HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

UConn became the first team to secure home ice in the Hockey East Women’s Tournament, taking four points from Northeastern and Holy Cross. The Huskies will host a quarterfinal game on Saturday March 2 and control their own destiny for the regular season crown. With two wins this weekend at Merrimack and Vermont, Chris Mackenzie’s team will claim its first-ever league championship.

Two weekends remain in the Hockey East regular season with most seeding positions still up for grabs. While UConn has wrapped up a top-four spot, eight others remain in contention for a bye into the quarterfinals. Holy Cross will participate in the Opening Round on Feb. 28 and has a chance to earn hosting duties.

Northeastern pushed its unbeaten run to 10 straight games (8-0-2) with a 1-0-1 weekend against UConn and Maine. Both Huskies squads are now riding unbeaten runs of at least 10 games as UConn is 8-0-3 in its last 11 overall and 16-0-4 in its last 20 league games.

Megan Warrener improved to 12-0-1 overall and 10-0-1 in Hockey East with a 20-save performance in a 5-1 win at Holy Cross on Saturday. She has allowed more than one goal just twice this season.

Natalie Mlynkova powered the Vermont offense with two goals an two assists in an unbeaten weekend. She factored on all four goals in a pair of 2-2 draws.

The 2024 Hockey East Women’s Tournament begins Feb. 28 with two Opening Round games. The single-elimination format will feature all 10 programs competing with six earning a bye into the quarterfinals on March 2. Semifinals take place March 6 with the title game returning to ESPNU on March 9 at 12 noon.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Natalie Mlynkova - Vermont

Natalie Mlynkova (Sr., F; Zlin, Czechia) factored in on all four Vermont goals this weekend in a pair of 2-2 draws as the senior recorded a goal and an assist in each game. With her goal on Friday, became Vermont’s third all-time leading scorer with 47 goals. She had a plus-three rating on the weekend for Vermont. On Saturday, she scored the game-tying goal with 4.6 seconds remaining after setting up the game-tying goal in the third period on Friday.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Maria Lindberg - Merrimack

Maria Lindberg (Fr., F; Stockholm, Sweden) was second among all national rookies and led Hockey East first-years with three points last weekend. She extended her point streak to three games (4g, 1a) with a goal in each of Merrimack’s split with New Hampshire. She scored and had an assist in Friday’s 3-2 setback before scoring the game’s opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime win.

ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Rae Breton - New Hampshire

Rae Breton (Gr., D; Brighton, Ont.) blocked seven shots and had a plus-one rating in UNH’s home-and-home split against Merrimack. She was credited with six blocks and had a plus-one rating in the home loss; it marked the 21st game this season Breton blocked multiple shots in a game and the third time she recorded six or more blocks. Breton also blocked a shot in the 3-2 road win. Breton leads Hockey East and is tied for third in the nation with 74 blocks this season.

STOP IT GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Gwyneth Philips - Northeastern

Gwyneth Philips (Gr., G; Athens, Ohio) tallied 46 saves, averaging a 0.96 GAA and .958 save percentage in a 1-0-1 weekend for Northeastern. Philips posted 27 saves and stopped all three of UConn’s shootout attempts to secure a 2-2 tie and extra point for Northeastern. Against Maine, Philips posted her sixth shutout over the season, making 19 saves against Maine in 4-0 win. Among goaltenders that have played in 16 or more games, Philips leads the nation in save percentage (.952) and GAA (1.20).

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Coryn Tormala, UConn (Gr., F; Sussex, Wis.) Posted three points (1g, 2a) in a 1-0-1 weekend for UConn.

Ashley Allard, UConn (Fr., F; Ottawa, Ont.) Pushed her point streak to three games (2g, 1a).

Ainsley Svetek, UConn (Gr., D; Burlington, Ont.) Registered a point in each game of a 1-0-1 weekend for UConn.

Madison Michals, HC (Jr., F; Needham, Mass.) Scored the lone goal for the Crusaders in a 1-1 tie with Providence on Friday.

Emma Min, HC (Jr., D; London, Ont.) Blocked nine shots on the weekend, four in a 1-1 tie with Providence and five the next day.

Madison Beck, HC (Sr., G; Lunenburg, N.S.) Stopped 64 shots in a 0-1-1 weekend, including 33 saves in game one against Providence to earn the first ever program tie against the Friars.

Abby Latorella, Maine (Gr., F; Macomb, Mich.) Had an assist and scored the first goal of the year that proved to be the game-winning strike in a 3-1 win over at Boston University.

Bria Holm, Maine (Fr., F; Moorhead, Minn.) Scored her first career goal Friday in a 3-1 win at BU.

Nicole Kelly, UNH (Sr., F; Brantford, Ont.) Netted two goals, including the game-winning goal, in UNH’s 3-2 road win on Friday over Merrimack. She also won 18 faceoffs, blocked two shots and had a plus-one rating. The output on Friday was the second consecutive two-goal game and extended her goal streak to four (6g).

Sedona Blair, UNH (Fr., G; Eden Prairie, Minn.) Stopped 47 of 51 shots for a .922 save percentage and 1.96 GAA in UNH’s split against Merrimack. In last Friday’s 3-2 road win, Blair made 23 saves. She stopped 10 of 11 shots in the third period and that included all three shots faced in the final two minutes after Merrimack pulled its goalie in favor of an extra skater. Blair made 24 saves, including 14 in the third period and two more in overtime, in a 2-1 loss.

Katy Knoll, NU (Gr., F; Amherst, N.Y.) Posted one goal and one assist in a 1-0-1 weekend for the Huskies. Knoll tallied two points in a 4-0 victory over Maine, notching the game-winning goal on the power-play. Knoll’s game-winner was her fifth of the season and the 21st of her career, moving her into sole possession of second place in program history.

Megan Carter, NU (Gr., D; Milton, Ont.) Recorded one goal, one assist and eight blocks over two games for the Huskies. In a 2-2 tie with UConn, Carter had one assist and two blocks. In a 4-0 shutout over Maine, Carter posted her first goal of the season and tallied a season-high six blocks. Carter is riding a seven-game point streak (1g, 9a) and her 16 assists on the season lead all Hockey East defensemen.

Brooke Becker, PC (Sr., D; Orchard Park, N.Y.) Becker tallied two points this weekend with an assist on Friday and goal Saturday in a pair of stalemates for Providence. She also recorded two blocks. The Friars are 5-1-3 since returning from the Friendship Series in Belfast.

Jessie McPherson, UVM (Sr., G; Chatham, Ont) Made a combined 64 saves to lead Vermont to two ties against #15 Boston College and Providence. Made four stops in Saturday’s shootout to earn Vermont the extra point.