FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart Women's Hockey Team drops the puck in 2025 with a trip to Providence for a non-league contest against Brown at Meehan Auditorium on Wednesday. The Pioneers and Bears play at 7 p.m. in a game that airs live on ESPN+.

SHU, which had a seven-game win streak during the first half of the campaign, sits atop the NEWHA standings with a 10-3-1 record and 31 points. The Pios (11-7-1 overall) have not competed since early December and hold a one-point lead on second place LIU.

Sacred Heart has 16 skaters with goals. Sophomore forward Izzy Chaput leads with eight and a dozen points. Senior forward Kate Helgeson and first year center Ella Holm have each chipped in five goals and 10 points. Holm, the conference rookie of the month for October, is one of six Pios who have earned NEWHA honors this season.

The Pios have been winning with stellar netminding that has been challenged with injuries. Senior Carly Greene (1.11, .971, 3 wins), who was the Hockey Coaches Association national goaltender of the month in October, has been out since the Nov. 1 game at LIU. She is preparing to return in the second half. Junior Jillian Petruno (1.38, .948, 6 wins) suffered a season-ending injury on

Nov. 16. That's when sophomore Lauren Larson (2.70, .917) stepped in for her first collegiate action and promptly earned NEWHA honors with two wins and some great play.

The Bears (8-9-1, 4-7-1 ECAC) are coming off a pair of losses in the East/West Classic inside Ridder Arena in Minneapolis last weekend. Brown fell to No. 3 Minnesota 9-1 before being edged by Bemidgi State 5-4.