HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Boston University capped the first half of the 2023-24 season with a two-game sweep of Holy Cross and Providence, valuting into sixth place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings. Luisa Welcke scored two power-play goals, once in each win for the Terriers.

Maine downed Dartmouth, 6-3, in a Saturday afternoon contest at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. Freshman Haley Ryan potted a natural hat trick to open the scoring, including a shorthanded strike.

Vermont toppled Merrimack, 4-2, led by three points from defend- er Krista Parkkonen. Parkkonen tallied two goals and an assist, including the game-winning, power-play strike.

Providence sophomore Reichen Kirchmair exploded for five points (3g, 2a) in a 1-1-0 weekend for the Friars. She had a career-best four points (2g, 2a) in a 6-0 win on Friday, including the game-winning goal.

New Hampshire will enter the 2024 calendar year riding a streak of 17 consecutive successful penalty kills.

For the first time ever, the Women’s Dunkin’ Beanpot Championship will be played at TD Garden on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Tickets to the championship day are on sale now at TicketMaster.com. The women’s semifinals will be played Tuesday, January 16 at Harvard’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Reichen Kirchmair - Providence

Reichen Kirchmair (So., F; Oakville, Ont.) had a career-high four points on Friday against UNH in a 6-0 win with two goals and two primary assists. She scored the game-winning goal midway into the first period. On Saturday, Kirchmair scored the Friars’ lone goal in a 5-1 setback to Boston University for a total of five points (3g, 2a) across two games.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Haley Ryan - Maine

Haley Ryan (Fr., F; Conception Bay South, N.L.) scored a natural hat trick in the span of 9:23 to open the scoring of an eventaual 6-3 win over Dartmouth at Portland’s Cross Insurance Arena on Saturday. Her first tally at 4:30 of the first period came shorthanded and she finished with a plus-three rating and one blocked shot on the day.

ARMY ROTC DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Krista Parkkonen - Vermont

Krista Parkkonen (So., D; Lappeenranta, Finland) recorded her first career three-point game to lead Vermont to a 4-2 win over Merrimack on Friday. Parkkonen tallied two goals and an assist while leading all skaters with a plus-two rating in the contest. The defender opened the scoring just 29 seconds into the game and netted the game-winning, power-play strike at 18:42 of the second period.

STOP IT GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Alexa Matses - Boston University

Alexa Matses (Gr., G; Boxford, Mass.) paced Hockey East in nearly every goaltending category last weekend, making 21 saves on 22 shots for a 1.00 GAA and .955 save percentage Rin a 5-1 win over Providence on Saturday.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Luisa Welcke, BU (So., F; Heidelberg, Germany) Scored two power-play goals, once in each win for the Terriers in a weekend sweep in league play. Her tally on Friday proved to be the game-winning strike in a 2-1 win over Holy Cross.

Alex Law, BU (Fr., F; Whitby, Ont.) Posted two points (1g, 1a) and a plus-two rating, both coming in a 5-1 win over Providence on Saturday. Her helper set up the game-winning goal.

Andi Calderone, BU (Sr., D; Kirkland, Que.) Handed out one assist in each game, including one game-winning assist, to help Boston University sweep Holy Cross and Providence and move to sixth place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings. She has now tied a career season high in assists with six this season.

Julia Cabral, UNH (Fr., F; Lee, N.H.) Recorded her first career point with an assist on Dec. 10 against Brown.