Tag: women’s ice hockey
New Faces in Friartown
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
Friar Sports
PC Welcomes Coaches for Women’s Hockey and Softball
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
“We are excited to welcome Matt Kelly as head coach of our women’s ice hockey program,” Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll announced on June 18. Kelly, the sixth coach in the history of the program, was hired after the abrupt firing of former Head Coach Bob Deraney, who had been with the program for 19 years.
The decision to replace Deraney came after the team was ousted from the Hockey East Tournament in Game 3 of the quarterfinal round by the University of Connecticut.
Kelly’s “extensive experience as a coach” began in 2008 when he was hired as the assistant coach for Clarkson University’s women’s ice hockey team. During his six years with the program, he helped the Golden Knights qualify for the ECAC playoffs six years in a row, claim three league titles, reach the NCAA Tournament three times, and win a National Championship in 2014.
Following his time at Clarkson, Kelly went on to become the assistant coach for Quinnipiac University for the 2007-2008 season after volunteering as an assistant coach for Wayne State University from 2006-2007, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
The former goaltender for the Wayne State Warriors took a break from coaching when he became a Head Scout for USA Hockey and the women’s national teams, which was the role he was serving in at the time of his hire. With the primary responsibility of overseeing and maintaining the player pools for the U-18, U-22, and women’s national teams, Kelly was the one responsible for assembling the team that won gold in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics—a feat that has not been accomplished by the U.S. in 20 years.
“As a scout for USA Hockey, he has continued to refine his skills as one of the top evaluators of talent in the women’s game,” Driscoll stated. “We look forward to the future of our women’s hockey program under Matt’s direction, competing for Hockey East championships, and returning our storied program to the national stage.”
Upon his hiring, Kelly commented, “I want to thank Father Shanley, Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, and Associate Athletic Director Kyle Murphy for this tremendous opportunity. The vision, support, and rich women’s hockey history at Providence College are second to none and my family and I are excited to be a part of the Friar family.”
Since he joined the program, Kelly brought Jake Anderson, the former assistant coach at Merrimack College; Alison Domenico, the former assistant coach at Syracuse University; and Doug Ferry, the team’s graduate assistant for the past two years onto his staff.
Kelly and his staff will not be the only new faces in Friartown this year. PC’s Softball Team will be welcoming in an entirely new coaching staff this season. In early July it was announced that Jill Karwoski will be the new head coach of the team.
Karwoski, who previously served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Friars during the 2012-2013 season, was acting as the head coach of the Quinnipiac softball team when she was picked up by Providence.
In the announcement of her hire, Driscoll said, “We are excited to have Jill come back to Friartown and lead our softball program. She has 10 years of head coaching experience and she has recruited at the highest level in the ACC. We believe we have one of the top facilities in the conference and with Jill’s leadership we can become one of the top programs in the Northeast and compete for the Big East title.”
Along with her experience at both PC and Quinnipiac, Karwoski served as the head coach at both Merrimack (2011-2012) and Morehead State University (2004-2007), and as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Boston College (2007-2011).
“I could not be more excited and grateful for this opportunity to return to Friartown as the next head softball coach,” Karwoski said. “I strongly believe Bob and I share a similar vision that success is built around strong core values, talented athletes, and dynamic students. Providence softball is rich in tradition, resources, and Friar pride. It is my mission to instill a championship mindset, which will lead to a promising future in the Big East.”
In regards to her plans for her first season with the team, Karwoski claims she will “hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.”
Since her own hire, Karwoski has announced that she will be bringing in Bree Nasti to join her as the team’s assistant coach.
Holding the single season national high school record with a .774 batting average, Nasti previously coached at Adelphi University for the past six seasons. While at Adelphi, Nasti led her team to the Northeast-10 Tournament Championship three times, as well as five NE-10 regular season Southwest Division titles. She also coached her team into six-straight NCAA Division II regional appearances, four NCAA Division II super regional appearance, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series twice. As a result, Nasti and her staff were honored as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association East Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
“I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to bring Bree to Friartown. Proven in her track record…I am confident she will be a positive influence and make an immediate impact on our program,” Karwoski stated on her hiring choice.
After a disappointing season last year that ended with a record of 13-32, all eyes will be on Karwoski and Nasti as they look to turn the program around.
With the extensive experience that each coach brings to the table, hopes are high for success in the 2018-2019 season for the women’s hockey and softball teams.
The Gold Standard Panel
by The Cowl Editor on February 15, 2018
Professional Sports
Former Gold Medal Olympians Talk at PC
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-editor
It has been 20 years since a women’s hockey team from the United States has won a gold medal. And this past weekend, on Saturday, February 10, three members of 1998 Women’s Olympic Hockey Team were present at Providence College to speak on a panel called The Gold Standard.
“I wish I could be there,” Cammi Granato ’93 said as she kicked off the panel in a prerecorded video that played after a video montage of highlights featuring the gold-medal round game. The montage brought player Lisa Brown-Miller ’88 to to “tears” and “gave [her] goosebumps.”On it being 20 years since winning, Granato, captain of the only gold-medal winning, commented, “I can’t believe it.”
So, why did PC put together this panel during Alumni, Family, and Accepted Students weekend? The answer to this question is that the first ever Women’s Olympic Hockey Team consisted of seven PC alum, and three were able to speak on behalf of their team and the remarkable feat they accomplished: Vicki Movsessian ‘94, Sara DeCosta ‘00, and Brown-Miller. “Thank you to the College for inviting us back to be remembered,” Brown-Miller started once Granato’s video had finished.
Hosted by current Providence College Women’s Hockey Coach Bob Deraney, the panel consisted of the three women reflecting on both of their Olympic experiences, PC experiences-all of which they said was “the best,” and how they formed their lives today.
“Every aspect of PC shaped me for the Olympic games…even Western Civ!” DeCosta said with a laugh when asked how PC helped her in her Olympic success.Movsessian was quick to bring up how seven members of the 20 member team came from PC. “A championship environment…that PC built. [The] identity of what women’s hockey became was transformed at PC.” Movessian’s point really kicked off what became the main topic of discussion of the panel: women’s hockey then and now. “We really were the pioneers [of women’s hockey],” Granato stated in her video. “And that is a bond we’ll have forever.”
As mentioned, the 1998 women’s hockey team, a team that Movessian said was made up of “20 people who wanted so badly to do well for each other and collectively win,” was one of the first ever female hockey teams to compete in the Olympics. They also remain the only U.S. women’s team to ever win a gold medal in the Olympic Games.
Prior to 1998, outside of New England, women’s hockey was still almost unheard of. “Growing up…I didn’t know any other girls who played,” Brown-Miller, a Michigan native, stated. “There were not a lot of opportunities back home. PC opened the doors and just as the doors were opening, I was able to step through.”Even DeCosta recognized how small the women’s hockey world was just 20 years ago. “I wasn’t aware of what women’s hockey…was at the time,” she said.
However, Movessian, a Massachusetts native, had a different experience with hockey growing up, stating, “There were tons of opportunities in Mass to play girls and boys hockey.” But even with all of her opportunities to play, Movessian still commented, “We didn’t know about the Olympic games [and the efforts to put a female team together]. We weren’t playing for that reason; we were playing because we loved to play.”
Twenty years after the victory that started a hockey phenomenon, DeCosta stated, “[It has been] an amazing experience to see the growth of women’s hockey…amazing to see the skills and the talent.”
The talent that they spoke of, can be seen in the current PC Women’s Hockey Team, which is currently ranked second in Hockey East, as well as the current 2018 Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. As for this year’s Olympic team, Granato is convinced that the women “are riped to win.” Of course, it has been 20 years since the U.S. has won a gold medal, but Granato stated, “I have a strong feeling this year’s team [will win],” and her sentiments were echoed by all three of her teammates.
Lady Friars Split Weekend Against BU
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Friar Sports
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team has continued to skate hard and has situated themselves nationally in the number eight ranking. This past week the Lady Friars displayed the determination and grit this year’s team embodies in their showdown against a Hockey East rival Boston University. The two teams were scheduled to play each other Friday and then again on Saturday, making for a very anticipated weekend.
The Terriers from Boston University have accumulated a record of 8-13-4 (4-10-3 HE). On Jan. 12 the teams met for the first time this season under Boston University’s roof. Providence College maintains a 14-6-5 record, 10-2-3 in the Hockey East. The quality of the game deepens with the league rival, both teams knew what a win could do for their standings.
Boston University’s Victoria Bach decided to start the event off on the right foot for her fellow Terrier teammates. Just 28 seconds into the game, Bach received a pass from Breanna Scarpaci and followed with a shot that passed Providence’s goaltender Maddie Myers ’19. The Friars tried to redirect the momentum on their power play, testing the Terrier’s goaltender Shroeder four different times. Despite the pressure, Boston University was the next to score and increased their lead to 2-0 where it remained for the rest of the period. The next two periods were back and forth, both teams spending time in their opponent’s defensive zone. Brooke Boquist ’18 was the lone scorer for the Friars. After three periods of play, Boston University defeated Providence College 5-1.
The Friars are about three-fourths of the way done with their season. A tough loss against Boston University could have had the power to push Providence College in the wrong direction for the rest of the season, but instead, the team took the loss and used it as fuel for their redemption game on Saturday, January 13.
This time, the player to score first after the puck was dropped was Maureen Murphy ’21, a forward for Providence College. Madison Sansone ’18, copied her teammate and quickly increased the lead to 2-0. The score stayed here until Boston University capitalized on a power play in the middle of the second period. Scoring picked up in the third period, both teams increased their scores to a final score of 6-3, with Providence finishing on top. Providence scored twice on the power play, improving their 0/6 power play statistic from the previous day’s game. Myers stood strong in net for the Friars and made 29 saves.
This win over Boston University proved Providence College’s talent. The team is ready to take on the remainder of their season and finish stronger than they started. On Jan. 20 the Friars will face yet another strong Hockey East competitor, the University of New Hampshire. In honor of the outstanding rivalry between the two teams, a fundraiser has been started to coincide with the match-up. Both teams asked their alumni to donate with the hopes that their team will raise more money than the rival. Currently in second place in the Hockey East standings, the Friars will need to capitalize against the Wildcats to maintain their position behind Boston College.
Hockey Mid-Season Review
by The Cowl Editor on December 7, 2017
Friar Sports
by Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Ice Hockey Team has played 16 games thus far in the 2017-18 season, posting an overall record of 9-6-1. The Friars are 6-4-1 against conference opponents, good for third place in the Hockey East behind only Boston College (9-2-0) and Northeastern University (7-3-0).
Nationally, the team is ranked ninth overall by USCHO.com. At the top of the list are the University of Denver, St. Cloud State University, and Clarkson University. The Friars dropped both decisions against Clarkson this season, 4-0 back on Oct. 21, and 4-2 on Nov. 25 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of the 2017 Friendship Four.
This past weekend, the team faced off against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, first at home on Friday, December 1 and then again Saturday night at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire. Providence split the two games with UNH, taking a 5-2 victory at home before being shut out 1-0 on the road by the No. 13 ranked Wildcats, according to USCHO.com.
There was a lot to like about the Friars’ effort at home on Friday. They saw goal scoring from three different players. Erik Foley ‘19 had two for the night including one goal on a nice shot from the right circle. Kasper Bjorkqvist ‘20 opened the scoring just 1:01 into the game, streaking down the left wall before charging to the front of the net to beat UNH goaltender Danny Tirone with a shot up high.
Foley is a 2015 draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets (78th overall), and he leads the team in scoring with nine goals and 18 points in 14 games on the season. Bjorkqvist, a 2016 draft selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins (61st overall), is fifth on the team in scoring with six goals and eight points.
Tied with Bjorkqvist in points on the season is Vimal Sukumaran ‘20, one of the Friars’ undrafted players who has been stepping up for the team in a big way, scoring two goals Friday night in convincing fashion. Sukumaran would score the game-winning goal on the night, along with the Friars’ fifth goal to solidify the win after a late push by the Wildcats to cut the lead to two points.
Looking ahead at the men’s hockey schedule, there are still many important games to be played. On Jan. 13 the Friars travel to Agganis Arena to take on the Boston University Terriers, who are currently in fourth place with a record of 5-5-1. In late January the Friars will participate in a home-and-home with the Northeastern Huskies, who sit directly above them in the standings. The Friars will take on the University of Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks in mid February, toward the end of the regular season. The River Hawks are currently fifth in the Hockey East with a record of 5-5-0 in the conference.
With still a significant stretch of games ahead, leadership and perseverance will be key. Garrett Gamez ‘19 now plays the role of student assistant coach role with the team after abruptly retiring from hockey following an incident on March 11 where he collapsed on the bench during the first period of the second game of the Hockey East Quarterfinals against the Univesity of Notre Dame. When asked about how he feels the team has played in the first two months of the year, Gamez referenced the ability of the younger players to step into key roles as part of the team’s success thus far.
He also mentioned the role of leadership on the team as an important factor saying, “You always look up to the guys that are playing before you or ahead of you. Guys like Brian Pinho, who is our captain now.” Gamez went on to say more about Brian Pinho ’18 commenting, “I’ve always looked to guys like him who know the situations, and as time goes on you grow a close bond with those guys and they are able to lead you and help you regardless of if it is on the ice or in school.”
The team has raised the expectations of fans after taking home the National Championship in 2015. While they have returned to the tournament in both years since, they have failed to make it past the first round. Currently the Friars are on track for another appearance in College Hockey’s championship contest, as they attempt to repeat their success from the past three years previous.
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team has seen success this season as well, with a record of 10-5-4 overall. The team boasts a record of 7-1-2 in the Hockey East, good for second in the conference, behind the 7-0-3 Boston College Eagles.
With 15 games left in the regular season, the Friars still have two games to play against UNH on Jan. 19 and 20, who sit at third in the conference with a record of 5-3-3. The following weekend of Jan. 26 and 27 the women’s team faces the first place Eagles for a home-and-home. The Friars lost their only game against Boston College thus far back on Nov. 3 in a 7-4 decision.
This season’s early results already bring hope for a Friars team that put up an overall record of 17-17-3 in the 2016-17 campaign, finishing fourth in Hockey East with a record of 11-10-3.
This year Christina Putigna ‘19 and Cassidy MacPherson ‘19 lead the team in scoring with 17 points each. Maureen Murphy ‘21 leads the team in goals with 12. Look for these three to continue their point-producing ways as the team enters the back-half of the season.
Women’s Hockey Comes Out Strong
by The Cowl Editor on November 9, 2017
Friar Sports
By: Jeremy Perrigo ’18
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team, after finishing the 2016-17 campaign 17-17-3, is off to a strong start this season with a record of 6-3-2.
The Friars swept the Northeastern Universty Huskies in a home-and-home over the weekend of Oct. 28 with 2-1 and 6-4 victories. This was an impressive accomplishment considering the Huskies finished last season with a record of 22-12-3, beating the Friars in all three of their previous meetings.
The Friars’ early success has been made possible through the contributions of players such as Madison Myers ‘19 (Colchester, Vermont), who was awarded Women’s Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for October. Myers has started all 11 of the Friars’ games this season, sporting a save percentage of .914 and a goals against average of 2.34.
This is Myers’ first Hockey East monthly award. She was also previously awarded Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 30, largely for her contributions against the Huskies, where she put up 40 and 38-save performances in the back-to-back games.
Myers, who said she models her game after Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender Carey Price, stated that it is “quite the honor” to be recognized with the award. When asked about her recent success and if she has made any changes to her game that have allowed her to grow as a player, she mentioned her previous season’s work she said, “I actually changed my game last year with the help of my head coach Bob Deraney. He helped me become quicker and more reactive and I think that really helped my game improve for this year.”
Hockey goaltenders are often considered some of the most superstitious players in the game, and many have rigorous pre-game rituals. Myers says she does not share these beliefs and likes to start each game without a specific routine.
The Providence goaltender is now in her third year with the team, and when asked about how her role has developed off the ice with her teammates she mentioned that she used to be the one going to her fellow goaltenders with questions, and now that she has become an upperclassman, finds herself answering rather than asking more of those questions.
Most recently the Friars suffered a setback, dropping by a 7-4 decision Friday, November 3, to the No. 2 ranked Boston College Eagles. When asked about what she liked in her team’s performance Myers said, “I think we had a pretty bad game which says a lot about our team,” noting that the recent loss was a big step up from past games against the Eagles. “I think it is definitely an improvement and they are definitely beatable, so that should give us a lot of confidence,” expressing how she feels about the direction in which the team is heading in.
PC looks to bounce back as the teams travels to Orono, Maine on Friday to face off against the University of Maine. The Black Bears have a record of 6-5-0 and are scheduled to play a game Tuesday, November 7 against the same Northeastern Huskies that the Friars swept two weekends ago.
The Friars went 3-0 against Maine last season, recording wins of 3-2, 6-4, and 5-2. Christina Putigna‘19 leads the team in points (6G, 9A) followed by Brooke Boquist ’18 (6G, 3A), and Cassidy MacPherson ’19 (2G, 7A). Look for these players as they attempt to build on their success against the Black Bears. The Friars are off to the best start in recent history, and key contributors like Myers are being recognized for their success. It will be exciting to see how the team plays moving forward.
A Weekend of Celly’s for Women’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on October 7, 2017
Friar Sports
by Meaghan Cahill ’20
sports staff
Along with fall, hockey season has officially arrived in Friartown as the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team kicked off their season this past weekend. The team went into their first official game of the season with a solid preseason 3-2 win over Laurentian University.
Coming off of that win, the team traveled to Schenectady, New York, where they dominated Union College with a score of 7-3 which featured seven different goal scorers for the Friars.
Following the Union game, the Friars made a quick trip back to campus where they played their season home opener on Sunday against The University of Vermont. It was a game that was not to be missed as, even though there was a rocky start in the first period that resulted in them being down 2-1, the Friars pulled ahead on the scoreboard to conclude the game with a 6-2 victory. Once again, the team had six different goal scorers, including Hayley Lunny ’21, who scored her first goal as a Friar.
The weekend was a dominant start to the season for the team, as within two games, 10 different players have already notched a point in the goals scored box. 15 of the 18 Friars that dress for the games have already earned points.
The success of the weekend opening for the women’s hockey team is looking to continue throughout the season as they strive to win Hockey East. Last year, they ended their season with a heartbreaking loss to UVM that denied them from advancing further in the Hockey East Tournament.
However, while many players graduated, only two were considered a detrimental loss in terms of playing time. The team is fairly young, with seven players each from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes. The team is led by four seniors. The experience needed to know how to navigate through Hockey East is definitely there for the team, as well as the relationship between the players in knowing who, how, and where different members like to play. As seen by their success in the first week of their season, the Friars know how to play with one another, which will help them make the push towards the post season.
Most of the team’s top players from last year will still be in the lineup. This includes defenseman Whitney Dove ’20, who had a remarkable breakout season her freshman year with the Friars. She was one of the many recipients of the Hockey East Rookie of the Week acknowledgement, and went on to finish third in all of Hockey East for defensive scoring. She also was awarded the Hockey East Rookie of the Year award—the first defenseman to ever win the award in the history of the league—and was unanimously selected to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
Dove scored a goal apiece against Union and UVM, and was named this week’s Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week. She is also joined by players Neve Van Pelt ’20, who finished her freshman year with the highest face-off win percentage in all of Hockey East, and Blair Parent ’18, who has twice been recognized as a Hockey East Top Performer.
Lunny, a native of Bedford, New York, is joined by local Rhode Island player Giana Savastano ’21. The rest of the freshman class includes Canadian players Chloe Gonsalves ’21, Ariane Julien ’21, and Camryn Tait ’21; Sandra Abstreiter ’21 from Germany; New Yorker Maureen Murphy ’21.
Kate Friesen ’19 and Madison Sansone ’18 will serve as captains and be assisted by Parent and Brooke Boquist ’18.
The team can look to their four seniors for guidance and leadership throughout the season. The fourth senior on the team is Alanna Serviss ’18.
The women’s hockey team plays next in Friartown on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. against Quinnipiac University.
Athlete of the Week: Cassidy Carels ’17
by The Cowl Editor on March 16, 2017
Sports
by Lauren Altmeyer ’17
Cassidy Carels ’17 has been an asset to the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team ever since she arrived in 2013. Captaining the team this year, the Bruxelles, Manitoba, Canada native lead the Friars to 17 wins, the most wins since the 2010-2011 season. Carels also collected a career-high 37 points, making her the leading scorer of the Friars for the second year in a row. With a +14 rating on the season, Carels collected 18 goals and 19 assists, including nine multi-point games. Carels completed her career as a Friar with 48 goals and 55 assists for a combined total of 131 points.
Prior to her arrival in Friartown, Carels led her Midget AAA team to a National Championship in 2012, earned a silver medal with Team Manitoba at the U18 Nationals in 2012, and brought home gold in at the World Championships with the U18 Canadian National Team in 2013.
Carels was recently presented the Hockey East Sportsmanship Award due to her attitude and integrity both on and off the ice. When asked about why she was so deserving of this award, Head Coach Bob Deraney, who won Coach of the Year, said, “First of all, I think Cassidy was deserving of being on one of the All Star teams, not just honorable mention. Cassidy has had a tremendous career, especially this year, and the league recognized the way she goes about playing the game. She was one of the least penalized players in the league and she had success playing that way. She plays the game so hard, in such a sportsmanlike way, and she was rewarded.”
Deraney has nothing but fond things to say about Carels, not only as one of his hockey players but also as a person. “Cassidy exemplifies what it means to be a Friar. You cannot find a better, more caring person than her. She was nominated by her peers and selected by the coaches to become a captain,” Deraney noted, “Her dedication to the sport of ice hockey and her teammates is evident. No one is more steady and dependable than her. She gives 110 percent on her shift and can go out and do it again and again if we needed her to. Cassidy is reliable, clutch, and even keeled—what more could you ask for? She excels in every aspect: on the ice, in the classroom, and in everyday life.”
The Friars finished up their season on Feb. 26 after losing a hard fought, best-of-three series against the University of Vermont Wildcats in the Hockey East Quarterfinals. The Friars ended with a 17-17-3 overall record and an 11-10-2 conference record. None of that would have been possible without the leadership and skill that Carels brought to the team.
“It has been a true privilege to coach Cassidy these past four years. Freshman and sophomore year I was her biggest critic, but junior and senior year I was one of her biggest fans, and that’s a testament to her growth over the years. No one player will be able to replace her,” said Deraney, “It will take a group of players to replace her on the ice, in the locker room, and in everyday life.”
Hockey Program Bids Farewell to Seniors
by The Cowl Editor on March 2, 2017
Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
As both the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey teams wrapped up their regular season play, we said goodbye to the five women and six men graduating who have donned the black and white for the past four years. Arianna Buxman ’17, Ariana Reid ’17, Kendra Goodrich ’17, Lauren Klein ’17, and Cassidy Carels ’17 have all taken their last strides at Schneider Arena, but were honored before the last regular season home game against an outstanding Boston College Eagles squad.
The Friars jumped out to an early lead as Christina Putigna ’19 received a favorable bounce when her shot found the back of the net less than a minute into the contest. Putigna’s goal proved to be a major momentum lift as the Friars kept the pressure on the Eagles for the entire game. Kathleen McHugh ’20 registered two goals during the evening, and was later awarded Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week for her performance. Another offensive weapon, Cassidy MacPherson ’19, slid the puck past the Eagles goaltender with a nifty individual effort. The Friars pulled away with a 4-1 win with a stellar effort to upset the sixth ranked Eagles.
Unfortunately, the Friars were unable to keep rolling into the playoffs and were defeated in a heartbreaking Hockey East Quarterfinals series to the University of Vermont. The excellent leadership of Carels and Klein will be deeply missed as they have led this team for two years together. The veteran experience from Buxman, Reid, and Goodrich will also be missed, as well as the great effect they had on the locker room, but the Friars are loaded with young talent. The Class of 2020 has a skilled group of girls that consistently contributes every weekend. Although the Class of 2017 is going to be missed, the Friars are looking at a promising future and will continue to improve as the journey to the next season begins.
The men’s ice hockey class of 2016 was a very difficult act to follow as last year’s seniors played an integral role in both the program’s rebuild and subsequent National Championship. However, comprised of Brendan Leahy ’17, Kyle McKenzie ’17, Niko Rufo ’17, Anthony Florentino ’17, Josh Monk ’17, and Conor MacPhee ’17, the Class of 2017 has faced a great deal of adversity leading a young team back from a rocky first half of the season to a remarkably successful second half. Not to mention they have enjoyed a great amount of success as they have tallied 95 wins, four consecutive 20-plus win seasons, and three (hopefully four) consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Needless to say, this class of seniors is nothing short of impressive. In the regular season finale on senior night, the Friars hosted the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Offensively, the Friars relied on Garrett Gamez ’19 as he collected his third marker of the season. UMass bounced back in the second period to even the scoring at 1-1, but the rest of regulation remained scoreless. In overtime, it was Gamez again redirecting a shot from the blue line that clinched the Friars victory.
Although small in quantity, the Class of 2017 has made an immense impact on this hockey program. They have served as role models and leaders for a young team looking to make a name for themselves. The six seniors will need to display their experience throughout the postseason run as they have three playoff runs under their belt. Under captains Monk and McKenzie, this tight knit squad will battle in a tough Hockey East Tournament, beginning this Friday night at Schneider, and will make a splash in the NCAA tournament as well.
Women’s Ice Hockey: Playoff Aspirations
by The Cowl Editor on February 16, 2017
Sports
By Lauren Altmeyer ’17
Over the weekend, the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team celebrated a few important milestones. Head Coach Bob Deraney became the winningest coach in Women’s Hockey East history with 154 league wins. On top of that, the Friars also held a ceremony to retire the jersey of number 21 Cammi Granato ’93. Granato was the greatest women’s hockey player to ever lace up the skates for the Friars, playing from 1989-1993 and tallying a whopping 256 points (139 goals and 117 assists) in 99 games. She then went on to captain Team USA in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics (the first time women competed in Olympic hockey) and brought home gold and silver medals respectively. Granato was also the first woman to ever get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Friars are beginning to set their sights on the postseason. The team currently sits at fourth place in the Hockey East standings with a 10-9-3 conference record and a 15-14-3 overall record. Providence is situated at 16th place in the PairWise Rankings, a position that, if maintained, will enter them into the NCAA Tournament. It would be the first time since the 2004-2005 season that the program qualifies for the tournament.
The Friars will play their last regular season series against the Boston College Eagles this upcoming weekend. The Eagles sit in first place in Hockey East and are number five in the PairWise Rankings. Saturday afternoon’s game will be held at 2 p.m. at Schneider Arena and will honor the program’s graduating seniors: goaltender Alanna Serviss ’17; defensemen Ariana Buxman ’17, Arianna Reed ’17, Kendra Goodrich ’17, and Lauren Klein ’17; and forward Cassidy Carels ’17.
Carels leads the team in scoring with 18 goals and 14 assists to make up 32 points, a career high for the forward. Throughout her 136 games in the Friars uniform, Carels has amassed 48 goals and 55 assists to give her a total of 103 points so far.
With Carels leading the offense, the Friars will look to players like Whitney Dove ’20, Kate Friesen ’19, and Rachel Rockwell ’20 to lead the defense. Dove, Friesen, and Rockwell have combined for 69 points from 24 goals and 45 assists. In goal, Madison Myers ’19 has continued to improve from her freshman year. Last season Myers finished with a 3.05 GAA and 9-15-2 record, while this year she currently holds a 2.75 GAA and 9-10-3 record.
If these players can continue to shine, the Friars have a chance at beating the Eagles and making it to the NCAA tournament.