The Battle of the Huskies

This Saturday marks the 25th meeting between the University of Connecticut Huskies and the Northeastern University Huskies. UConn leads the overall series with 11 wins, 9 loses and 4 ties. The Huskies of UConn swept all three games with Northeastern last season. In mid-November Northeastern traveled to Storres, CT for their first of two trips to UConn. After 60 minutes of play and goals from freshmen Lindsay Berman and Chelsey Jones, UConn came out on top by the score of 3-2 in overtime. The Lady Huskies made their second trip to Storres in late January only to be topped once again 4 to 1. The following night was the one and only trip to Matthews Arena for the season series and UConn once again put it to Northeastern by a score of 2 to 0. Freshmen goalie Sydney Arbelbide made 16 saves in the effort.

The Lady Huskies (pictured top right, at their Making Strides Walk) are ready to make their mark on this season and start the winning ways. This will be the first conference game for Northeastern in their trek to the Hockey East title. Northeastern enters Saturday's game with a 0-4-1 record while UConn will be traveling with a 5-1-0 overall record. The game is slated for 2pm this Saturday, October 27th at Matthews Arena. The game will also be broadcast on GoNUTV.com.

Kehoe, Wohlfeiler, Prouty

This week we will meet three freshman from Southern California, Kristi Kehoe, Alyssa Wohlfeiler and Autumn Prouty. All three young ladies played last season for the California Selects and they all chose to come out east to play for Northeastern University. Here's what they had to say.

Was coming to school at Northeastern your first time to the East Coast?
Kehoe : No, I have been out to the East Coast many other times for hockey...tournaments, hockey camps, etc.

Wolhfeiler : No, I have been to the East Coast before when I played for the Cal Selects. I played in the Connecticut Polar Bear Tournament with Cal for about 8 years.

Prouty : My team in California played in a lot of tournaments back east, however I had never been to Boston before my unofficial visit to Northeastern in 2006.

What do you miss the most about California?
Kehoe : Of the state itself, I miss the ocean. I love the ocean (the beach) so much. I would have to say just in general though, all of my friends and family from home.

Wolhfeiler : I definitely miss my family and my dog the most.

Prouty : I miss everything about California. I miss my family a lot. There's also this laid back attitude in California that I grew up with, so it's been interesting trying to adjust to such a different vibe.

What is the biggest difference between the culture surrounding the game on the East Coast and the West Coast?
Kehoe : On the West Coast our style of hockey is more creative. Not that the East Coast isn't but I guess personally I have never really had to deal with so many systems in the game. I really do enjoy the systems though. I feel like it makes the game a little more simple.

Wolhfeiler : I would say the West Coast plays a more creative game where the players have more freedom to do what they want. Here on the East Coast there's a lot of systems you have to stick with and it's a more team oriented game.

Prouty : Hockey is more offensive minded in the West. Roller Hockey is also pretty popular California.

Hockey being a team sport how has your familiarity with each other helped in that aspect of the game?
Kehoe : I feel like because we have known each other for so long that we have a deeper understanding of one another on the ice. We know what the other is going to do before they even do it.

Wolhfeiler : I think it has helped a lot. Being with your teammates everyday for a few hours definitely makes a difference when you're with each other on the ice.

Prouty : I've been playing with these girls for 6 years now, and we're all aware of each other's playing style.

Are you ready for the winter?
Kehoe : YES!! BRING IT ON! I love snow, and I sure don't get a lot of that where I am from. So I hope that this winter is amazing!!

Wolhfeiler : Oh definitely. I can't wait for it to snow.

Prouty : I'll be freezing.

What are you majoring in and what do you plan on doing after graduation?
Kehoe : I am majoring in Athletic Training. After graduation I would like to coach, but it just depends on where God wants me to go. I really would like a chance to play on the U-22 National Team.

Wolhfeiler : Right now I am majoring in athletic training and I would like to be a hockey coach after I graduate. If I can't do that right away then I would like to be involved with any kind of sports.

Prouty : I'm in the general studies program right now, and I'm considering changing my major from communications to music industry. After school, I'd love to work for a record company because I've always had a strong passion for music.

What is your most memorable moment of Northeastern Hockey?
Kehoe : My most memorable moment was when I scored my first goal as an NU Husky against the University of Minnesota (Gophers). I was so excited.

Wolhfeiler : Well, since we haven't won our first game yet which would be my original answer, I would say scoring my first collegiate goal. It was against North Dakota and we were down 1-0 with a few minutes left in the game and then we tied it up and went into overtime/shootout.

Prouty : I feel extremely fortunate that I've been given the opportunity to skate for this team. The girls are really supportive and so much fun to be around.

Meet the Lady Huskies

Beginning this week a new segment will start, Meet the Lady Huskies. This week I am honored to bring to you senior captain, Nikki Petrich.


Here's what she had to say...

Where are you from?
Flint, MI

Women's ice hockey along with many other women's sports continues to live in the shadow of men's sports. Do you feel that women's sports will ever be viewed as equal?

Will women's sports and men's sports ever be viewed as equal, no I do not think so. However, there is a continual rise each year in the amount of women participating in "men's" sports. I do not think that women get the respect that they deserve among male athletes who play the same sport as them. However, there is always the debate about how men are just bigger, faster and stronger. Which in fact, when it comes down to it, is completely true. Will a WNBA game ever be sold out, I highly doubt it but the fact that more and more fans are going to the games at least, makes a huge statement about women in sports in general.


What has been your greatest accomplishment in your hockey career and in your college career?

My greatest accomplishment in my hockey career has been skating with the USA National Under 22 Team. It was a great honor and privilege to be thought of as one of the top 40 skaters in the nation. As far as goes, I was picked anomalously to be on the all rookie team for Hockey East, and received Rookie of the year, for Northeastern. Last year I was also awarded the Reggie Lewis Award. Then about a day after that I was informed that I was a nominee for the Black Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in Canada..so that was awesome.


With your upcoming weekend with Niagara, on paper, your team should dominate, however last year you split the series. How do you prepare to play at the level you know your team is capable of playing?

This week has been focusing on our power play and our transition game. After coming back from a very successful road trip in Minnesota, our team realized that we can compete with anyone. The hard thing about that is now, we must maintain that mind set throughout the rest of the season. We have to buy into the game plan that we have set for our team.


What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation I plan to be working for a major pharmaceutical company or within one such as Johnson and Johnson..either within drug retail, research or chemical makeup.


What is your best memory of Northeastern to this point?

It was a very humbling experience to receive the Reggie Lewis Award. I mean I will always remember the goals I scored or the awesome plays, but to receive that award was truly a humbling experience.


Something you'd like other's to know about you:

I have two younger brothers, Mani 16, Raurie 12, a dog named Riley and a bird named Carlsie. My favorite color is red, my favorite number is 11 because of Mark Messier..And i have been that number since I started playing hockey when i was 5 because of him...


Lady Huskies fall to Niagara in weekend series

On paper and after a promising weekend in Minneapolis one would like to think that the Lady Huskies would run the table on this weeks opponent, the Niagara Eagles. After traveling over 8 hours on a bus the Eagles swooped into Boston this weekend to sweep the Lady Huskies in a two game set. Saturday afternoon the Lady Huskies took one on the nose 6 to 4. The Huskies got two goals from Senior Captain Nikki Petrich. Freshmen forward Kristi Kehoe (below left) notched her second goal of the season while the Massachusett's native, Annie Hogan grabbed her first of the season early in the third period. The Huskies entered the third period of Saturday's game down 2-1, but were able to find the back of the net three times to take the lead 4 to 3 with 12:30 left. But 30 seconds later Niagara's Venla Heikkila tied the score at 4 each, then, only 19 seconds later the Eagles Frances McPhail slipped one by Senior goalie Sarah Belliveau to take the lead for good. Niagara added an empty net goal late in the period to top off the Huskies for the night.

The Lady Huskies luck didn't fair any better Sunday afternoon at Matthews Arena. The Niagara Eagles came to play once again and beat the Huskies 5-2. The Huskies got goals, again, from Nikki Petrich and Kristi Kehoe, but the action came from the Eagles Junior left winger Ashley Riggs. Riggs scored all 5 goals for the Eagles and that gave her a total of 6 goals on the weekend. Husky Freshmen goalie Leah Sulyma made 16 saves in the effort this afternoon. The one-two punch of Petrich and Kehoe seemed to be working for Northeastern this weekend as they combined for 8 points in battle with the Niagara Eagles. This weekend dropped the Lady Huskies overall record to 0-4-1. Northeastern returns to action next Saturday at Matthews Arena at 2pm when Hockey East foe University of Connecticut comes to town. The Lady Huskies only play one game next weekend before traveling to upstate New York the first weekend in November to play RPI.

Images provided by: www.digitalvideocreation.com

The 2007-08 Lady Huskies

The Northeastern University Women's Ice Hockey team is composed of 25 student-athletes and three alumni coaches. Northeastern practices and plays out the historic Matthews Arena in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. The team competes in one of the toughest leagues in the country, Hockey East. The women's Hockey East is made up of Boston University, Boston College, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, University of Connecticut, Providence College and University of Maine. The Lady Huskies also play for the Beanpot title every February with Boston University, Boston College and Harvard.

The Lady Huskies began their 2007-08 season this past weekend (Oct. 6 & 7) when they traveled to the University of Minnesota for the Nike Bauer Women's Classic. The Lady Huskies were joined by Boston University, University of North Dakota, and host school University of Minnesota. Northeastern first played the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. While Minnesota came out firing, the Lady Huskies managed to battle back. Unfortunately they were not able to make up the difference as they fell to Minnesota 5-3.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, the team was back on the ice to face University of North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux lost to Boston University the previous night in a shootout. The Huskies found themselves down 1-0 after the first period. After neither team scored in the second period, Northeastern was able to outscore North Dakota 2-1 to end regulation in a 2-2 tie. The overtime period ended with the same score, a 2-2 tie. In at goal for the Lady Huskies was freshman Leah Sulyma who recorded 26 saves. Scoring for Northeastern was freshman Allyssa Wohlfeiler and senior captain Nikki Petrich (pictured at right).

The following Friday night, Oct. 12, the Lady Huskies found themselves traveling to Connecticut to take on Quinnipiac. The Bobcats came on strong outscoring Northeastern 2-0 to end the first period. The Huskies then came out for the second period ready to even the score. They were able to post two goals of their own, but not without Quinnipiac scoring two of their own. At the end of two periods the Bobcats still held a two goal advantage leading 4-2. With one period left the Huskies knew what they had to do. While they were able to get one goal back, they just weren't able to connect for that second goal to tie the game. The game ended with a final score of 4-3 in favor of the host Quinnipiac Bobcats. Chelsey Jones (pictured at top) scored two goals for the Huskies and Nikki Pietrich scored her 31st career goal in her 100th game for Northeastern. Freshman goalie Leah Sulyma made 17 saves on the night. The Lady Ice Huskies next meeting is home at Matthews Arena on Saturday, October 20, when they meet Niagara at 2pm.

Photos provided by: http://digitalvideocreations.com/