No Consolation in 'Pot Championship: Northeastern Shuts Down Icewomen, 7-0

In the sport of hockey, size, speed, and experience count for a lot.

And unfortunately for the Harvard women's ice hockey team, the Northeastern Huskies possess all of the above.

The Huskies defeated the Crimson icewomen, 7-0, last night at Matthews Arena to win their third consecutive Beanpot tournament.

On the basis of effective recruiting that has brought three Canadians to the current team, Northeastern has built a winning tradition that has the other Boston women's hockey schools shaking their heads. The Huskies 'Pot victory was their fifth in the eight-year history of the tournament.

"It feels great," Northeastern Coach Don MacLeod said. MacLeod called his team, which now boasts a 15-3-1 record, "the best we've ever had at Northeastern."

"At least it's only once a year [that we have to face] these guys," Harvard Assistant Coach Bill MacDonald said.

"They play at a whole different level," Crimson Co-Captain Julie Sasner added. "They've got hired guns."

Last year, in an 8-2 first-round Beanpot loss to Northeastern, Harvard played an excellent third period, containing the Huskies and equalling their goal output over the final 15 minutes.

This year, the Crimson hoped to play that brand of hockey from the outset.

"We didn't expect to win," Sasner said, "but we did come in with an optimistic attitude."

But Harvard's early play was tentative before the 150 fans and local television coverage at Northeastern's home ice, and four first period tallies by the Huskies extinguished any Crimson expectations.

The puck was continually in the Harvard end as Northeastern directed 12 well-chosen first period shots at Crimson netminder Jennifer White.

Harvard could answer with only a single first period shot at Huskie netminder Patti Hunt, and managed a mere seven all night long.

It was Northeastern's imposing first line that did most of the early damage. After five minutes of constant pressure around the Harvard net, outstanding Huskie center Louise Duguay dug the puck out of the corner and fed Captain Kerrie Cronin, who proceeded to beat White from the slot.

After the Huskies added a second goal three minutes later, Duguay fed linemate Fiona Rice for her second assist of the night. Rice displayed some fancy stickwork on the play, faking White to the right side of the net, then pulling the puck back for an easy forehand into the vacated left side of the twines at 9:41 of the first.

Northeastern 3, Harvard 0, and a lot of long faces graced the Harvard bench.

With less than two minutes to go in the period, Rice's fellow first-line wing Lisa Sylvia showed a little stickhandling ability of her own, notching an unassisted tally at 13:08.

"We were tight and a little overwhelmed out there," Harvard Coach John Dooley said of his squad's first period performance.

The Crimson's offense didn't pick up much in the second and third periods, but its defense solidified around the robust play of White, who stopped all but three of the final 23 Huskie blasts.

When it was all over, the icewomen could find a few bright spots in their performance. "We played two really good periods," Sasner said, "which is really going to help us Saturday at Cornell."

"We were favored," MacCleod said, "But Harvard gave us a really good game.

"For the sport of women's hockey, with television here, we wanted a good game," MacCleod added. Huskies, 7-0 at Mathews Arena Harvard  0-0-0--0 Northeastern  4-1-2--7

First Period--1, NU, Kerrie Cronin (Louise Duguay) 5:47; 2, NU, Donna-Lynn Rosa (Tina Cardinale) 8:15; 3, NU, Fiona Rice (Duguay) 9:41; 4, NU, Lisa Sylvia (unassisted) 13:08. Penalties--Christine Burns, H (crosschecking) 4:17; Cardinale, NU (interference) 6:06.

Second Period--5, NU, Marge Sanford (unassisted) 11:33. Penalties--Tamara McLaughlin, NU (tripping) 7:22; Johanna Neilson, H (hooking) 9:01; Lisi Bailliere, H (illegal checking) 13:16; Bench minor, H, 13:16; Chris Fitzgerald, NU (delay of game) 14:02.

Third Period--6, NU, Sanford (unassisted) 5:44; 7, NU, Sylvia (Jill Toney, Duguay) 14:46. Penalties--Sanford, NU (interference) 0:47.

Saves--H, Jennifer White 8-11-9--28; NU, Patti Hunt 1-2-4-7.