The No. 15 UConn women’s hockey team is set to host both No. 5 Northeastern and Holy Cross this weekend as a part of two one-game series at the all-new Toscano Family Ice Forum. UConn takes on 2022-2023 regular season conference champion Northeastern Friday night at 6 p.m.. They will then play Holy Cross at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
As UConn gears up to take on Northeastern, it is no doubt that every practice will be as intense as can be. UConn has fallen to Northeastern twice so far this season, and look to make a statement on their home ice with a win against the team ranked fifth in the nation.
Northeastern is led by Hockey East Player of the Year candidate Alina Mueller. Mueller broke the all-time conference record for points on Jan. 27, with 168 total. The team captain currently leads the team in total points, as she has amassed 41 on the season so far.
Northeastern clinched the regular season conference championship on the same night that Mueller broke the conference point record after a 4-0 victory over Holy Cross. Northeastern’s sheer offensive power led them to claim the regular season championship a month before the end of the regular season.
After one of the biggest games of the season on Friday night, UConn will go on to play the Holy Cross Crusaders on Saturday for the first time this season. Holy Cross will be the last conference opponent UConn plays in the regular season this year.
The Crusaders are led by senior Mary Edmonds, who has 16 total points on the season. The team currently sits at No. 9 in conference standings, with only five total conference wins on the season.
For the Huskies, expect senior captain Coryn Tormala to be paving the way for her team this weekend. Currently leading the team in points with 17 total, the Michigan native has been a force to be reckoned with when it comes to putting the puck on net. Junior forward Jada Habisch can also be counted on to bring the offensive spark for the Huskies this weekend as she leads the team with 11 goals on the season.
The game of hockey is not only about scoring goals, but defending them as well. Luckily for the Huskies, they have one of the best goalie tandems in the conference with their pair of sophomore goalies Tia Chan and Megan Warrener. Both Chan and Warrener hold above .910 save percentages on the season, an impressive feat to behold in arguably the best college hockey conference in the nation.
For UConn head coach Chris MacKenzie, this weekend is crucial for his skaters, as they look to overcome one of the best teams in the nation and get back into the win column on their home ice to finish off their season strong.
