GAME INFORMATION VS. NO. 11/11 BROWN UNIVERSITY
NOVEMBER 29 | MEEHAN AUDITORIUM | PROVIDENCE, R.I. | 1:00 PM
Watch Live on ESPN+
Live Stats
X (@PCWHockey)
Instagram (@PCWHockey)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women's hockey team returns to action this weekend with the 30th Annual Mayor's Cup against No. 11/11 Brown University. The Friars will travel across the city to Meehan Auditorium in Providence, R.I. on Saturday, Nov. 29 for a 1:00 p.m. puck drop. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and SNY.
Scouting the Friars
Providence enters the weekend after a loss and tie to Boston University in a home-and-home series last weekend. In the opening game on Friday, Nov. 21 in Boston, Mass., the Friars fell 4-1 to the Terriers. After freshman
Sami Snyder (Waterloo, Ontario) opened the scoring, BU responded with four unanswered goals. In the rematch on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Schneider Arena, the teams skated to a 2-2 tie. The Friars received goals from Snyder and senior
Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) before BU rallied to even the score. The Terriers earned the extra point in the shootout.
Mayor's Cup Single Game Highs
Most Points: Sara Hjalmarsson (8), Providence 2019
Most Goals: Sara Hjalmarsson (3), Providence 2019
Blair Parent (3), Providence 2016
Kristy Zamora (3), Brown, 2001
Karen Thatcher (2), Providence, 2003
Kathleen Kauth (2), Brown, 1999
Jill Graat (2), Brown, 1997
Most Assists: Cassidy MacPherson (4), 2016
Most Penalties: Myria Heinhuis (4), Brown, 2003 Kristin Gigliotti, (3), Providence, 2003
Cassie Turner (3), Brown, 2001
Most Saves: Sara DeCosta (45), Providence, 1997
Pellerin In The Dots
After moving to center this season, sophomore
Jessie Pellerin (Bowmanville, Ontario) has won 145 faceoffs for a team-high 53.5 percent. Her faceoff wins rank fourth in Hockey East and 33rd nationally.
Walinski Making Saves
Graduate student goaltender
Hope Walinski has started all 16 games for the Friars this season. She has posted a 3.04 goals against average, a .909 save percentage and 472 saves. Her 472 saves rank second in Hockey East this season and third in the country.
Kirchmair Reaches 50 Career Goals
In the Friars' game against Boston University on Saturday, Nov. 22, senior
Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) scored her 50th career goal. The last Friar to reach 50 career goals was Sara Hjalmarsson (2018-23), who finished with 62 and sits 20th all-time in program history. Cammi Granato (1989-93) tops the career goals list with 139.
Ranked Start
Following the matchup against No. 13/13 St. Thomas, the Friars played seven of their first eight games against ranked opponents. Providence is 2-5-0 this season against ranked foes. Last year, the Friars went 7-5-0— their most ranked wins in a season under Head Coach
Matt Kelly and the most since 2009-10. Including the 2025-26 season, Kelly holds a 23-45-6 record against ranked opponents at Providence.
Kirchmair's Fast Start
Reichen Kirchmair has produced 13 points in 16 games this season, with nine goals and four assists. The reigning Hockey East Player of the Year ranks 19th nationally in game-winning goals (3), 25th in goals per game (0.56) and 11th in power-play goals (3). She is one of five players in the NCAA to score four goals in a game this season. Kirchmair currently has 88 career points, just 12 shy of 100. Should she reach that mark, she would join 28 other Friars in the program's all-time 100-point club.
Overtimes
Providence headed to overtime for the fourth time this season on Saturday in the 2-2 tie with Boston University. Prior to the series against the University of New Hampshire, three of the Friars' previous four games were decided in overtime. Providence holds a 2-0-2 record in overtime this season after going 4-1-3 in extra time last year. Under Head Coach
Matt Kelly, the Friars are 16-10-21 all-time in overtime. Their four overtime games this season are the most in Hockey East.
Reichen Kirchmair Named Hockey East Player Of The Week
Senior
Reichen Kirchmair (Oakville, Ontario) was named Hockey East Player of the Week on Monday, Oct. 27, marking her first weekly honor of the season. Kirchmair led the Friars with four goals in Friday's 7-6 overtime victory over No. 13/13 St. Thomas. She recorded a second-period hat trick in just 4:41 before netting the game-winner in overtime. The four-goal outing marked Kirchmair's second career hat trick, seventh three-point game, and second four-point game. It was also her 22nd career multi-point effort and 12th game-winning goal. Kirchmair is the first Friar to score four goals in a game since Sara Hjalmarsson did so against Maine on Nov. 19, 2022, and the first to record multiple hat tricks since Hjalmarsson, who tallied three in her career.
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.
Largest Freshman Class Since 2008-09
Providence welcomes nine freshmen to the 2025-26 roster, the most in a single class since 2008-09.
Audrey Knapp Invited to USA Hockey Women's National Festival
Junior
Audrey Knapp (Stevens Point, Wis.) was invited to the 2025 USA Hockey Women's National Festival on Aug. 3-9 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. The group is made up of 76 college and professional players, along with 46 players under the age of 18. The Festival assisted in the evaluation process for the 2026 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team.
Former Friars Selected in 2025 PWHL Draft
Former Friars Sara Hjalmarsson (Bankeryd, Sweden) '22, '23G and
Brooke Becker (Orchard Park, N.Y.) '24, '25G were selected in the 2025 PWHL Draft. Hjalmarsson was chosen in the fifth round (35th overall) by the Toronto Sceptres, while Becker was taken in the sixth round (46th overall) by the Minnesota Frost. The duo becomes the third and fourth Friars in program history to be selected in the PWHL Draft, joining Sandra Abstreiter '22, '23G (2023) and Noemi Neubauerová '23G (2024).
Last Season's Second Half Climb
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.
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.
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 2025-26 campaign,
Matt Kelly has posted an overall record of 129-97-27 (.563) and 98-68-21 (.580) 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.
Closing In On 100 Hockey East Wins
Providence Head Coach
Matt Kelly enters the weekend with 98 Hockey East victories, two shy of 100. Kelly would become the second coach in program history to reach 100 Hockey East wins since the league's inception in 2002-03, joining Bob Deraney. He currently ranks third all-time in program history with 129 overall wins, trailing Deraney (319) and John Marchetti (264).
Through 40
In the Kelly era, the Friars are 88-8-6 when taking the lead into the third period. They are 27-20-14 when tied after two periods and 14-69-7 when trailing.
Three is the Number
Under Kelly, Providence is 97-7-3 all-time when scoring three or more goals. The Friars are 3-0-0 this season when scoring three goals. Last season, Providence went 18-1-0 when scoring three or more, including a perfect 10-0-0 mark when scoring four and 5-0-0 when scoring five.
Scouting the Brown Bears
No. 11/11 Brown University enters the weekend 8-3-1 overall and 4-3-1 in ECAC play. Last weekend, the Bears fell to No. 11 Clarkson University, 4-2, before earning a 2-1 win at St. Lawrence University. The power-play goal allowed against Clarkson was the first surrendered by Brown in its previous five games. Saturday's victory marked the Bears' second straight win over St. Lawrence, their first back-to-back wins in the series since 2014. Brown is 6-1-0 at home this season.
Who to Watch for Brown
Sophomore forward Monique Lyons leads Brown with 11 points on eight goals and three assists through 12 games. Last season, Lyons earned All-USCHO and ECAC All-Rookie Team honors. Senior forward India McDadi ranks second with 10 points (four goals, six assists), while junior forward Margot Norehad leads the Bears with four power-play goals.
In goal, junior Rory Edwards and sophomore Anya Zupkofska have split the starts. Edwards has started seven games, recording a 2.56 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage and a 3-3-1 record. Zupkofska has appeared in six games and posted a 0.91 goals-against average, a .960 save percentage and a 5-0-0 record with three shutouts.
All-Time Series with the Bears
The Friars lead the all-time series 44-25-3. The first meeting came on Nov. 16, 1976, an 8-0 win for Brown. In the 29 Mayor's Cup matchups, the Friars hold a 15-11-3 advantage. Last season, Brown claimed the Mayor's Cup with a 3-2 win at Schneider Arena, its first victory in the series since 2014 after Providence had won eight straight. The Friars are 6-7-2 at Meehan Auditorium in Mayor's Cup games.
-GO FRIARS!-