The shootout has been very good to the Boston University women’s ice hockey team since the Hockey East embraced the tie-breaker at the start of this season. In four shootouts against opposing teams, the Terriers have never lost and have posted two shutouts.
In their latest shootout win, the Terriers toppled the No. 9 University of Connecticut after tying their opponent, 2-2, in regulation Friday night. The win was part of a two-game weekend sweep of the Huskies.
‘We had to rebound and take care of business,’ BU coach Brian Durocher said, referring to the Terriers’ disappointing 8-0 loss to Harvard University in last Monday’s Beanpot opener. ‘We had a chance to go forward in league play. We fought through some obstacles. Friday, it was [UConn’s] comeback, but it was our shootout.’
While shootouts do not count toward their overall record, the wins in overtime have been absolutely pivotal for the Terriers’ contention in the Hockey East.
With the top five teams in the conference separated by only a few points, BU has needed any win it could get and owes its third place standing in large part to its shootout victories.
BU has also knocked off two ranked opponents in shootouts — the Huskies and another of the Terriers’ Hockey East foes, the University of New Hampshire.’
The Terriers’ first shootout of the season came against then-No. 5 UNH on Oct. 30 in another 2-2 tie that ended in a 2-0 shootout win for BU. The epic triumph that the Terriers carved out over the Wildcats rocketed the team into the national spotlight and reversed years of consecutive losses to the Wildcats. The win also placed BU in the national top ten for the first time in program history.
‘ BU followed that shootout victory with another against Providence College on Nov. 1. The Terriers tied the Friars, 3-3, in regulation, and outlasted them, 3-2, in the shootout.
On Dec. 7, BU once again defeated UNH in the shootout after tying the Wildcats, 3-3, through 65 minutes.
The Terriers’ shootout successes are a testament to the plethora of individual talents the team boasts. Five different Terriers have scored shootout goals for BU. Junior Melissa Anderson and freshman Tara Watchorn are tied for the most shootout goals with three apiece.
Watchorn has been one of the team’s standout freshmen this season. In addition to her successes in the shootout, Watchorn is one of the Terriers’ top goal scorers, notching five tallies on the year. The freshman has also added seven assists for a total of 12 points.
Along with Watchorn, freshman Jenelle Kohanchuk is another prominent first-year player that has made a name for herself on the Terriers’ squad. Since joining the program this year, Kohanchuk has made her presence known on offense. She is tied for third in goals with senior Erin Seman, each having scored nine. Kohanchuk is also third overall on the team in points this season, with 11 assists and 20 points.’
It is for this reason that losing Kohanchuk to injury and sickness has so crippled the Terriers in the last few weeks. Kohanchuk suffered a concussion soon after the team returned to action after the end of the winter break, and her return to action was hindered by a recent bout with mononucleosis.
BU has gone 3-3-1 ‘-‘- the one being Friday’s shootout victory ‘-‘- in Kohanchuk’s absence, and with the top-line forward expected to be out at least a couple more weeks, the Terriers will need their role players to step in down the Hockey East stretch run.
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