Preview: Vermont Catamounts at Northeastern Huskies

BOSTON (Interstat) — The surging Northeastern Huskies host the Vermont Catamounts in a Women’s Hockey East matchup Tuesday night at Matthews Arena, aiming to continue their dominance in the season series.

Northeastern (27-7-4) has won all three meetings this season, including a 3-2 victory in Burlington on Feb. 7. The Huskies enter on a five-game winning streak, most recently edging Boston University 2-1 on Saturday behind a 39-save performance from goaltender Lisa Jönsson.

Jönsson, a key player to watch, has been stellar against Vermont this season, making 36 saves in the February win. Over her last five starts, she has a .960 save percentage, cementing her as one of the league’s top netminders.

Vermont (16-16-5) arrives with momentum of its own, coming off a 3-1 road upset of then-Boston College on Saturday. Goaltender Ellie Simmons, the Catamounts’ player to watch, was the catalyst, stopping 37 of 38 shots. Forwards Julia Mesplede and Kaylee Lewis provided the offense, each scoring a goal.

Simmons will need a similar performance to counter a potent Huskies attack that averages over 3.5 goals per game. Vermont has shown resilience, going 4-1-1 in its last six contests, but its defense will be severely tested.

The historical data and season trajectory favor the hosts. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-3 Northeastern victory, while its ELO rating system gives the Huskies a 77.1% probability to win.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST at historic Matthews Arena. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.