CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A first-period goal from junior Taze Thompson was all the No. 15 Northeastern women's hockey team (14-9-1, 8-7-1 HE) needed to beat the Harvard Crimson (3-15-1, 1-11-1 ECAC) 1-0 in the first round of the 2024 Dunkin' Women's Beanpot at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center Tuesday night.
 
With the win, the Huskies advance to the Beanpot final next Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. at TD Garden. NU, the reigning champion and leader in Beanpot titles, will play for its 19^th win in the 45-year-old tournament against Boston University, who won the first semifinal in a shootout after a 3-3 tie with Boston College.
 
Fifth year goaltender Gwyneth Philips earned the shutout in net with nine saves, marking her 21^st career shutout and moving into second place on the Huskies' career shutout leaderboard.

• Thompson opened the scoring against her former team, winning a physical battle in front and tipping in a shot from junior Tory Mariano on the power play to make it 1-0 at 11:42. It was her ninth goal of the season, a career high for the Sherwood Park, Alberta native.
• Sophomore Lily Shannon earned the second assist after cycling the puck around to Mariano at the blue line.
• At the end of the first period, the Huskies had the lead in shots 11-4 and had dominated play for most of the period, with just the one tally between both teams.
• While the second was a scoreless affair, it was anything but quiet. Freshman Ella Blackmore almost scored on multiple chances and the Huskies again outshot Harvard, this time 14-4, but nothing found the twine.
• Nothing changed in the third, as the Huskies fended off a 6-on-5 from the Crimson and held on for the win. 

The Huskies have a week before the Beanpot championship, but will play New Hampshire Friday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. in Matthews Arena.