Completed Event: Women's Ice Hockey versus Sacred Heart University (Exhibition) on September 27, 2025 , Win , 6, to, 1
Women's Ice Hockey
vs Sacred Heart University (Exhibition)
Final
6
-
1
Providence College Athletics
Friday, October 3
Providence, R.I.
2:00 PM
Providence College
vs
Quinnipiac University
Photo by: Brian Foley for Foley-Photograph
Women’s Hockey Begins Regular Season With Home-And-Home Series Against No. 8/8 Quinnipiac
10/1/2025 2:00:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Friars defeated Sacred Heart in an exhibition game last Saturday, 6-1.
GAME INFORMATION VS. NO. 8/8 QUINNIPIAC
OCTOBER 3 | SCHNEIDER ARENA | PROVIDENCE, R.I. | 2:00 PM
Watch Live on ESPN+
Live Stats
Game Day Program
X (@PCWHockey)
Instagram (@PCWHockey)
OCTOBER 4 | M&T BANK ARENA | HAMDEN, CONN. | 3:00 PM
Watch Live on ESPN+
Live Stats
Game Day Program
X (@PCWHockey)
Instagram (@PCWHockey)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women's hockey team opens the 2025-26 regular season with a home-and-home series against No. 8/8 Quinnipiac University. Providence will host the Bobcats at Schneider Arena on Friday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m., before heading to Hamden, Conn., on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. at M&T Bank Arena.
Scouting the Friars
Providence earned a 6-1 exhibition win over Sacred Heart last Saturday at Schneider Arena. Four Friars recorded multi-point games and three freshmen got on the scoresheet. The Friars scored four goals in the second period to pull ahead, 6-0.
The Friars finished the 2024-25 season with a 20-12-3 overall record, including a 16-9-2 mark in Hockey East play. Providence fell in the Hockey East Quarterfinals in a 3-2 defeat to Northeastern University.
Providence are receiving votes in both the USCHO and USA Hockey polls.
Returning for the Friars
Providence returns senior forward Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario), the 2024-25 Cammi Granato Award winner as Hockey East Player of the Year and the league's scoring champion. She became the first Friar to earn Player of the Year honors since 2004-05 and the first to claim the scoring title since 2002-03. Kirchmair was the only unanimous selection to the Hockey East First Team after leading the league with 15 goals and 15 assists in conference play. The senior paced all league players with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 34 games.
Junior forward Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) also returns for the Friars after being named a Hockey East First Team All-Star last season. Knapp tied for the conference lead in goals with 15, alongside Kirchmair, making them the only Friars to achieve the feat in the Hockey East era with Sara Hjalmarsson in 2022-23. The junior finished the season with 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points.
In net, graduate student Hope Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) returns for Providence. Walinski started 33 games for the Friars, posting a 1.87 goals against average, a .922 save percentage, four shutouts and a 19-11-3 record. Walinski was awarded as a Hockey East Third Team All-Star and named to the "Watch List" for the National Goalie of the Year Award last season.
Matt Kelly in Season Openers
After defeating St. Michael's College, 8-0, in the 2024-25 regular-season opener, Head Coach Matt Kelly is now 5-2-0 in regular season openers. At home, the Friars are 5-1-0 in openers under Kelly.
Climbing Up The Second Half
The Friars opened the second half of the 2024-25 season with an 8-1-0 record in January, their most wins in the month since 1998-99. From January through the end of the regular season, Providence earned points in 17 of its final 20 conference games, posting a 13-3-0 record in the second half, the best mark in Hockey East after the new year. Against ranked opponents, the Friars went 7-5-0, their most ranked wins in a season under Matt Kelly and the most since 2009-10.
Hats Flying
Providence recorded four hat tricks in 2024-25, its most in a single season since 2004-05. Three of those came from current returners: Reichen Kirchmair, Audrey Knapp and Kiara Kraft.
Hockey East Preseason Poll
The Friars were picked to finish fifth in the Hockey East Preseason Poll, which was released on Monday, Sept. 16. Providence received 61 points and were picked to finish behind UConn (86), Boston University (82), Northeastern University (76) and Boston College (64). The Huskies and Terriers each received five first place votes.
Captains Named
Graduate student Hope Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) and senior Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) were named captains for the 2025-26 season.
Fresh Friar Faces
Providence welcomes 10 new players (one transfer and nine freshmen) to the roster for the 2025-26 season. Taylor Porthan (Edina, Minn.) is a sophomore from UConn. The nine freshmen are Molly Farace (Otonabee, Ontario), Sophie Harold (Cobourg, Ontario), Mallory Hartl (Askov, Minn.), Izzy King (Bedford, Mass.), Taylor Leemrijse (Toronto, Ontario), Lauren Mack (Excelsior, Minn.), Brenna O'Reilly (Burlington, Mass.), Bella Paolucci (Groose Pointe Woods, Mich.) and Sami Snyder (Waterloo, Ontario).
Friars Under Head Coach Matt Kelly
Including the 2024-25 campaign, Matt Kelly has posted an overall record of 125-87-25 (.580) and 96-64-19 (.590) in Hockey East play. Last season's 20 wins marked the third time during Kelly's tenure the Friars have reached the 20-win mark. In his inaugural season, the 2018-19 Friars tied the school-record with 24 wins.
In 2020-21, Kelly led the Friars to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, marking the program's second appearance in school history. The Friars have reached the Hockey East Championship twice under Kelly, in 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Through 40
In the Kelly era, the Friars are 86-8-5 when taking the lead into the third period. They are 25-19-13 when tied after two periods and 14-60-7 when trailing.
Three is the Number
Under Kelly, Providence is 94-7-3 all-time when scoring three or more goals. The Friars were 18-1-0 last season when scoring three or more goals. Providence was a perfect 10-0-0 when scoring four or more goals and 5-0-0 when netting five.
Scouting the Bobcats
Quinnipiac enters the weekend 2-0-0 after opening the season with a sweep of the University of Maine at home. The Bobcats took the first game, 3-2, before earning a 4-3 overtime win in the second. Freshman Jade Barbirati recorded four points on the weekend with two goals and two assists. Quinnipiac is unbeaten in its last 10 games at M&T Bank Arena. The Bobcats were picked tied for fourth in the ECAC preseason coaches' poll.
Last season, Quinnipiac finished with 22 wins and placed fifth in the ECAC standings before falling to Clarkson in the conference quarterfinals.
Who to Watch for Quinnipiac
The Bobcats return 55 percent of their scoring from last season, with the sophomore class accounting for more than a third of the production. Leading scorer Kahlen Lamarche returns for her third year after back-to-back 30-plus point seasons. Makayla Watson, an ECAC All-Rookie Team selection, also returns after recording 16 points last season.
In goal, sophomore Felica Frank played the majority of minutes last weekend, stopping 26 shots while allowing three goals. Frank started 10 games last year, posting a 7-2-1 record and a 1.00 goals-against average. The sophomore was in net for the Bobcats' 1-0 win over Providence last season. Former Merrimack goaltender Calli Hogarth joins the roster after playing 75 games across three seasons with the Warriors.
All-Time Series with the Bobcats
Providence holds an 11-6-2 advantage in the all-time series. Last season, the teams split their home-and-home meetings. Quinnipiac won the opener in Hamden, 1-0, before Providence earned a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Schneider Arena to snap a three-game skid in the series. The Friars' last win at M&T Bank Arena came in December 2022.
-GO FRIARS!-
OCTOBER 3 | SCHNEIDER ARENA | PROVIDENCE, R.I. | 2:00 PM
Watch Live on ESPN+
Live Stats
Game Day Program
X (@PCWHockey)
Instagram (@PCWHockey)
OCTOBER 4 | M&T BANK ARENA | HAMDEN, CONN. | 3:00 PM
Watch Live on ESPN+
Live Stats
Game Day Program
X (@PCWHockey)
Instagram (@PCWHockey)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women's hockey team opens the 2025-26 regular season with a home-and-home series against No. 8/8 Quinnipiac University. Providence will host the Bobcats at Schneider Arena on Friday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m., before heading to Hamden, Conn., on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. at M&T Bank Arena.
Scouting the Friars
Providence earned a 6-1 exhibition win over Sacred Heart last Saturday at Schneider Arena. Four Friars recorded multi-point games and three freshmen got on the scoresheet. The Friars scored four goals in the second period to pull ahead, 6-0.
The Friars finished the 2024-25 season with a 20-12-3 overall record, including a 16-9-2 mark in Hockey East play. Providence fell in the Hockey East Quarterfinals in a 3-2 defeat to Northeastern University.
Providence are receiving votes in both the USCHO and USA Hockey polls.
Returning for the Friars
Providence returns senior forward Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario), the 2024-25 Cammi Granato Award winner as Hockey East Player of the Year and the league's scoring champion. She became the first Friar to earn Player of the Year honors since 2004-05 and the first to claim the scoring title since 2002-03. Kirchmair was the only unanimous selection to the Hockey East First Team after leading the league with 15 goals and 15 assists in conference play. The senior paced all league players with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 34 games.
Junior forward Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) also returns for the Friars after being named a Hockey East First Team All-Star last season. Knapp tied for the conference lead in goals with 15, alongside Kirchmair, making them the only Friars to achieve the feat in the Hockey East era with Sara Hjalmarsson in 2022-23. The junior finished the season with 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points.
In net, graduate student Hope Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) returns for Providence. Walinski started 33 games for the Friars, posting a 1.87 goals against average, a .922 save percentage, four shutouts and a 19-11-3 record. Walinski was awarded as a Hockey East Third Team All-Star and named to the "Watch List" for the National Goalie of the Year Award last season.
Matt Kelly in Season Openers
After defeating St. Michael's College, 8-0, in the 2024-25 regular-season opener, Head Coach Matt Kelly is now 5-2-0 in regular season openers. At home, the Friars are 5-1-0 in openers under Kelly.
- 2018-19 – vs. Bemidji State – W, 4-1
- 2019-20 – vs. Quinnipiac – L, 2-1
- 2020-21 – vs. UConn – W, 6-2
- 2021-22 – vs. New Hampshire – W, 3-1
- 2022-23 – vs. St. Lawrence – W, 3-2 (OT)
- 2023-24 – at St. Lawrence – L, 7-2
- 2024-25 – vs. St. Michael's – W, 8-0
Climbing Up The Second Half
The Friars opened the second half of the 2024-25 season with an 8-1-0 record in January, their most wins in the month since 1998-99. From January through the end of the regular season, Providence earned points in 17 of its final 20 conference games, posting a 13-3-0 record in the second half, the best mark in Hockey East after the new year. Against ranked opponents, the Friars went 7-5-0, their most ranked wins in a season under Matt Kelly and the most since 2009-10.
Hats Flying
Providence recorded four hat tricks in 2024-25, its most in a single season since 2004-05. Three of those came from current returners: Reichen Kirchmair, Audrey Knapp and Kiara Kraft.
Hockey East Preseason Poll
The Friars were picked to finish fifth in the Hockey East Preseason Poll, which was released on Monday, Sept. 16. Providence received 61 points and were picked to finish behind UConn (86), Boston University (82), Northeastern University (76) and Boston College (64). The Huskies and Terriers each received five first place votes.
Captains Named
Graduate student Hope Walinski (Lincoln, R.I.) and senior Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) were named captains for the 2025-26 season.
Fresh Friar Faces
Providence welcomes 10 new players (one transfer and nine freshmen) to the roster for the 2025-26 season. Taylor Porthan (Edina, Minn.) is a sophomore from UConn. The nine freshmen are Molly Farace (Otonabee, Ontario), Sophie Harold (Cobourg, Ontario), Mallory Hartl (Askov, Minn.), Izzy King (Bedford, Mass.), Taylor Leemrijse (Toronto, Ontario), Lauren Mack (Excelsior, Minn.), Brenna O'Reilly (Burlington, Mass.), Bella Paolucci (Groose Pointe Woods, Mich.) and Sami Snyder (Waterloo, Ontario).
Friars Under Head Coach Matt Kelly
Including the 2024-25 campaign, Matt Kelly has posted an overall record of 125-87-25 (.580) and 96-64-19 (.590) in Hockey East play. Last season's 20 wins marked the third time during Kelly's tenure the Friars have reached the 20-win mark. In his inaugural season, the 2018-19 Friars tied the school-record with 24 wins.
In 2020-21, Kelly led the Friars to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005, marking the program's second appearance in school history. The Friars have reached the Hockey East Championship twice under Kelly, in 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Through 40
In the Kelly era, the Friars are 86-8-5 when taking the lead into the third period. They are 25-19-13 when tied after two periods and 14-60-7 when trailing.
Three is the Number
Under Kelly, Providence is 94-7-3 all-time when scoring three or more goals. The Friars were 18-1-0 last season when scoring three or more goals. Providence was a perfect 10-0-0 when scoring four or more goals and 5-0-0 when netting five.
Scouting the Bobcats
Quinnipiac enters the weekend 2-0-0 after opening the season with a sweep of the University of Maine at home. The Bobcats took the first game, 3-2, before earning a 4-3 overtime win in the second. Freshman Jade Barbirati recorded four points on the weekend with two goals and two assists. Quinnipiac is unbeaten in its last 10 games at M&T Bank Arena. The Bobcats were picked tied for fourth in the ECAC preseason coaches' poll.
Last season, Quinnipiac finished with 22 wins and placed fifth in the ECAC standings before falling to Clarkson in the conference quarterfinals.
Who to Watch for Quinnipiac
The Bobcats return 55 percent of their scoring from last season, with the sophomore class accounting for more than a third of the production. Leading scorer Kahlen Lamarche returns for her third year after back-to-back 30-plus point seasons. Makayla Watson, an ECAC All-Rookie Team selection, also returns after recording 16 points last season.
In goal, sophomore Felica Frank played the majority of minutes last weekend, stopping 26 shots while allowing three goals. Frank started 10 games last year, posting a 7-2-1 record and a 1.00 goals-against average. The sophomore was in net for the Bobcats' 1-0 win over Providence last season. Former Merrimack goaltender Calli Hogarth joins the roster after playing 75 games across three seasons with the Warriors.
All-Time Series with the Bobcats
Providence holds an 11-6-2 advantage in the all-time series. Last season, the teams split their home-and-home meetings. Quinnipiac won the opener in Hamden, 1-0, before Providence earned a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Schneider Arena to snap a three-game skid in the series. The Friars' last win at M&T Bank Arena came in December 2022.
-GO FRIARS!-
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
G
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
D
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
D
/ Women's Ice Hockey
D
/ Women's Ice Hockey
D
/ Women's Ice Hockey
F
/ Women's Ice Hockey
G
/ Women's Ice HockeyWomen's Ice Hockey vs. Northeastern
Saturday, February 16
Women's Ice Hockey vs. UConn
Saturday, February 02
Women's Ice Hockey vs. Boston College
Saturday, January 26
Women's Ice Hockey vs. New Hampshire
Saturday, January 19
