Northeastern set the tone of the series early on Friday, applying consistent pressure against the home Huskies in the defensive zone. The pressure paid off late in the first period, when sophomore forward Éloïse Caron opened scoring to give Northeastern an early 1-0 lead. Graduate student forward Jaden Bogden quickly kept the momentum going for Northeastern, capitalizing on a power play in the final seconds of the period to give them the 2-0 lead going into the first intermission.
A looming winter storm reshaped the weekend in Storrs and seemed to follow No. 8 Northeastern onto the ice, as No. 5 UConn fell to the visiting Huskies in a two-day series Friday and Saturday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.
Midway through the second period UConn responded to the rival Huskies’ lead. Senior forward Kyla Josifovic led the response, netting her 10th goal of the season at the 9:05 mark to put UConn on the board.
Northeastern would not let UConn take control of the game and quickly responded 89 seconds later with their own goal to restore their two-goal lead. The visiting Huskies continued to prove to be a challenge to Connecticut’s defense. Freshman forward Stryker Zablocki scored with under three seconds remaining in the second period, bringing Northeastern to a 4-1 lead heading into the second intermission.
Despite trailing by three, UConn came out fierce going into the third period. Josifovic once again took control of the offense, scoring her second goal of the game on a power play to pull UConn within two. The Ontario native’s goal marked her second multi-goal performance of the season. However, UConn was unable to capitalize on additional opportunities, going 1-for-3 on the power play. Their inability to capitalize on power play opportunities, while the visiting Huskies held up their dominant defense, proved to be costly for UConn.
UConn came into the second game of the matchup on Saturday with a strong defense powered by graduate student goaltender Tia Chan, who totaled 32 shots turned away. Chan began her dominance early in the game, denying a Northeastern penalty shot in the opening period.
The first period featured both fast and physical play on both sides. Northeastern tested Chan with multiple shots on goal; however, UConn’s offense also mounted pressure of their own. Northeastern goaltender Lisa Jönsson was the backbone of the visiting Huskies’ defense, proving to be equally effective. The defensive pressure on both sides led to a scoreless period with UConn holding a 13-9 edge in shots on goal.
Momentum continued to fluctuate in the second period, as both teams continued to generate scoring opportunities but failed to capitalize on these opportunities. UConn earned multiple power-play chances due to penalties to Northeastern but were unable to find clear paths to goal. Chan and Jönsson continued to remain composed, bringing another scoreless period to a close.
UConn came out with aggression in the third period, outshooting Northeastern, but Jönson continued to be a formidable force in goal, blocking 15 shots on goal in the final period.
With the game feeling destined for overtime, Northeastern broke through in the final seconds. A late offensive push led to a decisive goal for visiting the Huskies with 15.2 seconds remaining, sealing their 1-0 victory.
The loss brought UConn to an overall 8-6-2 record and 11-4-1 record in Hockey East play, continuing a three-game losing streak, despite strong performances on both ends of the ice. Ultimately, Northeastern’s defensive structure and goaltending proved to be the dominant force that delivered them the win.
UConn will look to bounce back next weekend as the Huskies head to New Hampshire for a two-game home-and-home series against the University of New Hampshire beginning Friday, Jan. 30, with puck drop set for 6 p.m. at the Whittemore Center. The second puck drop is set for Saturday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Toscano Family Ice Forum. Husky fans can tune into both matchups on FloSports.