Before puck drop Saturday afternoon against Maine, the women’s hockey team celebrated head coach Dave Flint, who recently passed Don MacLeod to become the winningest coach in program history. The team’s stellar play this season has put Flint’s win total up to 213.
“I’m really grateful for all the great kids I’ve worked with,” Flint said. “And all the athletes I’ve coached.
About two hours after the pregame ceremony, Flint had his 214th.
Northeastern stayed in controlled the first period, tripling Maine’s shot total. But things looked dicey 11 minutes in when Maine crowded the goal and fired three back-to-back shots, but they couldn’t get past the incredible Aerin Frankel.
Maine’s goaltender, Carly Jackson, also held down the fort for the Black Bears with some incredible saves. However, eventually one shot had to get through, and that chance came when Northeastern’s Alina Mueller came around from the back of the goal and passed to Skylar Fontaine, who bounced the puck over the goalie to get one on the board.
Chloe Aurard also received an assist. Both Mueller and Aurard tried to add goals of their own, and came close, but Mueller’s shot hit the pipe and Aurard’s was blocked by Jackson.
The second period started with a great glove save by Frankel when Tereza Vanisova tried to shoot it in. Northeastern struggled to keep control of the puck, shooting nine fewer shots on goal than they had in the first. With just under ten minutes left, Maine’s Ali Beltz broke away after Ida Kuoppala passed the puck to her and streaked down the rink. Beltz dished to Celine Tedenby who was standing next to the goalpost, and Tedenby knocked it in.
Frankel looked visibly disappointed after the goal, shaking her head. Five minutes left, Northeastern had a chance to break the tie when Vanisova was called for roughing, but the Huskies couldn’t convert on the power play.
Four minutes into the third period, Northeastern’s Brooke Hobson was called for holding, starting a power play for Maine. The five-on-three didn’t last long, as thirty seconds later Maine’s Amalie Anderson was penalized for roughing. Northeastern couldn’t capitalize on their incoming power play either after Mueller was sent to the penalty box for interference. Maine’s Ebba Strandberg tried for a penalty goal, but Frankel caught it with her glove.
With nine minutes left in the game, Hobson broke away and shot from the blue line. Jackson had blocked the shot, but Knoll was there to hit the puck in, giving Northeastern a one-goal lead.
When asked about the goal after the game, Knoll replied “I was able to jam in a loose puck in front of the net . . . thankfully it was still loose in front of the crease and I was able to jam it in.”
Maine almost took it back when Maine’s Ally Johnson slid into Frankel, pushing the entire goal back, but Frankel batted the puck away. Johnson received a penalty for goaltender interference, Maine couldn’t tie the game on the penalty kill, and the game ended with a 2–1 Huskies’ win.
Northeastern sits in second place in the Hockey East standings; the only team ahead of them is Boston College, which has played three more conference games than the Huskies have. It was the second time this season that Northeastern (12–1, 9–1 HEAW) has beat Maine (5–6–2, 3–5–1 HEAW). The Huskies will look to extend their winning streak to eight games tomorrow afternoon when the two teams square off for the third and final time this season.