DURHAM, NH — No. 7 Northeastern held on for a 2-1 win over New Hampshire, surviving a late push to grind out a much-needed victory. The Huskies got timely scoring from sophomore forward Éloïse Caron and key saves from freshman goalie Renna Trembecky to escape with three points.
The first period was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams probing for weaknesses and testing goaltenders early. Northeastern had several scoring opportunities throughout the frame, including a chance from freshman Stryker Zablocki that rang off the crossbar, mere millimeters away from hitting the back of the net.
However, it was difficult for Northeastern to consistently find clean looks through a disciplined UNH defense. Meanwhile, the Huskies’ own defensive group did a strong job clogging the crease and blocking point shots, limiting the Wildcats’ momentum.
First blood came in the final 18 seconds of the opening period when a rebound in front left the back door wide open for Caron, who slipped the puck past UNH goaltender Sedona Blair, giving the Huskies a 1-0 lead going into the intermission.
The second period saw New Hampshire respond with intensity, pressing the Huskies in their defensive zone and testing freshman goalie Renna Trembecky with several dangerous looks.
Following two overlapping penalties, the Wildcats eventually converted on the five-on-three power play with a goal from senior forward Alyson Hush to tie the game at one apiece, signaling that Northeastern would need more than just defense to win this one.
But Northeastern quickly regained the lead in dramatic fashion. Still short-handed following Hush’s score, Caron struck again, finishing off an odd-skater rush set up by graduate student forward Jaden Bogden to regain the Huskies’ one-goal lead.
“That short-handed goal just put the momentum back,” Caron said. “Great set up by [Bogden] and just used our speed to go.”
The Huskies’ penalty kill was tested all night, racking up 14 penalty minutes as UNH tried to capitalize on the man advantage. Trembecky was key in keeping the game close
“She was awesome,” said Northeastern head coach Dave Flint. “Sometimes there aren’t a lot of shots for long stretches, and then suddenly a 2-on-1 comes down. She stepped up big; it was like a third defenseman out there.”
After a frustrating loss in Tuesday’s Beanpot semifinal, Northeastern came into Durham focused and aggressive, winning key battles along the boards and keeping New Hampshire along the perimeter.
“I thought it was a good win, good character-building win,” Flint said. “A lot of adversity we’ve had to deal with. We haven’t been getting much help with officiating lately, but we battled through it and found a way to win.”
Line changes provided an energy boost for Northeastern, with senior forward Holly Abela moving to the second line, giving the Huskies balance across their top three lines.
“We just wanted to change things up, try to get things going a little bit,” Flint said. “Abela has been playing really well, and we wanted to give her an opportunity on the second line. I thought she did a great job tonight.”
Defensively, Northeastern focused on controlling the area in front of Trembecky, a point of emphasis after struggles in the past few games.
“We were much better,” Flint said. “That was one point of emphasis for the game: we need to be way tougher to play against. If we’re going to win games, it’s defense first.”
Northeastern’s 2-1 victory highlighted the team’s depth and ability to capitalize in key moments. Trembecky’s timely saves, Caron’s clutch scoring, and the Huskies’ disciplined defensive play proved the difference.
“Every game is important for us,” Flint said. “We’re in first place in Hockey East and we want to stay there. It’s always tough to play against [UNH], especially in their own building, so I’m happy that we came away with three points.”
Northeastern will be back on Tuesday as the Huskies face Boston College in the Women’s Beanpot consolation game. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. where Daisy Roberts, Armaan Vij, and Max Schwartzberg will have the call on WRBB Sports.
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.