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The Providence Friars may hold the championship, but the road to a Hockey East title may have started in North Dakota.
After earning the first road sweep of the season against the Fighting Sioux, the University of Maine women’s hockey team will look to continue their streak against conference opponents Northeastern on Saturday.
“Going to North Dakota was good because it motivated us. We know that we can win on the road,” said freshman defenseman Chantal Jaillet. “I think getting the flow for us before Christmas break is an objective because after that it will be easy for us to move forward.”
Before their Thanksgiving weekend set against North Dakota, the Black Bears had a 0-3-2 record on the road, as they were about to start a six-game road trip. However, with the sweep in Grand Forks, the Black Bears improved their overall record to 8-3-3 as they will look to jump back into conference play after a two-week layoff.
UMaine’s last Hockey East venture went poorly, as they tied and lost to Providence at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Although they have gone undefeated since, UMaine fell to seventh in the conference standings, just one point above newcomer the University of Vermont.
As for their trip to Grand Forks, the team left on Wednesday, and even though they may have missed a traditional Thanksgiving, they did have dinner on the plane after a lay-over in Minneapolis. According to head coach Guy Perron, some players such as team captains Cheryl White and Morgan Janusc did have family travel to Grand Forks since they lived nearby.
Even though some players had family travel to see them play, the real treat for many was North Dakota’s Ralph Englestad Arena. Outside of the marble floors located in certain sections of the building, the 400,000-square foot arena was unlike any the team had played at all season.
With a capacity exceeding 11,500, the arena consisted of 48 luxury suites and a training facility featuring a 10,000 sq. ft. weight room.
“We never played in a building like that and I do not think the program has done that for the last few years,” said head coach Guy Perron. “It was very nice to play there plus we got the job done on top of that especially when you win two games outside of your conference.”
Despite the glamour of the arena and the fact that the players had the option of watching the game from scoreboard or just looking on the ice, it still did not phase the Black Bears as they won 2-1 to take the opening game of the series.
North Dakota took an early lead as they took advantage of a power play situation. The Fighting Sioux’s Melissa Jaques blazed down the ice and fired a wrist shot to beat Genevieve Turgeon for their only goal of the game.
It didn’t take the Black Bears long to tie the game when Kim MacElhaney used a wrister of her own to beat Amber Hasbargen with eight minutes left in the frame.
The Black Bears eventual game-winning goal came in the third period as an early strike from freshman Vanessa Vani put UMaine ahead. The Ontario native got behind the Fighting Sioux defense and walked in on a partial breakaway as she used a series of moves to dazzle Hasbargen and give the Black Bears a lead they would hold for 18 minutes.
“I think North Dakota was a huge win on the road and it gave us confidence considering it was a long trip” MacElhaney said. “Everyone is doing a great job of stepping up and we are all doing well because everyone is contributing.”
In the second game, UMaine did their damage in the second period, thanks to two power play goals as they won 2-0. The first goal came when Kate Sunstrum scored a little more than ten minutes into the period. The insurance goal came when Brigitte LaFlamme chipped in a puck that trickled through Hasbargen’s legs on a blast from the point by Kim Meagher.
Besides the dominance on the power play, Maine found a way to make things easy for junior goalie Rachel Gettings as the Black Bears only gave up two shots in the first period. The win was Gettings’ third of the season.
“I had noticed the game beforethat they like to skate down the middle and the defense played great in front of me,” Gettings said. “When you have three goalies you have to be on top of your game so when you do get your chance, you make the most of it.”
