December has arrived with two intriguing matchups for the first-place UConn women’s ice hockey team (10-4-1, 8-3-0 Hockey East). For the first time this season, the Huskies will host two different Hockey East opponents before taking over a month off.
The Huskies will begin by hosting Merrimack College (6-8-2, 3-6-2 Hockey East) on Friday afternoon, part of a doubleheader at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.
Today’s matchup is the “Husky Alliance Game,” with the UConn Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) promoting the event.
Not only is defenseman Ainsley Svetek one of the anchors of the Huskies’ defense with 19 blocked shots this season (tied-team high), but she is also the president of the SAAC, making this game special for her to play in.
It is the first meeting this season between the Warriors and the Huskies. After a seven-game losing streak put them in sixth place in the Hockey East standings, Merrimack won at the College of Holy Cross and Providence College, looking to find more momentum heading into Storrs today.
The matchup to look forward to is the battle of both teams’ points leaders: Merrimack forward Celine Tedenby and Connecticut forward Jada Habisch. Tedenby is known for being more of a balanced offensive player, with seven goals and six assists for 13 points, while Habisch is more of a goal-scorer, with a team-high ten goals and four assists for 14 points. The closest player to the senior from Buffalo, Minnesota. on the Huskies’ goal-scoring list is forward Brooke Campbell, who has scored six times this season.
Forward Ashley Allard and defenseman Claire Peterson were among the top performers in the conference this past week. Allard had two assists at the Nutmeg Classic and performed well at the faceoff circle, especially as a freshman. Peterson did more than just defense as she scored one goal and one assist in the two games in New Haven.
The Huskies have a lot of momentum going into this weekend, winning nine of their last ten games. The team’s eight-game winning streak ended last Friday as No. 7 Quinnipiac University beat them four goals to two.
However, head coach Chris MacKenzie’s squad did not mourn too much over the team’s fourth loss this season as Habisch, who was named the Hockey East Player of the Month on Thursday, netted two goals to help UConn take down Sacred Heart University and finish 1-1 at the Nutmeg Classic in New Haven.
MacKenzie has used a two-goaltender duo this season, with juniors Tia Chan and Megan Warrener splitting time in the crease. Chan has played ten games and started in nine, with a 1.54 goals allowed per game and a save percentage of .946. Warrener has allowed just three goals in the seven games she has appeared in, with a save percentage of .971. The Stoney Creek, Ontario native helped the Huskies bounce back last weekend with a win over Sacred Heart.
Merrimack has relied on sophomore Calli Hogarth in net this season. The Barrie, Ontario native has allowed 2.30 goals per game and has a save percentage of .914.
Since their first meeting in 2015, UConn has the upper hand against Merrimack with a 15-6-3 series lead. Despite winning five of their first six meetings in the series’ history, the Warriors have punched back, even winning back-to-back games during the 2018-19 season. Last season saw the Huskies go 2-0-1 against Merrimack, with nine goals scored across three games.
Today’s game has a puck drop set for 2 p.m. For those unable to attend, the game is available to stream on ESPN+.
On Saturday, the best two teams in the Hockey East face off in a big battle, with the Huskies hosting No. 15 Boston College (8-7-1, 8-3-1 Hockey East). The Eagles have a quick stop in the Ocean State to take on Providence College before heading to Storrs.
Out of every team UConn has faced on their schedule so far, only Boston College has completed a series sweep on them. Back in mid-October, the Huskies were one goal shy both in Chestnut Hill and at home against the Eagles, losing 4-3 in the first game and 2-1 in the second.
Boston College is a prolific offensive team, with six players holding 10 points or more. Forwards Abby Newhook, Julia Pellerin, Sammy Smigliani and Sammy Taber each have 12 points heading into the weekend. Taber, the Pro Ambitions Hockey East Rookie of the Month, leads the Eagles in assists with nine. Newhook and forward Gaby Roy are tied for the team’s lead in goals with seven each this season, providing a test for the Huskies’ defense.
The biggest surprise this season was the breakout of Warrener, who earned the Stop It Goaltending Hockey East Goaltender of the Month honor after leading the NCAA with two shutouts in November. Expect her and Chan to both see the ice this weekend.
Boston College is similar to Merrimack in which the Eagles have put only one goaltender in for the most part this season, relying on sophomore Grace Campbell, who was named to the Hockey East Top Performers list after saving 26 of 29 shots against Northeastern University on Saturday. The Kensington, Maryland native has a 2.76 goals-against average and has a save percentage of .910.
Joining Campbell on the conference’s top performers list is defenseman Sidney Fess, who had the lone goal on the power play in a 3-1 loss against Northeastern on Saturday.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for Boston College in Hockey East play this season, but they remain a fringe-top-15 team according to the USCHO Division I Women’s Poll.
Boston College is currently on a three-game winning streak against the Huskies and holds a 47-25-10 record overall.
The Holidays with the Huskies game, the final one of 2023, will begin on Saturday at 3 p.m. on NESN.