Posts Tagged ‘Providence’

Steve Quailer scored on a breakway. (Photo: Hockey East)

PROVIDENCE — Offense, defense, special teams, goaltending. You name it, Northeastern excelled in it on Friday night as the Huskies claimed their first road victory of the season, 5-2 over Providence College. It was a night of long-overdue ‘firsts’ for this team: first road victory, first time out-shooting an opponent, first goal for Drew Ellement. But in all, it was the type of game Northeastern had played on multiple occasions this season, only this time it lasted for a full 60 minutes instead of for just two periods. Click here for the Box Score

Our thoughts on the game after the jump… Read more…

Alex Faust Hockey Providence

After the team’s first win in over a month, Jim Madigan talked about what went right and what his team had improved on during the week leading up to the game.

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Steve Quailer said that there was a player’s only meeting during the week, and thought that the Huskies played as a more cohesive team during the game.

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WRBB Sports Hockey, Press Pass Providence

Northeastern jumps out to an early lead, then seals it late to claim their first win in over a month, 5-2 over Providence.

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WRBB Sports Hockey, QuickCast Providence

Monday, November 14

6:45 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at UMass Minutemen
from the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass.
with Patrick McHugh, Andy Towne, and Anthony Gulizia

Tuesday, November 15

7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Women’s Basketball: Huskies vs. Temple Owls
from Solomon Court
with Anthony Gulizia and Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Only available on WRBB Sports Extra

Thursday, November 17

7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Women’s Hockey: Huskies vs. Boston College Eagles
from Matthews Arena
with Craig White and Mike Sobel
Only available on WRBB Sports Extra

9:00 p.m. – Hockey East This Week
Hockey Homecoming Preview
Guest Panelist: TBA

Friday, October 18

3:00 p.m. – Dog Pound Sports Sound
Homecoming edition

6:45 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies at Providence College Friars
from Schneider Arena in Providence, R.I.
with Alex Faust, Jared Shafran, and Ben Horner

Saturday, October 19

1:45 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball Pre-Game
2:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies vs. Southern Illinois Salukis
from Matthews Arena
with Patrick McHugh, Andy Towne, and TBA

7:45 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey Pre-Game
8:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Vermont Catamounts
from Matthews Arena
with Alex Faust, Jared Shafran, and Ben Horner

WRBB Sports Basketball, Hockey BC, Providence, Temple, UMass, Vermont, Women's Basketball, women's hockey

Continuing with our Hockey East preview series, we’ll take a look at the Providence College Friars.  

Last year: 8-18-8 (4-16-7), finished 9th.

What happened: Last year’s Providence team can be summed up in pretty much one sentence. The Friars went exactly four months without a Hockey East victory. PC beat Merrimack on November 5, 2010 by a score of 2-0 and did not win another game in conference until their last game of the season on March 5, 2011, again beating Merrimack 5-3. Regardless of individual achievements, last year was another disappointment for Friar fans, their third consecutive season in which they failed to qualify for postseason play.

Key losses:

• Ian O’Connor (F): Leading the team with 22 points last season, O’Connor was a mainstay on the top line which accounted for most of PC’s offensive production last season, playing in 34 games.
• Kyle MacKinnon (F): O’Connor’s linemate up front, MacKinnon finished just behind his counterpart with 21 points last season and also played in 34 games for the Friars. Not only will the team miss their production, but these two forwards were veteran leaders and while there wasn’t much around them, they will be missed this year.

Key returns:

• Alex Beaudry (G): Beaudry became the starting goalie during his freshman season and has kept the job ever since. Although he has never seen any playoff action, he’s a Hockey East veteran who will surely want to make his last chance count. While there are many things this team needs to improve on from last year, if Beaudry stands strong in net, this year’s rebuild will be a lot easier.
• Daniel New (D): While last year was a struggle for New, he possesses the offensive mind the Friars need on the blue line. New has a good shot from the point and the ability to quarterback the power play. Last season New didn’t register a goal, but he represents a new class of seniors that have only seen a culture of losing. If he comes in rejuvenated and ready to give things a fresh start, he could be a positive for the Friars this season.

2011-12 Outlook: Last season’s troubles finally forced this team to go in a new direction and replacing head coach Tim Army with last year’s national coach of the year in Nate Leaman is certainly a step forward. Leaman made the jump to the Hockey East after coaching Union to 26 wins and an NCAA berth last season. But he, just like everybody else knows the challenges this team is facing. Someone will have to emerge as a leader on the offensive end, and who that player can be is anyone’s guess. The top returning scorers for Providence include Tim Schaller, Chris Rooney, and Andy Balysky, none of whom have proved that they can light the lamp consistently. While the playoffs are still probably a long shot, finishing anywhere above 9th would be a huge confidence booster for the young players on this team and their outlook on future years under Leaman.

– Jared Shafran

Jared Shafran Hockey Fall Preview, Hockey East, Providence

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – As each shot ripped through the net, the Huskies’ bench repeatedly exploded with joy.

The men’s basketball team was off to a hot start shooting, as the Huskies took an 11-point lead over Providence College (PC) early in the first half of action last night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. The Huskies, who shot 89 percent from the floor in the first four minutes of the game, seemed poised to upset the Friars and end their two-game losing skid.

But Northeastern’s early offensive surge did not carry throughout the contest and PC responded to take a 77-72 win over NU.

“I thought when we came out we were patient, and moved the ball well and got our feet set for good shots,” Northeastern head coach Bill Coen said. “I thought we got away from that, started over-dribbling a little bit and started creating our own turnovers.”

Every Northeastern starter scored in the opening four minutes of play, as senior captain and guard Chaisson Allen led the visitors with eight points early on. The Big East Conference foe Friars seemed stunned and out of sorts to begin the game, shooting just over 30 percent from the floor.

In the second half, however, PC proved why it began the season with a 7-1 record, limiting NU’s open looks and creating transition baskets of its own. Led by senior guard Marshon Brooks’ 27 points, Providence gained control of the game and led by as many as nine in the final 20 minutes, eventually hanging on for the five-point win.

The disparity in rebounding did not favor Coen’s squad and the Friars grabbed 47 rebounds to Northeastern’s 27.

“I thought we could have gone to halftime with a double-digit lead if we could just rebound the basketball, and I thought we did a very poor job of that this evening,” Coen said.

Allen, who entered the contest averaging 17 points per game, scored a team-high 24 points in the defeat, followed by sophomore guard Joel Smith, who had 15. This is the third season in a row Northeastern has faced Providence, with the Huskies taking a 70-66 win at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in 2008 and the Friars winning 76-72 at Matthews Arena last season.

Northeastern now sits at 2-3 on the season. It will host Colonial Athletic Association foe Drexel Saturday at TD Garden, a matchup that is part of the inaugural Boston Tip-Off Classic which benefits Children’s Hospital Boston and Al’s Angels. Tip-off between the Huskies and Dragons is at 4 p.m., followed by Boston College and UMass-Amherst at 6:30.

“Drexel is a tremendous rebounding team,” Coen said. “Having played five games already teams know our tendencies so we can’t get away with any trick plays once we get into conference play. This is just about heart and determination.”

Patrick McHugh Basketball Providence

Wednesday, December 1

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies at Providence College Friars
from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.
with Patrick McHugh, Jared Shafran, and TBA
TV:

Thursday, December 2

8:00 p.m. – Hockey East This Week

Friday, December 3

2:00 p.m. – CAA Full Court Press

3:00 p.m. – Dog Pound Sports Sound

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies vs. Merrimack Warriors
from Matthews Arena
with Alex Faust, Ben Horner, and TBA

Saturday, December 4

Boston Tip-Off Classic presented by Powerade
3:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
4:00 p.m. – Northeastern Basketball: Huskies vs. Drexel Dragons
from the TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
with Andy Towne, Jared Shafran, and Kainani Stevens
TV:

6:45 p.m. – Huskies Pre-Game
7:00 p.m. – Northeastern Hockey: Huskies at Merrimack Warriors
from Thom J Lawler Arena in North Andover, Mass.
with Alex Faust and Ben Horner

WRBB Sports Basketball, Hockey, The Dog Pound Drexel, Merrimack, Providence

A bunch of interviews after the Huskies’ first home win. First, we start with head coach Greg Cronin’s post-game comments.

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Next, Wade Macleod earned his 100th career point the night prior in Providence, and followed that with a 3-point performance in a 5-0 victory.

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Braden Pimm earned his first career goal on Saturday night:

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Anthony Bitetto also scored his first career goal, with a wrister on the power play.

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WRBB Sports Hockey, Press Pass Providence

Behind five different goal scorers, Northeastern got it’s first home win of the season, defeating Providence 5-0 at Matthews Arena Saturday night.

The Huskies came out and established their presence early on and they were rewarded when senior assistant captain Wade MacLeod scored his fifth goal of the season to put his team up 1-0.

Ian O’Connor took a slashing penalty late in the opening period that carried over into the second the NU capitalized 31 seconds into the frame as Steve Silva put home a loose rebound in the crease.

In the third period, the Huskies got goals from three freshman in Anthony Bitteto, Braeden Pimm, and Jamie Oleksiak. The game quickly turned into a rout and Northeastern cruised for the final 10 minutes.

12 different members of the team registered points and Chris Rawlings got his fourth career shutout, making 29 saves.

“It’s about time I’ll tell you that much,” said Bitetto who discussed his first home win after the game.

MacLeod, who scored his 100^th point in Friday night’s tie, said that he thinks the team is headed in the right direction.

“Yeah I think just the last couple weeks we’ve been working on the offensive zone, cutting back and I think we’re generating a lot of speed down low and it’s tough to match us when all four lines are going,” MacLeod said.

The Huskies next game will be the day after Thanksgiving up in Burlington against the Vermont Catamounts.

Jared Shafran Hockey Providence