Spring Break
Season on the line against Friars this weekend
Russell Blair
Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: Sports
Two times this season the women's hockey team (19-11-4, 12-8-1 Hockey East) has traveled to Providence and two times they've lost. In fact, the last time UConn picked up a win at Schneider Arena was Oct. 22, 2006, over two years ago. And since the Huskies joined Hockey East in the 2002-03 season, they've defeated the Friars in Rhode Island exactly twice.
UConn will put all that on the line Saturday when they travel to Providence to take on the Friars in the Hockey East Quarterfinal. After losing three times to Providence this season and twice last year, including in the Hockey East semifinals in Storrs, the Huskies have failed to defeat the Friars in five attempts.
"They're just a really scrappy and energetic team," said head coach Heather Linstad. "They create a lot of havoc on the ice but we have the talent and ability to overcome that. We just need to mentally be ready, it's important that we have that focus."
The Friars and the Huskies are no strangers to post-season play; they have met three times in the Hockey East Tournament since UConn joined the conference: the 2003 Semifinals, the 2005 final and the 2008 semifinals. Providence won all three by a combined score of 15-2, including a 7-0 shutout of the Huskies in '03.
Coming off a two-game sweep by conference top UNH last weekend, including a 4-3 loss at Freitas on senior day in a game that UConn led 3-1 in the second period, the Huskies will need to bounce back with their season on the line Saturday.
"As a coach I'm confident that we have the ability to win," Linstad said. "There's not a team in the league that we can't beat when we play well. We've had some big wins so it shows we can play with anybody. It's up to our student athletes to go out there and play hard for 60 minutes."
Since a nine-game winning streak from Nov. 25 to Jan. 16 the Huskies have gone just 5-5. If the Huskies defeat the Friars they will be penciled in for a March 7 matchup with New Hampshire.
UConn will put all that on the line Saturday when they travel to Providence to take on the Friars in the Hockey East Quarterfinal. After losing three times to Providence this season and twice last year, including in the Hockey East semifinals in Storrs, the Huskies have failed to defeat the Friars in five attempts.
"They're just a really scrappy and energetic team," said head coach Heather Linstad. "They create a lot of havoc on the ice but we have the talent and ability to overcome that. We just need to mentally be ready, it's important that we have that focus."
The Friars and the Huskies are no strangers to post-season play; they have met three times in the Hockey East Tournament since UConn joined the conference: the 2003 Semifinals, the 2005 final and the 2008 semifinals. Providence won all three by a combined score of 15-2, including a 7-0 shutout of the Huskies in '03.
Coming off a two-game sweep by conference top UNH last weekend, including a 4-3 loss at Freitas on senior day in a game that UConn led 3-1 in the second period, the Huskies will need to bounce back with their season on the line Saturday.
"As a coach I'm confident that we have the ability to win," Linstad said. "There's not a team in the league that we can't beat when we play well. We've had some big wins so it shows we can play with anybody. It's up to our student athletes to go out there and play hard for 60 minutes."
Since a nine-game winning streak from Nov. 25 to Jan. 16 the Huskies have gone just 5-5. If the Huskies defeat the Friars they will be penciled in for a March 7 matchup with New Hampshire.
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