History was made at the legendary Walter Brown Arena once again. The Boston University women’s ice hockey team notched its first two Division I wins this weekend, sweeping Union College in a two-game series, 4-1 and 6-2.
“The first win was big,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “And then to start putting something together with a couple wins in a row will add up when it comes to confidence.”
BU (2-1-1, 0-1-0 Hockey East) set the pace early in the first game when freshman Genevieve Laing gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the first period. Emily Schwarz delivered a hard slap shot from the left side to Union goalie Amanda Hanson, who made a great pad save. Laing grabbed the rebound and sent it right past Hanson for her second goal of the season.
Following the quick goal, neither team could string together many shot opportunities, and BU’s offense struggled throughout the rest of the period. Poor passing broke up most of the team’s possessions.
Meanwhile, the Dutchwomen (0-2-0, 0-0-0 ECAC) could not get out of the neutral zone, and when they did, BU freshman goalie Allyse Wilcox was there to stop them.
Wilcox notched eight saves in the period, including back-to-back saves that preserved the 1-0 Terrier lead. Halfway through the period, Wilcox stopped a shot from the right corner and immediately turned to the left side to block another off the rebound.
With 5:06 remaining in the period, it appeared as if the Terriers had scored again – a Union player accidentally kicked the puck into her own net. But after discussing the play, the referees reversed their ruling, to the crowd’s dismay.
In the second period, three penalties allowed for three power-play goals. A Union penalty for interference 30 seconds after the opening faceoff proved to be costly. Junior captain Cara Hendry scored on the power play to increase the Terrier lead to 2-0. It was her first goal of the season.
“I didn’t change my game at all,” she said. “It’s not something that I focus on. I just play my game and if things go my way, that’s great.”
But BU returned the favor to the Dutchwomen, when Caitlin Reddy was called for elbowing with 16:09 left to play in the second, allowing Union’s Dale Chaput to narrow the deficit.
BU freshman Amanda Shaw found one more power play goal while Josie McDermott was serving two-minutes for high-sticking. The goal allowed the Terriers to take a 3-1 lead, before Gina Kearns (who scored three goals in the two games) capped the scoring at 4-1.
BU’s ability to take advantage of the power play was exactly what Durocher wanted to see.
“Tonight we got it done on the power play in a huge way,” he said. “We were able to score three, and it is a very big plus.”
But in Saturday’s rematch, BU struggled to find even an open shot early in the game. Fortunately for the Terriers, Union couldn’t find the net either.
With 6:53 to go in the first period on Saturday, the Terriers finally broke out against freshman goalie Alex Zirbel when Kelley Karnan ripped a shot off the back of the net for her first point of the year.
Late in the period, two consecutive Union penalties gave BU a 5-on-3 advantage. But the power play success the Terriers enjoyed in the first game didn’t carry over, and they were unable to convert on a single one in Saturday’s bout.
Union started the second period off well, tying the game on a weak shot by junior Carli McNeill. The shot slid past freshman goalie Karilyn Pilch’s padding. Pilch registered 25 saves and two goals allowed in her first career start.
“We wanted to get her feet wet in college hockey and get her prepared,” Durocher said of his goalie switch.
The Terriers responded with two unanswered goals to end the second period. Freshman Laurel Koller and Kearns each found the back of the net after relentless pressure on Zirbel. BU had a secure 3-1 lead, but it wasn’t done.
Erin Seman opened the final period with a wrist shot goal. The freshman deked around the left side of the goalie and flipped the puck to the top corner for her first goal of the year.
With two minutes to play, Union trailed, 4-2. Another BU win was imminent, but not before freshman Nicki Wiart and Kearns could score two final goals within a minute.
“I can’t attribute all my points to myself,” Kearns said. “Every goal I have had has come off the sticks of other people or were rebound goals. I feel like we are starting to work together as a line better.”
The .500 Terriers face Boston College at home tomorrow at 7 p.m.