Feeling that Frozen Four Fever

Saugus resident Lily Brazis and her Northeastern University teammates are just two wins away from a National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey title

By Mark E. Vogler

Three years ago as a freshman on the Northeastern University women’s hockey team, Lily Brazis was an observer from the bench as her Huskies competed in the Frozen Four tournament, losing 3-0 to Ohio State in the semifinals. This afternoon (Friday, March 20), Brazis – now a senior and center on the team’s third line – expects to get some playing time on the ice rink as Northeastern plays Ohio State for the second time in four years in the semifinals round of the Frozen Four tournament. If fifth-ranked Northeastern upsets No. 1 Ohio State, Brazis and her team will advance to the 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Championship game on Sunday.

“We have another shot against Ohio State and we have something to prove,” the 22-year-old Brazis said in an interview this week, referring to the first semifinal matchup of the day, which is set for 4 p.m.

No. 2 Wisconsin faces third-ranked Penn State in the 7:30 p.m. game. The two semifinal winners will face off for the National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Championship game at 4 p.m. Sunday.

This marks the fourth time in the history of the women’s hockey program at Northeastern that the Huskies have made it as far as the Frozen Four. If they win both games, the team will win its first national title.

Brazis, who started playing hockey as a three-year-old in Saugus Youth Hockey, looks at competing in the Frozen Four as “the greatest moment” of her hockey career. “It’s a huge deal for me,” Brazis told The Saugus Advocate this week.

“Really, it’s a huge deal in general for anyone who watches women’s collegiate hockey. For us, this is like playing for the Stanley Cup,” she said, referring to the coveted trophy awarded each year to the winner of the National Hockey League playoffs.

Brazis’ participation in this weekend’s Frozen Four is also a big deal for her entire family, who have made hockey their sport. Her father Scott and brother played hockey at the University of New Haven. Scott Brazis was a standout hockey player at Saugus High School and the University of New Haven, getting inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at both schools. He also coached the Saugus High School hockey team for nine years – seven as the head coach.

“My dad is very excited about the Frozen Four and is very proud of me. I want to make him proud as well,” Lily Brazis said.

The Brazis family plans to be well-represented when the puck drops for this afternoon’s game at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.

“My parents [Scott and Christine Brazis], my brother [Zak], my sister [Karli Brazis, administrative assistant to the town’s Board of Health] and my nephew Stevie Simpson, who’s also my Godson, will all be flying out for the game,” Lily said. Stevie, 6, plays Cross Ice at Kasabuski Rink in Saugus.

Lily is a 2022 graduate of Cushing Academy, a prep school in Ashburnham, Mass. During her playing career at the school, she scored 103 points and was a two-year team captain. She was named All-NEPSAC First Team in 2021-22 and NEPSAC Honorable Mention in 2019-20. She also played two seasons with the Boston Junior Eagles, helping the team to Quarterfinals at the USA National Championships.

A Northeastern sports information guide described Lily Brazis as “a key contributor” who has played more than 100 games for the Huskies “who is known for her speed and consistent presence in the lineup since joining in 2022.”

“She is part of the 2022-23 recruiting class and has played in numerous Hockey East championships and tournaments with the team,” the guide noted.

During her evolution as a female hockey player, Lily said, she drew great inspiration from Sandra Whyte – the most famous woman hockey player to have lived in Saugus. Whyte, now known as Whyte-Sweeney, starred on the women’s team that won the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. She contributed two assists and a goal in Team USA’s 3-1 victory over Canada in the Gold Medal game. Whyte is a 1988 Saugus High School graduate who starred in field hockey who later went on to play center for the Harvard University women’s hockey team, where she went on to become one of the school’s all-time greats, later being inducted into the Harvard athlete’s Hall of Fame. She was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992.

“I look up to her – for just being an Olympian and being a girl who played hockey. When you look at all she accomplished, you know you can strive for greatness,” Lily said.

“I played hockey with her son when I was 11 or 12. I played hockey with the boys, and I was the only girl who was out there playing,” she said.

Lily is majoring in business management and is expected to graduate next month. She hasn’t decided whether to pursue hockey on another level. “Potentially, I’ll continue playing hockey in Europe, but I’m undecided right now,” she said.

Lily hopes to be playing at least two more games while chalking up wins this afternoon and Sunday – which would end her college career with a National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Championship. “After 18 years of hockey, to be a part of something like that would be great,” she said.