PROVIDENCE UPENDS NORTHEASTERN, 5-0

The Providence Friars (10-10-3, 7-1-2 Hockey East) received goals from five different players and Jana Bugden stopped all 16 shots as the Friars defeated the Northeastern women’s hockey team (3-19-1, 2-11-1 Hockey East), 5-0, on Saturday afternoon at Matthews Arena.

Neither team could establish much momentum in the first period, as the Friars held a slim 8-6 shot advantage. Providence scored the game’s first goal directly off a faceoff, as Sarah Feldman won the draw to Brittany Nelson in the slot, who beat NU sophomore goaltender Stacey Scott high. Northeastern pressured the Friars for the remainder of the period, but the Huskies could get not score the tying goal after one period.

Northeastern held its own for the beginning of the second period, continually intercepting long passing attempts by the Friars, until freshman Ginny Berg was called for a five-minute major for leg tripping at the 10:43 mark. After killing off the first half of the penalty, Providence’s Mari Pehkonen redirected a shot from teammate Sonny Watrous to give the visitors a two-goal lead. Kristin Gigliotti also recorded an assist on the goal. With the Huskies back to full strength, Jenna Keilch then notched her sixth goal of the season with 2:12 remaining in the second period, with the assist going to Caitlin Malboeuf.

Providence scored twice more in the third period to account for the final score. With the teams playing four-on-four due to penalties by Malboeuf and NU’s Ashley Bielawski, Katy Beach scored at the 13:34 mark of the third, picking up a loose puck in front and beating Scott. Under two minutes later, the Friars picked up their fifth goal, as Jackie Duncan scored her first collegiate goal from the top of the left circle. Malboeuf, who just came out of the penalty box, recorded the assist.

Bugden made 16 saves for the Friars in earning the shutout. For the Huskies, Scott made 23 saves. Providence scored on only one of its four power plays, while NU went scoreless in three tries.

The Huskies will return to action tomorrow afternoon, when the team faces its final non-Hockey East opponent of the 2006-07 season, Robert Morris, at 2 p.m. at Matthews Arena. The game will be the first-ever meeting between the Colonials and the Huskies.