The Huskies are on the road again for another weekend series of Hockey East rivalry. UConn will be taking on two of its competitors to the North — Northeastern and Holy Cross — for a chance at maintaining their top seed in the conference.
The first match of the weekend will be a battle of the Huskies. Northeastern, currently sitting at No. 3 in Hockey East will be looking to maintain their eight-game winning streak and will attempt to pose a threat to the Huskies’ top seed.
However, the Huskies know how to put up a fight and the current lineup of women are a force to be reckoned with. Despite an over 10-year losing streak to Northeastern (with the exception of two ties and one win in 2018), this year’s squad put an end to that streak.
In early November of this season, UConn had a weekend for the record books as they trampled Northeastern’s streak in a 3-0 then a 1-0 win. In the 3-0 victory, UConn emphasized their goaltending strength as junior goalkeeper Megan Warrener acted like an impenetrable wall. Despite relentless shot attempts by Boston, Storrs’ defensive skill had shone through. This week, Warrener is a women’s goalie of the year semifinalist and one of only 11 goalies in the country up for the award.
Their second November game elevated both the stakes and intensity as the only goal of the game came with just five minutes left in the contest. Once again, the goaltenders were the MVPs. Junior Tia Chan was a powerhouse in the net as Northeastern fired off shot after shot through the UConn defense.
Although the Bostonians are maintaining a 13-7-1 conference record and holding the title of 2024 Beanpot champions, the Storrs squad has never looked away from a challenge. With another contest on the horizon, the group should feel confident in their lineup.
The second match will feature Holy Cross, the trailing seed in the conference. With a No. 10 ranking and a 4-15-2 Hockey East record, the Crusaders may fall short of the Huskies’ skill.
Historically, UConn has come out on top and with an impeccable season record, and the odds appear to be in the Huskies’ favor. Similarly to Northeastern, the Huskies came face to face with Holy Cross earlier this year.
The first matchup, a shutout of 3-0 had UConn fighting until the last period. With a scoreless first two periods, the Huskies were forced to capitalize on the powerplay and up the ante for the third. Once success arrived, it came plentifully. Three goals in just over 14 minutes had the Huskies roaring and the Crusaders unable to respond.
The second contest forced the Huskies into a competitive mindset later on in the match. With the Huskies down 0-1 at the start of the third, UConn changed their tune and dominated the third. Shot after shot by UConn left the Holy Cross goaltender defenseless as the Huskies earned a 2-1 leg up. The final period sealed the deal with a final goal from the Huskies in a composed yet dominant display.
As a result of this history with both Northeastern and Holy Cross, the UConn squad knows who it will be facing and has some insight regarding strengths and weaknesses. Despite their No. 1 seed, the Huskies should refrain from getting too comfortable but will aim to maintain their effortless dominance.