PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College (3-4-5, 2-1-3-2) women's hockey team tied No. 9 Northeastern (7-1-2, 3-0-2-1), 1-1, at Schneider Arena on Sunday, November 8. The Friars earned the extra point in the Hockey East standings with a dramatic shootout goal from PC's 13th shooter of the day, sophomore defender Christie Jensen (Delta, B.C.). Classmate Ashley Cottrell (Sterling Heights, Mich.) scored the lone goal for Providence in regulation. Goaltender Genevieve Lacasse (Scarborough, Ontario) recorded 28 saves on the day.
Cottrell netted her goal with only two seconds remaining in the second period. Northeastern's Kristie Kehoe would even the score at 9:57 of the third period. Neither team scored in overtime, leading to the 26-person shootout. In a battle between the two goalies chosen to represent the Hockey East All Stars vs. Team USA on November 22, it took 26 shooters to declare a winner. Northeastern's seventh shooter, Danielle Kerr, beat Lacasse, leading to a tying goal from PC junior Alyse Ruff (Tualatin, Ore.). The next 11 shooters missed, with Northeastern hitting the post on back-to-back shots, before Jensen lifted her attempt over the outstretched left pad of Schelling for the winner. It was the first shootout attempt of Jensen's career. Lacasse made seven saves in the shootout while NU's Florence Schelling recorded eight.
The first period saw Providence outshoot the Huskies, 16-6. The Friars had several chances from right in front but Schelling stood her ground, denying everything that came her way. Senior Arianna Rigano (Malden, Mass.) had a short-handed attempt at 9:46 but her wrist shot was smothered. Ashley Cottrell (Sterling, Heights, Mich.) ripped a shot off the right post from the right face-off circle at 14:00 before Schelling came up with her best save of the period on a Jessica Cohen (Anchorage, Alaska) wrister. Cohen picked up a loose puck at the bottom of the face-off circle and fired a shot high that Schelling snatched with her glove to keep the score at 0-0.
The Huskies nearly opened the scoring at 14:40 but a two-on-one shot from Northeastern's Casey Pickett was denied by the left pad of Lacasse.
The second period was back and forth until Cottrell's goal in the final seconds. The Huskies closed the gap in shots, putting 10 on frame compared to 11 from PC. Providence captain Colleen Martin (Woburn, Mass.) had an early backhand denied by Schelling at the top of the crease before the NU goaltender stopped junior Jean O'Neill (Strafford, Pa.) from point blank off a rebound at 7:40.
It looked as though the teams would head into the locker rooms tied, 0-0, until Cottrell picked up a failed Northeastern clearance on the right wall with only six seconds remaining on the clock. Cottrell skated towards the goal line and sent a shot towards the cage that found its way through Schelling's pads for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
Northeastern evened the score at 9:57 of the third period. The Huskies had a two-on-one break into the PC zone when Ginny Berg slid a pass to Kehoe at the right face-off circle. Kehoe took one stride and sent a shot under Lacasse's blocker for the equalizer. The Friars couldn't put the game away in the overtime period and PC earned its third tie in as many games.
Providence will take on No. 8 Boston University in a home-and-home series next weekend with game one at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 14 at Agganis Arena in Boston, Mass. The Friars will host game two in Schneider Arena on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.