BOSTON — Dave Flint had seen this film before. He usually hadn’t come to like the ending.
Locked at the end of regulation, Northeastern faced overtime against Boston University, a scenario that had already decided two recent high-stakes meetings between the teams. Winless in the prior two occasions — last season’s Hockey East championship game and this season’s Beanpot semifinal — the Huskies hoped the impending free hockey wasn’t a sign the credits were about to start rolling on their 2025-26 Hockey East campaign.
Amidst a Northeastern team studded with six Hockey East All-Star selections, it was freshman forward Emy McDermid who stole the show, netting the game winner in double overtime to advance Northeastern to Tuesday’s Hockey East semifinal, 2-1.
Saturday’s showdown at Walter Brown Arena welcomed a partisan Boston University crowd, who filled the rink’s tunneled terraces for a Hockey East showdown officially designated as a Northeastern “home” contest.
“Unfortunately for us, we play them on their ice, which is always a tough building to play in,” said Northeastern head coach Dave Flint. “The one thing I love about this group right now is they are very resilient.”
While the crowd may have been filled with Terriers sweaters, Northeastern wasted little time making their opponents’ territory feel like home.
Sophomore forward Éloïse Caron — returning to action for the first time since exiting with an injury against the Terriers on Feb. 13 — capped off an impressive individual effort with a low glove-side snipe to open the scoring 4:32 into the first frame. Caron sprung on a loose puck at the top of the defensive zone, banking it off the side wall to slip past sophomore defender Tessa Demain before firing from the left side faceoff circle for a 1-0 game.
The Huskies’ early momentum slowly dissipated as the period endured, with the remaining 15 minutes largely confined to board battles between the blue lines and below the goal lines..
Northeastern’s forecheck created some discomfort for the Terriers, as they struggled to clear from deep in their own zone. Despite several interceptions, many of which led to centering passes generating chances in the slot, junior goaltender Mari Pietersen stood firm, turning aside several close-range chances..
When the horn signaling the end of the first period sounded, Northeastern led 1-0 despite a 12-9 shot count revealing BU’s building momentum.
If the Terriers looked sluggish in the opening frame, they erased that impression in the middle 20 minutes. Tara Watchorn’s squad brought a tenacious brand of hockey after the first intermission, contributing to an end-to-end affair where neither team managed to effectively set up in their respective offensive zone.
“They’re not really a number-eight seed,” Flint said of the Terriers. “I knew it was going to be a hard game and it was going to be a battle.”
That trend appeared to finally be coming to a halt 7:06 into the period when Demain was sent to the box for the game’s first penalty. Entering Saturday, Northeastern owned the conference’s second-ranked power play.
However, it was the Terriers’ penalty-killing contingent benefitting from Demain’s two-minute minor, with senior forward Sydney Healey charging across neutral ice and roofing the puck above sophomore goaltender Lisa Jönsson’s glove side shoulder from a tight angle to punch in the equalizer. The goal marked Healey’s fourth and the Terriers’ seventh shorthanded goal of the season, second and third in the nation, respectively.
Penalties threatened to alter the game’s end-to-end tempo toward the end of the period as well, with Caron called for a roughing penalty in the closing two minutes. The ice quickly opened up as BU sophomore Keira Healey was called for a tripping penalty just over a minute later, positioning the two teams for 51 seconds of four-on-four hockey.
Taking advantage of more space to work with, the Terriers wove into the offensive zone. Senior forward Luisa Welcke rang a darting shot off of the crossbar, just missing the chance for a go-ahead goal and sending the game into the second intermission tied 1-1. .
Heading into the final period of regulation, BU extended its shot lead holding a 37-28 edge. Entering Saturday with the second-best faceoff percentage among Hockey East teams at 54.8%, the Terriers also commanded at the dot with an 18-12 advantage after 40 minutes.
Eager to regain the lead, Northeastern tested Pietersen early in the period when senior forward Lily Brazis made a move from close range. Shifting across her crease, Pietersen turned the puck away and quieted a rowdy Northeastern offensive unit. Circulating between three consistent lines, the Huskies’ attackers began to tire as the period continued.
With under eight minutes to play in the third period, Northeastern freshman defender Ella Lloyd headed to the box for a penalty. Northeastern’s penalty-killing unit, ranked third nationally at 89.1% efficiency, killed the penalty.
As the remaining minutes ticked off the clock, Northeastern’s offense largely followed a pattern of working up the right side and centering to vacant forwards in the slot, opting not to utilize their dynamic blue-line platoon. Through a combination of Pietersen’s consistency and the Huskies’ trouble putting chances away, the third period closed 1-1.
Facing off in overtime was nothing new for Northeastern and Boston University, but with the Terriers leading 2-0 in extra minutes this season, the Huskies were determined to change the tide.
“I was nervous in overtime, but I wasn’t that nervous. I just knew they were going to do what they needed to do to get it done,” Flint said.
History appeared to be repeating itself when Luisa Welcke found herself with time to shoot less than two minutes into overtime. Reacting in real time, Jönsson stifled her netward effort with an outstretched right pad save.
Not to be outdone, BU navigated through choppy waters in their own defensive end when Northeastern junior forward Ellie Mabardy struggled to turn home a backdoor chance from the doorstep. Seconds later, junior forward Allie Lalonde’s close-range slapper met a flailing skateblade, rejecting a sure-fire game winner.
Jönsson captured one more highlight midway through the period when she ranged from left to right to deny a low slot chance, turning aside the last promising chance before the two teams played the remaining ten minutes in a fatigued state.
“[Jönsson] came up big for us, like she has all year. I think she was playing with a little chip on her shoulder because she didn’t get the nod for First Team All-Conference,” Flint said. “I think that gave her a little fuel to the fire, so [I’m] really proud of the way she played.”
Rejuvenated by the overtime intermission, Northeastern began the second overtime frame with more energy. Moments later, it was all over.
Cutting in from the top of the zone, senior defender Kristina Allard wove into the slot and forced a save from Pietersen, who parried the puck into McDermid’s path. Making no mistake, the freshman forward shoveled the puck home and was met with a swarm of jubilant Huskies. The puck crossed the line just 1:14 into the second overtime period.
“I was just going to the net and then [the puck] was just there, and I was just trying to get something on it,” McDermid said. “All of a sudden everybody was there. It was crazy, but it felt so good.”
A lengthy review tempered celebrations momentarily, but McDermid and the Huskies stayed alert and in good spirits.
“We were just trying to say ‘No matter what happens, keep going. If the call doesn’t go our way, that’s life — come out even hungrier if it doesn’t go our way,’” she said.
After a short review, the call was confirmed, and celebrations recommenced as a dogpile formed along the Husky bench. The goal marked McDermid’s second of the season, and for Flint, a far move favorable overtime script.
“Together as a group collectively, they believe in each other, and we’ve got great goaltending,” Flint said. “You put those things together and you’re going to have some success.”
Northeastern will face off against the University of Vermont in the Hockey East semifinal on Tuesday at 6:00 EST with Armaan Vij and Kabir Singh on the call.
Chase Alexander is a writer and broadcaster with WRBB Sports. Check out his personal portfolio here and feel free to follow him on Linkedin and X (Twitter).