The UConn women’s ice hockey team has a big game this Friday, Oct. 18, as they will make the short trip to Providence College to face the Friars in a Big East clash. The Huskies started their season on a sour note, losing their first two games at home versus Minnesota. However, over their last four games, they have gone 3-1, and look to be on track for a significant winning streak if they can keep up their red-hot play. The program is 2-0 in conference play as they swept UNH last weekend in a home-and-home series where the team dominated.
Providence, on the other hand, led by head coach Matt Kelly, has gone 3-2 in their young season as they have had contests against St. Michael’s, where they went 2-0. They also played Maine and Quinnipiac, the No. 10 ranked team in the nation. Quinnipiac is a great example of what this game could look like on Friday as UConn has a similar ranking to them and a nearly identical team makeup to the Quinnipiac team.
The Friars are led by Audrey Knapp and Hannah Johnson, who leads their team with six points this season and will look to add on that versus the Huskies. Hope Walinski has also been great in goal for the Friars, as she has only let up five goals in six games, improving her average goals against per game to 1.18. Providence plays very tight games so it will be important for the Huskies to make the most of their opportunities in this one. The Friars have played close in many games this season; however, where they have failed is closing games, as both of their losses have come by one goal.
The Huskies, led by head coach Chris Mackenzie, will look to build on a great series versus UNH last weekend, where the team played stellar. Jada Habisch, Claire Murdoch and Ava Rinker pace the team with six points each, and hope to build on that on the road. Goaltending-wise for the Huskies, the split between the two goaltenders, Tia Chan and Megan Warrener, has worked out. The Huskies’ goaltenders both let up about two goals per game on average.
The biggest thing for the team right now will be staying close in games, as two out of their three losses were by more than two scores. This team has the makings of something special if they keep working hard at practice and pushing when they are down in games. As the Huskies take their second road trip of the season, they will look to capitalize on their talent to move above .500 in the young season.
UConn hockey plays in the Hockey East Association, not the Big East.