Box Score

BOSTON, MA -- Northeastern women's hockey defeated Union, 2-1, on Friday afternoon at Matthews Arena behind two goals from junior tri-captain Casey Pickett. The Huskies improved to 3-0-0 on the season.
 
Union (1-3-0) held strong through a scoreless first period in which the Dutchwomen were outshot, 16-5. Finally, approaching the midpoint of the second period, the Huskies nosed in front through their leading goalscorer, Pickett. Senior tri-captain Stephanie Gavronsky pinched in from the left point and fired a shot wide over freshman goaltender Shenae Lundberg's right shoulder. Pickett, already behind the net, pounced on the rebound and, with Lundberg slightly out of position from the previous shot, wrapped the puck around the other side and in to put the Huskies on top, 1-0.
 
By the second intermission the Huskies had launched 31 shots at Lundberg's net against nine Union attempts. The Dutchwomen killed off all five power play opportunities to that point, including a 5-on-3 opportunity.
 
Eight minutes into the third period, Union equalized the contest at 1-1. Hoping to dump the puck in, Union's Stefanie Thomson launched a high effort on goal from just before the red line as the Dutchwomen went to change lines; freshman netminder Chloe Desjardins went to a knee to block it, but the skipping puck bounced just over her lowered left shoulder and in. It was Thomson's third tally of the young season.
 
The Dutchwomen seemed to seize a shift in momentum, outshooting the Huskies in the third period, 15-9. But Desjardins, in her collegiate debut, stopped numerous close-range opportunities as time wound down. Desjardins finished with 23 saves.
 
It was Pickett who put the Huskies ahead for good with six minutes to play. After freshman Kendall Coyne drew the faceoff back to Pickett, she blasted a one-time slap shot from the high slot past Lundberg. The goal was Pickett's fifth of the season.
 
Lundberg had a solid performance in the Union nets, stopping 38 Northeastern shots, including a breakaway effort late in the third from Claire Santostefano that would have iced the game.
 
Union continues a non-league weekend in Boston with a game at Boston University at 2 p.m. Saturday.