Hockey East Playoffs 2025: Championship Preview

The 2025 Hockey East playoffs are coming to an end this weekend, and it took no shortage of drama, excitement, and some damn good hockey to get here. Only one game remains before the Bertagna Trophy is hoisted and a winner is crowned. We don’t have a lot of time before that, so shall we get into things?

Things to Note: 

Regardless of who wins Saturday’s contest, the victor will head to the NCAA tournament with Hockey East’s automatic bid secured. While both squads are right at the edge for the at-large window, it does not appear as though either will be receiving one based on the final results from Saturday. 

Northeastern has made the tournament seven times, the most recent being a Final Four trip in 2023 after being ranked as the fifth-seed heading into the tournament. Boston University has made six appearances, the most recent of which being in 2015 when they were also the fifth-seed. Both teams won the Hockey East title and received the autobid in those respective years. 

How We Got Here: 

After beating UVM in overtime for the quarterfinals, No. 2 Boston University didn’t get enough extra hockey apparently, as they went to extra time again in their semifinal against Boston College. Lindsay Bochna played hero in OT for the Terriers, picking up her eighth goal of the season in the 3-2 decision. Callie Shanahan made 38 saves in the win, advancing BU to their first title game in nearly a decade. It was a high stakes, high energy, and high intensity matchup between these two Boston-Area foes, and this time it ended with BU on top. 

The comeback kids had their magic behind them once more, as Northeastern scored three-straight in the third period to take the 3-1 victory over the reigning champion UConn Huskies. Skylar Irving’s incredible 1-on-5 effort kick started things, before she notched the game-winner just six minutes after tying the game at 1-1. Lisa Jönsson made 36 saves in the win, as Northeastern is now in the HEA title game for a ninth-straight year. After an exciting final last season, the rematch in the semis didn’t disappoint, as the two Huskies of Hockey East battled until the very end. 

Game Info: 

No. 5 Northeastern Huskies vs. No. 2 Boston University — Saturday, March 8th, 12 PM 

Toscano Family Ice Forum, Storrs CT 

Available to Watch on ESPNEWS

What to expect: 

Well, it’s not like these two teams are strangers to playing each other, or to playing each other with a trophy on the line. 

Less than two months removed from facing off in the Beanpot Championship game at TD Garden, the Terriers and Huskies will play in a fourth different arena this season, as the Hockey East Title site was determined to be the home of UConn before the season got underway. Yes, it’s pretty far removed from either of the two campuses in Boston — please don’t get me started — but the arena doesn’t make the game, the teams do. 

And these two teams know how to deliver, especially against each other. 

After trading 4-0 wins over the opening weekend of conference play back in October, Northeastern triumphed again over BU in the Beanpot final, again by a 4-0 margin. Jönsson made 30 saves to stonewall the Terriers, earning MVP honors in the process, while a first-period goal from defender Lily Yovetich ended up standing as the game-winner. 

BU had another chance to go up against NU however, and took a solid 3-2 win at Northeastern’s home arena at the beginning of February; and most importantly took an extra conference point with them, something the Huskies didn’t get when winning the Beanpot. 

What’s interesting about these two teams is the fairly similar styles of play they have. While I’d give the edge to Northeastern in goaltending, the defensive systems that have been put in place by both BU’s Tara Watchorn and Dave Flint at Northeastern are effective at suffocating their opponents in different ways. 

And it starts with the penalty kill. 

Yes, Northeastern has taken a step back in their PK effectiveness over the last few weeks — they gave up another goal while shorthanded to UConn on Wednesday — but over the last half-decade the PK has been a top unit in the NCAA. This season BU is a similar boat, entering with a 90.3% success rate that’s second in Division I. Northeastern’s 87.2% is close on their heels in sixth. 

Another place BU succeeds is their shot suppression; just look at their QF win over UVM where the Catamounts had just 16 shots. Their team average of 23.8 against per game is exactly the same as it was a year ago, but this season they’re allowing less goals as a team with a 1.9 per game average. A lot of their success has come because of this ability to close out games with tough-nosed defense, and when they aren’t able to entirely shut down their opponent they’re able to produce when needed — with an offensive 2.5 goals per game average. 

On the opposite side, while Northeastern doesn’t allow as few shots as BU, a 25.1 shots per game against average is nothing to turn your nose at. The Huskies have built around their defense with a 1.8 GAA — a critical mark considering their early-season struggles to score, which has now balanced out to 2.4 G/GM. Over the last few contests they’ve been able to really shut down their opponents offensive weapons, which was especially critical in the dying minutes of Wednesday’s semi final against UConn. 

When it comes to where these teams differ, a glaring spot is in the faceoff circle. The Terriers are the eighth-best faceoff team in the country, and the best in Hockey East with a winning rate of 55% — Northeastern is winning 50.2% of their draws, though that number has been slipping in recent weeks. The Terriers best name in the dot is Lilli Welcke, who though she might not have as many wins as some of the other names in HEA, is winning 61.6% of her trips to the circle. In each of the last four games she’s won 14 or more draws, including 16 in Wednesday’s semifinal. 

Northeastern on the other hand really separates themselves from BU in the blocked shots department. With a combined 487 blocks this season, Northeastern outpaces BU in the statistic by 150, as the Terriers have just 337. Senior Tory Mariano has been instrumental for the Huskies in this regard, with 72 total by herself this season, including four in the matchup between the teams in January. 

Which leads me to a player whose life is made slightly easier when the shots in front of her are blocked — the goaltender. 

Starting with the higher seed first, let’s look at Callie Shanahan. In 27 starts this season, the senior currently sits at a .924 save percentage, and is coming off that aforementioned great effort against Boston College. One of her three shutouts this season came against Northeastern in October — following up a start where she was pulled before the third period after giving up three goals on 18 shots. This is a netminder that when she settles into a rhythm, she really settles in, which bodes well for BU overall. 

In the other crease it will be Lisa Jönsson, who made her first NCAA start against the Terriers back in October. While the team lost 4-0, Jönsson only allowed two goals against in the contest, and in total over three games against BU the freshman has allowed five goals on 87 shots. Her .939 SV% is 10th best in the nation, and though she’s seen some struggles over the last month or so, she was rock-solid against UConn on Wednesday. Like Shanahan, Jönsson does better when she sees a lot of shots, which helps against a team like the Terriers who generate a ton of chances every game they play. 

To close things out, I want to highlight a name offensively for either team. Funnily enough, both names I mentioned last time went on to score pivotal goals in the third period of their respective semifinals, so maybe that means good news for whoever I mention here. 

Again starting with the Terriers, I’m gonna go with one of their goal scorers from the semifinal in Clara Yuhn. The junior added her 10th goal of the season to open the scoring for BU on Wednesday, and is currently tied for fourth on her team in total points with 17. She also added an assist against Boston College on the game-winning tally, and had a team-high seven shots on goal. In four games against Northeastern, Yuhn has two goals this season, and getting that scoring again in the final would be huge. Add her productivity in with her ability to win faceoffs in a pinch, and she’s a threat throughout game play. 

For Northeastern I’m going on the younger side with Éloïse Caron. The freshman is in second on the Huskies in points with 26, and is third in goals with 11. In the postseason, she’s been elevated to NU’s top unit, and it’s been paying off in spades. Caron had an assist on Wednesday’s game-winning goal against UConn, and had another in the quarterfinals against Providence. While her shot generation has dipped in the last few weeks, she’s been noticeable on the puck to get it to others who are putting the shots on goal. In the first game against BU this season, the freshman had two goals — which I think is something that is going to come into play again here in the final. To get the top unit jumping, Caron is an instrumental part of it again, and that’s going to be critical for Northeastern. 

Wrap Up: 

Like in my NEWHA prediction, I’m not making an actual prediction here. These two teams have flip-flopped all season, and while Northeastern has seen success against BU overall over the last few years, this is a dangerous Terriers team that exceeded a lot of people’s expectations. Whatever happens it’s going to be a great game between two really, really great teams to close out what I would call one of the most competitive seasons in Hockey East in at least a few years. 

Even if the pair are playing 90 miles from home.