Sisters Breanna and McKenzie Powers, lifelong residents of East Boston and graduates of East Boston High School play for the Northeastern University Women’s Club Hockey Team. After a perfect 24-0-0 season the Huskies were off to Minneapolis, MN for the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Championship Tournament.
Northeastern swept the tournament defeating South Dakota State 4-1, St. Scholastica of Duluth MN 1-0, U of Delaware 5-2, and Rainy River of International Falls MN in the championship game 8-1. The last game this Northeastern team lost was an elimination semi final game vs Rainy River in the 2009 ACHA National Tournament last March in Rochester, NY.
McKenzie, a sophomore was named tournament MVP. She tallied 6 goals and 4 assists in the 4 games including a hat trick in the championship. McKenzie has also been named ACHA 1st Team All American.
* * * *
In only the second year of ACHA membership, the Northeastern Women’s Club Ice Hockey team has won the National Championship for ACHA Women’s Division two! The Huskies earned a top seed in Pool B of the tournament, with the College of St. Scholastica and South Dakota State University.
In their first game, Northeastern played South Dakota State University to open up pool play. South Dakota came out flying notching a goal less than five minutes into the game off a shot from the top of the circle. From there, play went back and forth in the second period until Mckenzie Powers tied the game up with five minutes left in the second period. With a minute left in the second period, Northeastern gained a four on three power play where Megan Winters scored on a nice pass from Powers, then Powers quickly tallied another goal sixteen seconds later to give NU a 3-1 lead going into the third. Christine Fuchs rounded out the scoring on a tip from Allie Tocci’s shot from the point.
Northeastern then played an afternoon game on Saturday to finish off pool play, against last year’s runner up, College of St. Scholastica. Last year’s game was a defensive battle as the teams tied 0-0, and this year was no different as Northeastern pulled off an exciting 1-0 victory, lead by a 26 save shutout from Senior goaltender, Alex Charest. Northeastern’s lone goal was credited to Meredith Harclerode off of a Vanessa Tomchik blast from the point in the second period. The defense led the way from there with outstanding play from Savannah Riley, Michelle Crisp, Christina Pagano, and Tricia Martin. Additionally, the penalty killed tandem of Christine Fuchs and Mandy LaPorta stifled the St. Scholastica power play to lead NU to victory.
In their first semi final game, Northeastern played the Delaware Valley regular season Champions, University of Delaware. The Huskies pulled out a heard fought 5-2 victory, led by two goals from Freshman forward, Hannah Berry, as well as goals from Freshman forward Madeline Bilodeau, and Mckenzie Powers. The win punched Northeastern’s ticket to the National Championship game against the two time defending National Champions, Rainy River Community College.
In the Championship, Northeastern earned an astounding 8-1 victory to clinch the National Championship. In the win, a goal by Mckenzie Powers off the faceoff gave NU a 3-1 lead. She finished with three goals in the victory.