ORONO, ME — Northeastern wrapped up its weekend against Maine with another strong defensive effort, taking a 2-1 win to close out the two-game set. The Huskies once again leaned on structure, timely scoring, and steady goaltending to secure their 12th win of the season.
In net, Maine turned again to Kiia Lahtinen, who has played every game this season and came in with a .925 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average. Northeastern went with freshman Renna Trembecky, who has started three games this season for the Huskies and owns a record of 2-1-0 with a 1.67 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
After a strong showing from usual Huskies starter Lisa Jönsson in Game 1, Trembecky looked to continue the goaltending stability that has been one of the team’s strengths.
The first period belonged to Maine. The Black Bears pushed the pace early, won the majority of puck battles along the walls, and controlled the faceoff circle. That pressure turned into the opening goal at 5:52 into the frame. Immediately after winning the offensive zone draw, freshman forward Isabelle Michaud’s first shot was blocked, but she gathered the rebound and slipped her second attempt through Trembecky’s pads for a 1-0 lead.
Assistant Coach Lindsay Berman said afterward that the group expected Maine to come out swinging. “We knew what we were going to get out of Maine this weekend,” she said. “They battle hard and do not go away.”
Both teams traded chances the rest of the frame. Shots finished even at ten, but Maine had a slight edge in total attempts and zone time. The Black Bears’ success on faceoffs kept the Huskies pinned in their own end more than usual. Northeastern spent long stretches reacting instead of dictating play, a pattern that carried over from Friday’s meeting.
Early in the second, Northeastern killed off back-to-back penalties and found a rhythm for the first time all evening. Their breakouts sharpened, the speed through the neutral zone returned, and puck movement grew more connected shift by shift.
Just over eleven minutes into the period, a Maine turnover opened the door. Senior forward Lily Shannon picked off the loose puck in the slot, turned quickly, and fired a clean shot past Lahtinen to tie the game 1-1. It was the kind of finish Berman has come to expect from her captain.
“She is dominant and so easy to cheer for,” Berman said. “She works every day, and her teammates feed off that. That first goal came from her reading the play and jumping at the right moment.”
The Huskies kept pushing. With the middle frame winding down, they created one of their best offensive sequences of the weekend. A cycle along the right wall opened a lane for freshman forward Stryker Zablocki to thread a pass toward the slot, where Shannon fought through tight coverage and ripped a heavy shot into the top right corner with 16 seconds left. The bar-down finish gave Northeastern its first lead of the evening at 2-1.
“That second one was a tough goal,” Berman said. “She had a player all over her and still finished it. That is who she is. We are really lucky to have her leading us.”
Trembecky stayed poised after the early goal, and her confidence showed as the game progressed. She read plays cleanly, handled the puck with ease on breakouts, and held position through traffic-heavy sequences.
After slowly bettering themselves all game long, the third period belonged to the Huskies. They controlled possession, outshot Maine 14-8 on goal, and out-attempted them 33-9. The Black Bears began to fade, and Northeastern used their speed to stretch the ice and stay out of extended defensive shifts.
Their penalty kill, which ranks second in the country, remained one of the strongest parts of the night. Maine struggled to set up in the zone, and Northeastern’s pressure disrupted timing on entries and point shots. Berman credited both the penalty-kill unit and the mock power play in practice, saying the group takes pride in staying prepared and detail-oriented.
Shannon said the team felt the game turn as the night went on. “We started a little flat footed, but I think we were able to pick it up and I thought we got better as the game went on.” she said. Despite her two-goal night and reaching ten goals on the season, she said her focus stays on “going out, having fun, and doing what I can for the team.”
With the sweep secured, Northeastern shifts its attention to a major test next weekend against No. 6 Penn State. Shannon pointed to the physical style of this Maine series as valuable preparation, saying the team will need both pace and discipline when they match up with another heavy, structured opponent.
For Berman, the biggest takeaway was how the group handled a demanding two-game set.
“They did not go away,” she said of Maine. “We had to grind, win walls, stay tight defensively, and compete for sixty minutes. That is the kind of weekend that helps you grow.”
Northeastern turns its attention to next weekend, where a two-game set with No. 6 Penn State looms as their toughest challenge so far. Game one is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday at Matthews Arena.
Armaan Vij is a third-year student at Northeastern University and a broadcaster and writer for WRBB Sports. He has covered Northeastern hockey, baseball, and rowing both on-air and in print for the past two years. Read all his articles here.