The big match Tuesday night at Matthews between Northeastern and
Brown ended up a 3-3 draw.  At times the Bear's new edgy-controlled
attack looked like it might take over the game.  But just when you
thought those Huskies were down, they came swooping up the ice.  A
tie was representative of the play, with neither team having the
legs to be totally effective, at this point in time.
 
The first period started slow.  There was too much watching and
reacting and not enough skating.  Gradually the Brown Bears gained
the edge as their talented team hung onto the puck and then made the
telling pass.  Katie King (Joy Woog, Danielle Solari) finished off
a lovely series of passes in the NU zone.  The perimeter passing was
precise and left King with the nice tuck in at the far post.  Becky
Kellar (King, Woog) made it 0-2 Bears when her power play rebound
concluded a series of attacks.  Brown was coming at NU with waves
of intelligent 1-2's, connecting the points, slots and corners in
a wonderful maze of passes.
 
In the second period, the Bears continued to hold onto the puck
well and makes their pass-pass-shoot game go, but the Huskies were
slowly getting their game together.  Kim Haman (Kim Drews) got
Northeastern on the board when she hit home her own rebound after
a fierce slap shot off a defender.
 
The third period found the Huskies making the score 2-2 when Courtney
King (Angela Scerra, Bree Cheatham) shot high to the glove side.  The
play was a simple break in off a face-off, but highly effective.  NU
took the lead when Haman went on another solo effort a few plays
later.  Haman raced into the Bear's zone and following King's fine
example roofed the puck high glove side.  Brown quickly got its act
back together and started pressing.  A lovely end to end play was
finished off by Solari (King, Kathy Hopkins) after King had waited
just long enough to make the exquisite centering pass.  In overtime,
there was no scoring, though Brown did have some good chances during
a power play.
 
The Bears of Brown have some very talented players.  They do not have
a big squad, and they have no experienced defenders.  Last night
they were missing a couple of players due to injury.  The thing that
impressed me with Brown, at this stage, is the new direction their
attack has taken.  They have more control and a lot more ideas of how
to put the puck in the net.  I have to think new assistant coach Russ
McCurdy has helped them in that area.  In goal, junior Libby Witchger
was steady and made some fine saves.  On defense, first-year player
Jodi McKenna was real good.  Converted forward Solari could be a jewel
in the making back on the blue line.  Her skill at carrying the puck
along with her wonderful skating ability lets her get out of difficult
situations.  Add to that the fact that when she is on the ice, it
basically means that Brown has a power play attack anytime they break
in.  Both Molly Driscoll and Kellar got time playing defense.  Kellar
looked ok, but Driscoll was very uncomfortable.  Hopkins was the other
Bear converted defender, who also needs time to settle.  On the attack,
Brown is lead by center King.  She is a great player to watch.
Speed, power, touch and the smarts to use it.  King is a marvelous
striker.  Her mates Woog and Kellar (Driscoll in the third) were
pretty active and always looking to setup the nice play.  However,
the biggest plus for Brown has to be the transfer of former Polar
Bear Nan Gorton.  Centering the second line last night, she was
incredible.  I love to watch her skate.  Gorton is a real dynamo.
Add to that, her best play last night was really when she jumped on
the ice and gunned back to break up a Northeastern attack, and you
may understand why the Bears could win it all.  Andrea Boudreau and
first-year player Kristin Basford filled out the second line and
both played well.  Overall, a fair start for the Brown Bears.  They
don't have many "support" players, but they do have an embarrassment
of riches when it comes to skillful attackers.
 
Northeastern's biggest problem right now is team speed.  Last night
there wasn't much.  There were too many players watching, and too
few skating.  Kim Flatt made some big saves to keep NU in the game,
but at times did not stand up and face the shooter.  Cheatham made
a series of memorable rushes last night, in an attempt to get the
team moving.  She is really turning it on!  Keri-Anne Allan also
played a big game.  She got caught out a couple of times, but her
quick reads got her back in the play defensively and offensively.
Kim Drews also played a strong match.  Her skating and strength
helps balance the team.  On offense, Haman again was the leader.
Her opportunistic rushes and setups are what got NU the draw.  In
fact she almost won the game.  The only other Husky forward that
showed much life was Courtney King.  Her efforts on the ice leads
her line and makes the team that much stronger.  I'll have to say
that overall Northeastern did not look good last night.  The play
in their own zone was poor.  They let the trailer coming in from
the point kill them all night.  Still they must be somewhat happy
at coming back on a bad night.
 
I think both teams are going to have to try some different line
combinations, if they expect to get the most out of the talent they
have.  Last night, neither team had a good blend.  I saw several
players on both teams not being used effectively and mainly because
they need a mate in order to open up situations.  My guess is
that both coaches will be making changes.
 
The added treat last night was getting to watch some of the best
players in women's hockey.  Katie King, Danielle Solari, Bree
Cheatham and Nan Gorton all should be on Team USA Women real soon.
If they get some proper coaching, TUSAW could give Team Canada some-
thing to think about, with players like these.  I would add there were
a couple of other players last night (Woog, Scerra, Kellar ...) that
are not that far from making the leap to becoming "big" players.
 
 _____________
/
 good shooting
 rhun
_____________/