Molly Engstrom has only been the head coach of the University of Maine women’s hockey team since Aug. 16.
But life has been good so far for Engstrom and her Black Bears as the team upset No. 3 Northeastern University 1-0 on Saturday after losing to the Huskies 6-1 on Friday.
It was only Northeastern’s 11th Hockey East loss in its last 105 games as Dave Flint’s Huskies have gone 88-11-6.
The Huskies have won the last five Hockey East Tournament championships.
UMaine is now 3-1 in Hockey East, 5-4 overall, and is 11th among 42 Division I teams in the Pairwise Rankings, which mimic the NCAA Tournament selection process. The Black Bears started the season by being picked seventh in the Hockey East preseason poll.
One of Maine’s losses was a 3-2 overtime setback to Quinnipiac, which is fourth in the Pairwise Rankings. Northeastern is seventh.
Engstrom, the former United States Olympian who was chosen the best defenseman at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, said she was proud of her team’s victory over Northeastern, especially after losing 6-1 the previous night.
“I wasn’t sure how they would respond after the loss. But they really dug their heels in,” Engstrom said. “We had been talking about competing and not backing down. It was awesome.”
UMaine outshot Northeastern 34-33.
Engstrom, who replaced nine-year head coach Richard Reichenbach after he resigned in July, said she has been happy with the progress of the team.
“They show up ready to go and ready to learn every day,” Engstrom said. “And they are committed to what we want to do: move fast, think fast, be fast. We want to take away the other team’s time and space.”
Senior winger Ida Kuoppala said that style fits the team’s personality.
“We want to control the game. Our compete level is really high,” Kuoppala said.
She called the win over Northeastern a “battle” and a good team win.
“That will give us a lot of confidence,” she added.
Junior goalie Jorden Mattison, who made 33 saves in posting the shutout, was named Hockey East’s Goaltender of the Week.
Kuoppala and Mattison said they are enjoying the new coaching staff, which also includes assistants Kirsti Hussey and Gen Richardson along with volunteer assistant Maddie Giordano.
“They are really positive,” Mattison said.
The team has an interesting make-up. There are two sets of twins — who also happen to be linemates — a set of sisters, and another player who is a triplet, although the other two siblings don’t play hockey.
One set of twins, German freshmen Luisa and Lilli Welcke, are on a line with Union College transfer Grace Heiting.
Heiting leads the team in scoring with six goals and four assists in nine games. She scored the game-winner against Northeastern and Luisa Welcke had one of the assists along with sophomore defenseman Courtney Colarrulo.
Heiting had 19 goals in 97 games at Union.
“Grace has breakaway speed and all three are creative. It has been working well for them,” Engstrom said.
Luisa Welcke has five assists and Lilli has a goal and three assists.
The Welcke twins played for Germany in the World International Ice Hockey Federation Championships in Denmark from Aug. 25 to Sept. 4.
The senior Trimper twins from Bangor — team captain Morgan (2 goals, 1 assist) and sister Ally (1 and 0) — are together on the checking line with sophomore Alyssa Wruble (1 and 2).
“They are our shutdown line. They are like buzzsaws,” Engstrom said.
That line held four-time All-American Alina Mueller to a goal and an assist in the two games over the weekend.
Kuoppala (4 and 2) is on another quality scoring line with graduate student Ally Johnson (1 and 0), and sophomore Mira Seregely (1 and 1).
Kuoppala was a Hockey East All-Rookie selection and has been the team’s leading scorer in all three seasons.
Seregely played for Hungary in the World Championships.
The other set of sisters are freshman goalie Brooklyn Oakes, who has played in three games and is 1-2 with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage, and sophomore defenseman Bailey Oakes.
Freshman forward Ashley Bialas (1 and 0) is the triplet.
Senior Amalie Andersen, who played for Denmark in the World Championships, headlines the defense corps. Holy Cross transfer Emma Lange (1 and 3) is the leading point-getter on the blue line. Sophomore Courtney Colarullo and juniors Elise Morphy and Olivia King each have two assists on defense.
Junior defenseman Kennedy Little has a goal.
Other players who have appeared in at least four games include forwards Rahel Enzler, Ava Stevenson, Anna Caumo and Emma Gurnell, and defensemen Cora Webber and Nicole Pateman.
Enzler and junior Morgan Sadler have missed time with injuries.
Mattison is 3-2 with a 2.17 GAA and a .921 save percentage.
UMaine will travel to take on the University of Connecticut on Friday night at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.. The following weekend they will host Vermont on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.