On a weekend that began with a countless number of playoff scenarios and optimistic number-crunching, the Boston University women’s ice hockey team missed a chance to solidify its spot in Hockey East’s postseason. But all hope is not lost.
After a two-game series split against the University of Maine (10-18-2, Hockey East) on the road, in which BU (18-11-3, 9-8-2) used a first-period outburst to win Saturday’s game, 2-1, before blowing a third-period lead in Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Alfond Arena, the Terriers now find themselves clinging to their slim hopes.
The Terriers can thank Providence College for extending their playoff lives until at least Wednesday. PC, which leads BU by three points for the fourth and final postseason bid, suffered back-to-back 6-2 drubbings at the hands of No. 9 Boston College this weekend. The free-falling Friars have dropped four straight Hockey East contests, getting outscored by a 23-5 margin during the skid.
With two games remaining for both clubs, BU’s task is a simple one: win both games this week and hope the Friars lose twice in a home-and-home set this weekend against the University of Connecticut. The Terriers host No. 4 University of New Hampshire Wednesday night at Walter Brown Arena before closing out the regular season Saturday at home against Northeastern University.
“Now we’re gonna have to win a tough game against UNH and come back against Northeastern,” said BU coach Brian Durocher said. “It makes our task harder, but the good thing is we’re still alive fighting for the playoffs here in the third week of February.”
Sunday’s setback was unique for the Terriers, who had not lost after taking a lead into the third period all season.
“There was plenty of frustration because we gave everything we had,” Durocher said.
On Sunday, Maine drew first blood at 10:21 into the first period with a shorthanded tally from Pam Patterson. The junior forward intercepted an errant BU pass and skated through the slot, firing a high shot over the shoulder of goaltender Allyse Wilcox. The sophomore netminder finished with 16 saves.
BU’s Erin Seman, who returned to action this weekend following a one-game suspension for a violation of team rules, made her presence felt 61 seconds later, with a power-play goal. The second-year forward leads the Terriers with 16 goals on the season, including seven with the man-advantage.
“Any time you get your leading goal scorer back, it’s a shot in the arm,” Durocher said. “Erin was there to help us throughout the weekend, and her goal [Sunday] was big at the time.”
Just 3:30 into the second stanza, freshman forward Melissa Anderson’s unassisted goal gave BU its first lead of the game. The gritty rookie, who leads the team with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists), broke up a pass behind the Maine net and delivered an impressive wrap-around goal.
After the score, both Wilcox and Maine’s Rachel Gettings (20 saves) kept offense at bay, leaving the game scoreless until midway through the third period.
But the Black Bears’ offense broke through at 12:32, when rookie forward Jenna Ouellette fired the equalizer past Wilcox.
“She played real well,” Durocher said of Wilcox, who started both games in Orono. “She would’ve liked that last one back [in Sunday’s game], but she was there to keep us in both games.”
Amanda Shaw’s interference penalty at 15:06 proved costly for the Terriers, as the Black Bears were able to capitalize at 16:20 with a go-ahead, power-play goal from senior forward Sonia Corriveau.
“The penalties disrupted both teams,” Durocher said. “We did a heck of a job killing penalties and were able to shut them down for the first eight. They got the game-winner on the [ninth BU penalty] and it was probably the turning point in the game.”
After pulling Wilcox at 18:55, the Terriers could not push anything past Gettings in the final minute. The senior goaltender, who also beat last year in a 7-0 win at Alfond, picked up her third win in just seven appearances this season.
“We have a lot of respect for [Gettings],” Durocher said. “She’s a big, rangy kid who has done a good job stopping pucks against us the last two years.”
While BU hurt its playoff cause in Sunday’s loss, the team took take care of business on Saturday afternoon against the Black Bears.
The Terriers netted two scores in the first 14 minutes of play to build a favorable advantage. Sophomore Nicki Wiart put BU on the board with a goal at 1:11, when she put in a rebound from a Jonnie Bloemers shot that ricocheted off Maine goaltender Genevieve Turgeon (21 saves).
Wiart also assisted on the second goal, making a crisp cross-ice pass to Gina Kearns, who blasted the puck past Turgeon’s left side for her 14th goal of the season at 3;56.
Maine’s Brigitte Laflamme halved the BU lead at 18:03 on a power-play tally to cap the first-period scoring.
Turgeon and Wilcox (23 saves) turned in solid performances in the scoreless second and third stanzas, turning aside 27 combined shots in the later periods.
“We didn’t play very well in the second period,” Durocher said. “But, we pulled it together in the third and found a way to protect the lead and come away with a win.”
The weekend split at Alfond closed out the Terriers’ road portion of their season. BU finished with an 8-6-3 mark away from Walter Brown, a sharp improvement from last year’s 2-12-2 record at opposing venues.
“[The road success] is another feather in our cap,” Durocher said. “It’s a good sign of progress.”