Final Score: Northeastern 4, Vermont 3 | Box Score | CatamounTV Highlights
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Kendall Coyne had a goal and an assist to lead Northeastern to a 4-3 win over Vermont Friday night in Hockey East action from Gutterson Fieldhouse.
 
The Huskies opened the scoring 3:39 into the first period off an offensive zone faceoff. Taytum Clairmont won the faceoff back to Lauren Kelly who fired a wrist shot through traffic that found the top corner to make it 1-0 on her fifth goal of the season.
 
Vermont equalized with 4:10 left in the first period after Gina Repaci skated the puck out of the Vermont zone into the slot. Repaci dropped a pass to Delia McNally who was able to beat Northeastern's Chloe Desjardins with a wrist shot labeled for the top corner for her third goal of the season.
 
Minutes later Coyne struck for Northeastern to reestablish the Huskies one-goal lead. Off the cycle Coyne skated to the half boards from the goal line and fired a quick shot past Vermont's Madison Litchfield for her 20^th goal of the season. Denisa Krizova and Ainsley MacMillan assisted on the even strength goal, which came 1:29 after McNally's tally.
 
Northeastern struck again late in the first period off a terrific individual effort by Heather Mottau. Mottau broke out of the defensive zone on her own and skated into the Vermont zone with speed. She cut to the net and fired a shot past Litchfield who was interfered with by a Vermont defender and a Northeastern forward. The goal was initially waved off but after review the call on the ice was reversed and Mottau was credited with her second goal of the season.
 
Hayley Masters scored her eighth goal of the season 11:07 into the second period to give the Huskies a three-goal advantage. On the power play Coyne fired a low point shot that Masters deflected right in front to beat Litchfield.
 
The Catamounts responded on their own power play minutes later. Vermont ran its power play through the point. After a series of one-timed shots from the point Brittany Zuback gathered a rebound and fed it back to Amanda Drobot. Drobot stepped into the slot and beat Desjardins to make it a 4-2 game with 4:41 left in the second period. Taylor Willard picked up the secondary assist on Drobot's second goal of the season.
 
5:37 into the third period the Catamounts struck again on the power play to make it a one-goal game. Willard setup Amanda Pelkey in the high slot for a one-timed shot that was padded aside by Desjardins. The rebound fell at Dayna Colang's feet and she kicked the puck to her stick and tucked a backhand into the net for her 12^th goal of the season.
Vermont outshot the Huskies 10-2 in the final frame but they couldn't get another puck past Desjardins as she held onto the one-goal lead and picked up her seventh win of the season.
 
"This game was a real heartbreaker for us," said head coach Jim Plumer.  "In a way it was a microcosm of our season as we battled back from an early deficit and really played an excellent second and third period but it just wasn't enough.  It's tough to not get the result you want but I like the way the team executed and we just have to keep fighting to make some breaks."
 
The Catamounts return to action on Super Bowl Sunday as they host Providence at 2 p.m. Sunday is Youth Day and there will be a Catamount Kids Conference after the game in the Hockey Hall of Honor presented by the Doubletree.
 
NOTES: Northeastern head coach Dave Flint earned his 100^th win tonight … Kendall Coyne now has 18 points in six career games against Vermont … Madison Litchfield and Chloe Desjardins each made 21 saves … Sarah Kelly blocked a team-high three shots … Amanda Drobot led all Catamounts with five shots on goal.