BOSTON — With 28 seconds remaining in a tie game, Northeastern’s Allie Lalonde crept in the backdoor and delivered the game-winning scare.
Lalonde’s power play goal, immediately followed by Stryker Zablocki’s empty-netter, slammed the nail in the coffin for a 3-1 Husky victory over BU at Walter Brown Arena on Halloween night.
A bye-week allowed Northeastern to reset after a frustrating two-game sweep at the hands of Quinnipiac. BU, who entered having played the hardest schedule in college hockey that included No. 3 Minnesota and No. 8 Colgate, began the night 1-5-0 with a chip on their shoulder. Both the Huskies and Terriers, however, played a sloppy first period.
Even with the stubborn, rolling puck, Northeastern was the better team, as they trumped BU 16-7 in shots on goal during the first frame. Yet the Terriers dominated face-offs 10-6, and BU forward Clara Yuhn netted the first goal of the night just under three minutes in off an offensive zone draw.
In the second period, BU tested Northeastern’s penalty kill, which had been over 94% successful in the Huskies’ first six games of the young season.
The Terriers entered the night just 1-for-23 on the power play, in desperate need of a spark. But sophomore netminder Lisa Jönsson and the Northeastern defense killed both second-period power plays with ease, and an intense battle between the blue lines immediately followed.
With 9:31 remaining in the middle frame, BU’s Anežka Čabelová turned the puck over to forward Éloïse Caron in neutral ice. A one-on-zero, Caron went bar down as the equalizer to give the sophomore her third goal in as many games.
With the score tied 1–1, BU’s relentless forecheck cut Northeastern’s offensive zone time in half during the third period. The constant Terrier pressure, combined with two more Huskies penalties, led to a 22–13 shot advantage for BU in the frame.
In a game seemingly destined for overtime, Northeastern entered the power play with 2:27 remaining with a Yuhn hooking penalty. After numerous clears by the BU penalty kill unit, senior defensewoman Kristina Allard located Lalonde creeping in the back door, and the sophomore’s second goal of the season gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead with under 30 seconds left.
“Allard is new on the power play [unit], and this was her first game,” Northeastern assistant coach Nick Carpenito said after the game. “The play she made to look for a stick was a seasoned veteran play. We talk to Allie all the time. ‘Go to the net. Go to the net. You’re so skilled.’ She went to the net and got rewarded.”
BU head coach Tara Watchorn pulled goaltender Michelle Pasiechnyk with 18 seconds remaining, and Northeastern won another blue line tie up, enabling Zablocki to deliver the empty net dagger.
A perfect four-for-four on the penalty kill, Carpenito shed light on the continued defensive success.
“[The penalty kill’s] one of the least glamorous jobs out there,” he said. “They buy into what they have to do. We’re fortunate we have a lot of speed and can create a lot of description. We actually got a couple of breakaway opportunities on the kill.”
The Huskies are back in action Saturday at Matthews Arena, as BU makes the short trek south for the return game. Daisy Roberts, Jackson Goodman, and Chase Alexander have the call with puck-drop at 3 pm on 104.9 FM.