded Goals: 2 (t-5th)
Game-Winning Goals: 4 (t-3rd)
Multi-Goal Games: 5 (t-1st)
Gaudette's done damage when it matters most. He's either scored or assisted on 13 of Northeastern's last 23 game winning goals (six goals, seven assists), dating back to last season, including eight of the team's 15 wins this year (four goals, four assists).
Gaudette's fifth in career scoring among active players in the NCAA with 118 points, one of just three juniors in the top-10. His 55 career goals are second and his 29 PPG lead all active players. Gaudette also has points in nine of his last 10 games (nine goals, nine assists).
On Nov. 28, Gaudette became the 51st player in team history to reach 100 career points, and just the 22nd to accomplish the feat in three seasons or less. He's the fifth Husky in the last three seasons (Kevin Roy,
Zach Aston-Reese,
John Stevens,
Dylan Sikura) to accomplish the feat. No Husky had done it in three seasons or fewer since Kevin Roy during his All-American season in 2014-15.
He's Sik
Senior
Dylan Sikura is second among active players in the nation with 126 career points, and is currently tied for third in the nation with 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in just 20 games this season (1.62 points per game; first in the NCAA).
His 21 helpers are also tied for sixth in the country, and is currently second in the NCAA with 5.38 shots/game.
What's most impressive about Sikura is his steady progression throughout his career at Northeastern. He went from a seven-point in 25-game freshman campaign to 28 points as a sophomore before a breakout 57-point junior season. Ninety-one of Sikura's 126 career points (72%) have come in his last 59 games (1.54 points per game).
Sikura's electric start to the season made him the first player since 2012-13 to record a multi-point effort in each of his team's first six games, and one of two players in the nation to reach 14 points in that span since 2012-13.
Captain Comeback
Captain
Nolan Stevens is third on the team with 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists), and has goals in 10 of his last 18 games. Since returning from injury last February, Stevens has points in 23 of his last 35 games (23 goals, 20 assists).
Stevens' 20-goal season as a sophomore in 2015-16 make him one of just 16 active players in the NCAA, along with Gaudette and Sikura in 2016-17 with a 20-goal season to his credit.
After potting a career-high four points (three goals, one assist) on Jan. 20 against UMass, he is one of four players in the country with two hat tricks this season.
The Sea Isle City, N.J. native became the 52nd player in team history to reach 100 career points that night.
Prime'd for success
Freshman
Cayden Primeau has acclimated himself to the college game, earning starts in 18 of Northeastern's 24 games and posting a 11-4-3 mark with a 1.98 goals against average.
He reached 11 wins in the fourth fewest starts in the NCAA, and is one of two rookie netminders with double-digit victories.
After a 6-4 loss to Quinnipiac on Oct. 21, Primeau has bounced back in a big way. Since then, Primeau is fifth in the nation with a 1.79 goals against average and sixth with a .932 save percentage.
After posting a 4-0-1 record in December, he was named the Stop It Goaltending Goaltender of the Month. The following day, he was named the HCA Rookie of the Month.
How you start is how you go ...
Northeastern is outscoring opponents 29-11 in the first period this season, and it's +18 first period goal differential is the best in the nation. NU's 11 goals against in the opening frame are tied for the second fewest in the NCAA.
... But it's how you finish
Northeastern has been a tough team to defeat when the Huskies lead after two periods. Since 2013-14, NU is 68-9-4 (.864) when the Huskies have the lead through 40 minutes of play.
The road ahead
Northeastern welcomes New Hampshire to Matthews Arena for one game next weekend ahead of the 66th Beanpot. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Friday and will be televised on Watch ESPN.
