The Boston University women’s ice hockey team needs to regroup after an emotional loss in Tuesday’s Beanpot final and focus at the job hand: making the Hockey East playoffs.
The Terriers (13-12-3, 8-5-2 Hockey East) continue their quest for the program’s first-ever playoff berth this weekend with a home-and-home series against the No. 8 University of Connecticut (18-5-5, 9-3-3). BU will take on the Huskies at Freitas Ice Forum tomorrow before returning home for Sunday’s matchup at Walter Brown Arena.
“More than anything else, we have to put [Tuesday’s loss] behind us,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “It’s not the easiest thing in the world. There’s a lot of emotion and there’s a lot of excitement in that. I think the ladies know the task at hand in that there’s a chance to have a goal reached by making the Hockey East playoffs.”
UConn sits in second place in Hockey East with 21 points, while BU occupies the fourth and final playoff spot with 17 points — one back of Providence College. Two wins this weekend would propel BU into a tie with the Huskies, but the Terriers aren’t looking that far ahead.
“I think we’re trying to look at Saturday’s game as the one that’s most important to us,” Durocher said. “If you try to play the schedule you’re going to lose what’s most important, and that’s how you play. It’s amazing how easy it is to climb the schedule if you win games. If you’re counting on other teams, you may lose track of what’s most important.”
The Huskies downed BU at Walter Brown, 3-2, when the teams last met Jan. 19. UConn had a two-goal lead entering the third period, but the Terriers stormed back with two third-period goals from juniors Gina Kearns and Laurel Koller. But at 12:26 of the third, UConn offensive sensation Dominique Thibault scored off a bouncing puck in the slot amidst heavy traffic in front of BU goalie Allyse Wilcox. UConn goaltender Brittany Wilson stopped 27 BU shots to help preserve the lead.
Thibault (18-17-35) and senior Jaclyn Hawkins (11-19-30) head a top-heavy offense for the Huskies. At 5-foot-10, Thibault’s skill and power make her an offensive force; especially in front of the net on the power play. The Terriers will need to keep both forwards in check in order to slow the Husky offense.
“[Thibault and Hawkins] also score points on the power play, and the best way to defend that is to stay out of the box,” Durocher said. “Overall, the game is probably going to be a low-scoring game. That’s a team that has real good goaltending and plays hard in their own end. We’re not a 6-5 team that’s going to win games that way.”
It will bear watching which BU line matches up against Thibault and Hawkins. It could be high-scoring center Melissa Anderson’s line, or the Terriers could take a more conservative approach and play the defensive third line centered by junior Caroline Bourdeau.
“You’ve got to match your best players or maybe top defensive players,” Durocher said. “We’ll mix it up there a little bit. Sometimes Melissa Anderson will play against the top kids, and sometimes Bourdeau because she’s a wonderful defensive center iceman.”
Both teams match up evenly offensively, with BU having scored 80 goals this season — second best in Hockey East — and UConn 79. The clubs are also proficient on the power play, with BU (17.9 percent) ranking second and Connecticut (13.3) third in Hockey East.
The Huskies are also steady on the defensive end, allowing 54 goals to BU’s 70. UConn has killed off 85.7 of its penalties, while BU has turned back 82.1 percent of its opponent’s chances.
