Last month, I brought up the concept of the women’s hockey championship belt. Basically, the belt starts with the first ever recognized national champs, and every game involving the belt-holder is a “Belt Challenge Game.” To win the belt, a team simply has to defeat the Belt holder.
Where has the belt gone since its inception? Well…it was in Storrs-age, then got shipped northeast to another Husky house.
So, let’s take a look at the Belt Championship Games of the last month. As a quick refresher, UConn held the belt, winning it from Providence on Dec. 1.
Dec. 30 – Dartmouth 1 @ UConn 4 – UConn retains belt
Behind a pair of goals from Natalie Snodgrass and 27 saves from Morgan Fisher, the Huskies succeed in their first-ever belt defense.
Jan. 4 – Holy Cross 3 @ UConn 4 – UConn retains belt
Hockey East upstarts Holy Cross, in their first-ever Belt Game, gives UConn a serious scare, but the Huskies hang on at home.
Jan. 5 – UConn 6 @ Holy Cross 3 – UConn retains belt
The Huskies have a much easier time away from Freitas Ice Forum, as a Natalie Snodgrass hat trick pushes them past HC and holds onto the belt.
Jan. 11 – New Hampshire 0 @ UConn 2 – UConn retains belt
In a matchup between the current belt holder and the first-ever belt holder, the Wildcats can’t solve Morgan Fisher, who stops 32 for a belt-protecting shutout.
Jan. 12 – New Hampshire 1 @ UConn 4 – UConn retains belt
Snodgrass seems to have a love for these belt games, with her third multi-goal belt defense game, scoring twice.
Jan. 18 – UConn 2 @ Northeastern 5 – NORTHEASTERN WINS BELT
When these two teams played in the Hockey East championship game last year, it was a belt game. Same result here — a win for the red and black Huskies over the blue and red ones. Alina Müller had three points.
Jan. 19 – Northeastern 4 @ UConn 1 – Northeastern retains belt
Different rink, different state, same result: a three-goal win for Northeastern.
Current Belt Holder: Northeastern
Next opponent: Vermont (Jan 25-26, Matthews Arena, Boston)
Full Belt Lineage:
