Women's Ice Hockey Falls at Northeastern Saturday, 4-2
Links: Box Score
BOSTON, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's ice hockey team fell behind in the first minute its game at Northeastern Saturday and was never able to climb back as the Warriors fell to the Huskies in Hockey East action by a score of 4-2
The Basics
Score: #RV Northeastern 4, Merrimack 2
Records: Merrimack (4-8-1, 2-5-0 HEA) | #RV Northeastern (10-3-1, 6-1-0 HEA)
Location: Matthews Arena | Boston, Mass.
How It Happened
- The Warriors found themselves in a hole early in Saturday's contest as McKenna Brand would put Northeastern on the board just 28 seconds into the game after a turnover in the defensive zone. Brand would add another score at the 13:56 mark of the opening frame to give the Huskies a 2-0 cushion after the first period.
- Northeastern kept their momentum rolling into the second, stretching its lead to 3-0 less than five minutes into the period. The Warriors would respond during the remainder of the frame with a handful off quality scoring chances while outshooting the Huskies 10-8 in the period, but saw Northeastern goaltender Brittany Bugalski make some impressive saves to keep Merrimack out of the net.
- The Warriors would finally break through in the final minute of the second period after an initial save from Bugalski on a shot from high in the slot. The Warriors entire offensive line of sophomores Jessica Bonfe (Woodbury, Minn.), Madison Morey (Fairbanks, Alaska) and Jackie Pieper (Edina, Minn.) would all crash the net and attack the loose rebound. Bonfe would eventually be the one to knock the puck in to put Merrimack on the board at 19:07 of the second.
- Chances would be hard to come by in the final period of the game, with neither side really getting a clean look through the first 10 minutes of the third. Northeastern would eventually break that stretch, extending its lead to 4-1 at 15:09 of the third to leave Merrimack with less than five minutes to score three times.
- Sophomore Paige Voight (St. Michael, Minn.) would add another for Merrimack to cut their deficit to 4-2, stuffing the puck in from close range while the Warriors had an extra attacker on the ice. But with the goal coming with just 15 seconds remaining, it would be too late to add two more.
Inside The Numbers
- Bonfe and Voight continue have great season as the each improved their goal totals on the year to seven, while also adding to their team-leading point totals of 11. Voight has now registered a goal in four of the last five games, netting five goals and an assist in that span.
- After posting a stat line of 3g-6a-9p during her rookie campaign, Morey picks up the first two points of her sophomore season as she assisted on both goals Saturday. It marks the second multi-point game of her career.
- Goaltenders: L – Demers (4-6-0, 23 saves) | W – Bugalski (10-2-1, 22 saves)
- Power Plays: Merrimack (1-4) | NU (0-5)
- SOG: MC – 24 | NU - 27
Up Next
The Warriors will play their second straight Hockey East home-and-home series next weekend when they welcome Boston University to Lawler on Friday at 7:00 p.m., followed by a 3:00 p.m. matchup in Boston on Saturday.
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