WAKEFIELD, Mass. -- No. 6 Northeastern and Providence College will battle for first
place on Saturday afternoon at Matthews Arena, while Boston University will visit No. 4
New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center. No. 8 Connecticut will entertain Boston College
Saturday and UNH on Sunday at Freitas Ice Forum in Storrs. The Maine Black Bears
will head to Burlington for a single-game on Saturday for a 2pm matchup at Gutterson
Fieldhouse.
The Friars and NU Huskies have each taken a game in the series this year. PC has won
six of its last eight games coming into the weekend. Hockey East Player of the Month
Jean O’Neill (Strafford, Pa.) notched 13 points (6g,7a) leading the Friars to a 7-2-1 record
in January. Northeastern in coming off a 4-4 tie and shootout win vs. BU in the first round
of the Beanpot on Tuesday at Harvard’s Bright Center. Saturday’s key WHEA game will
the 100th all-time meeting between Northeastern and Providence; the Friars lead the
series 50-39-10.
The Eagles lead the season series with UConn, 1-0-1 this year, while UNH earned a pair
of 3-1 victories earlier in the season. UConn brings a 10-game (9-0-1) unbeaten streak
into the weekend, which includes eight straight wins. Sophomore goalie Alexandra Garcia
(Point-Claire, Que.) has posted back-to-back 24 saves shutouts in her last two starts for
Connecticut.
Maine won both previous against Vermont this season by a combined score of 5-1.
The Catamounts have some nice momentum after a 2-1 upset of the UNH Wildcats on
Wednesday night in Burlington. Chelsea Rapin (Walled Lake, Mich.) and Erin Wente (Scottsdale,
Ariz.) scored for Vermont, which included the game-winner for Wente with just 2:28
remaining in regulation.
Both BU and UNH have won a game in their season series this year, with the Terriers
most recent shootout win (4-4) on Nov. 7 at the Whittemore Center in Durham. Since the
start of last season, the Terriers have gone 1-1-3 against New Hampshire, but all three
ties turned into shootout wins for BU.
