W. hockey to play three on road over break

It's time for the women's hockey team to hit the road again.

The Tigers travel to Massachusetts this weekend to play Northeastern on Saturday followed by a match-up against Boston College on Sunday. The team will then go without any games until New Year's Day, when once again the Tigers will head north, this time to No. 8 New Hampshire.

The Tigers (7-4-2 overall, 3-3-1 Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League) have tough competition awaiting them over the Winter Break. Though the Tigers destroyed Boston College, 8-0, when they met in the 2003-2004 season, Northeastern topped them by a goal and New Hampshire posted a 3-0 shutout.

Northeastern figures to be the cupcake of the winter break schedule. The Huskies (2-12-1, 1-4-0 Hockey East) have been outscored 69-23 on the season and have lost six consecutive games.

Crystal Rochon leads Northeastern with nine assists and 11 points. The team's top goal scorer is Nikki Petrick, who has six. Despite a team total of only 23 goals, 11 different Huskies have netted at least one.

Marisa Hourihan has played all 15 games in net for Northeastern, giving up 4.44 goals per game and saving just 89.3 percent of shots faced.

Boston College does not boast an intimidating statistical record, either. The Eagles (4-10-1, 1-6-1 Hockey East) have been outscored, 53-38, on the season and limped into their schedule, going just 1-7 in their first eight games.

Sarah Feldman leads the team in goals (11) and points (19). Deborah Spillane is tied for the team lead in points thanks to seven goals and 12 assists. Colleen Harris (15) and Kerri Sanders (11) complete the foursome of Boston College skaters with double-figure point totals.

Three different Eagle goalies have split time in net this season, each with limited impact. All three — Christine Moynihan (3.34), Lisa Davis (3.43), Alison Quandt (3.60) — have poor goals-against averages. The only Boston College shutout on the season belongs to Quandt.

The New Year's Day game, however, figures to be a doozy. New Hampshire (10-3-1, 5-0-0 Hockey East) has outscored its opponents, 57-25, on the season but has gone just 3-3-1 in its last seven games.

Paced by Nicole Hekle's nine goals and 14 assists, eight different Wildcats have double-digit points figures.

Melissa Bourdon has played 12 games in net, compiling a 2.04 goals-against average and recording two shutouts.

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New Hampshire closes games well, so it will be key for the Tigers to get on the board early. The Wildcats are outscoring their opponents, 19-3, in the third period and have allowed just five goals in 103 opponents' power play chances.

Princeton has relied on its defense to be successful this season, holding its opponents to two goals or fewer in each of its seven wins. Junior goalie Roxanne Gaudiel has racked up three straight shutouts as she continues her impressive year.

The Tigers' offense has not been so effective, averaging just 1.8 goals per game this season. Sophomore forward Laura Watt leads the team in points with 11. Right behind her is sophomore forward Liz Keady, who has picked up three goals and seven assists for 10 points, the only other Tiger in double figures.

Sophomore forward Kim Pearce leads the team in goals with seven.