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Huskies end home losing streak
 Media Credit: Ben Wichterman/Staff Photographer SCSU defender Kobi Kawamoto keeps UConn’s Laura Stosky away from the puck in SCSU’s 3-1 victory over the University of Connecticut Saturday night. SCSU lost Friday’s game 4-2.
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The Huskies have played nine home games this season, including the exhibition game the Huskies played early in the season, and they had started a rather dubious streak by losing their first eight in the friendly confines of the National Hockey Center. Granted, SCSU has faced some tough competitors in the past weeks. This weekend was no different.
The Huskies faced off against the Huskies from the University of Connecticut (6-6-1) on Friday and Saturday night. SCSU fell behind early Friday night and lost 4-2 but rebounded well Saturday coming away with a 3-1 victory to gain a split with the fourth place team from the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
“Coming into this series, we had to break the streak of losses,” said head coach Kerry Brodt-Wethington. “It was great knowing that at the end of the game we came away with the win. I think this team is going to turn another page. The team is excited and they worked very hard and deserve the win.”
Friday night, UC struck the first blow scoring a power play goal just over three minutes into the first period. UC would go on to score two more even strength goals, one late in the first period and then one four minutes into the second, before SCSU would get on the board.
SCSU lit the lamp seven minutes into the second period on a goal scored by sophomore center Roxy Stang. Senior defender Katy Battis and junior winger Jennifer Swanson assisted on the even strength goal.
UC came back five minutes later and tacked on another goal to put them up by three goals again.
Junior center Abby Cooper scored the final goal of the game with just under three minutes remaining in the second period to cut the UC lead to 4-2. The assists on the Cooper goal went to senior defender Tara McNamara and first-year defender Tina Ciraulo.
In the net, sophomore Ellen Brinkman started the game and allowed four goals on 14 shots. In the third period, junior Laura Gieselman relieved Brinkman in the net and made nine saves in shutting out UC for the final period. Brinkman took the loss putting her overall record at 1-2-1.
SCSU out shot UC by a 33 to 23 margin and had four penalties for eight minutes while UC sat for six penalties for 12 minutes. SCSU did not score during their five power plays and killed off two of three UC power plays.
Saturday night’s results favored SCSU. The Huskies came out fast and scored the first goal of the game 1:45 into the first period. The goal came off the stick of Stang and she was assisted by Ciraulo and first-year defender Dana Pretty. The goal came after Stefanie Snow of UC was called for holding.
SCSU held the lead until midway through the second period when UC scored on the power play to tie the game. Penalties to senior defender Katy Battis and Ciraulo put SCSU down two players when the goal was scored at 12:22.
The score would remain knotted at one until 17:27 in the third when Stang stole a UC pass and went in on UC goalie Shannon Murphy alone. Stang made a couple of slick fakes and put the puck over the top of a sprawling Murphy. The goal was Stang’s team-leading 10th goal of the season.
“I think this really boosted our confidence,” Stang said. “This was our first win at home this season. It took us a while to get there but now maybe this will help us out. Everything seems to finally be clicking and now the lines are starting to come together as well.”
Cooper put the icing on the cake with an empty net goal with eight seconds remaining in the game. The goal was Cooper’s eighth of the season and was unassisted. The 3-1 victory puts SCSU’s overall record at 4-9-1.
“Awesome,” said sophomore defender Kobi Kawamoto. “I haven’t felt this good in a while. We have to end this year strong and I think this is the best thing that could happen.”
In the net, Gieselman started and held UC until SCSU was down two players in the second period. She allowed one goal on 28 shots and improves her record to 3-7.
SCSU scored on one of their three power plays and killed off four of UC’s five. The Huskies amassed five penalties for 10 minutes and out shot UC 35 to 28.
Sophomore defender Leanne Perrin was out with a broken thumb and senior winger Fiona McLeod is playing with a cast on her right hand and is not at 100 percent.
SCSU gained some momentum going into a rare three game set versus the second-ranked University of Minnesota (11-2-3 overall and 7-1-2 WCHA) and 10th ranked Mercyhurst College (10-5-1) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“Obviously, the most important game will be on Friday since it is a WCHA game,” Wethington said. “Come Sunday, we will have our tanks running on empty, but it is right before the break so conditioning wise we should be alright.”
Friday night’s game will be at Minnesota at 7:05 p.m. while the games on Saturday and Sunday will be at home at 3:05 and 1:05 p.m.
Matt Petermann can be reached at: [email protected]
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