The No. 8 Boston University women’s hockey team split its weekend series with Providence College, banging out a 5-3 win Saturday but falling in a 6-2 loss on Sunday.
Fresh off a 4-0 blanking of the University of Vermont, BU (4-5-5, 3-2-3-2 Hockey East) squared off against the Friars (5-4-5, 3-3-1-1) at Agganis Arena in the first game of the series.
‘The team is always more pumped to play in Agganis Arena,’ sophomore defenseman Tara Watchorn said.
The Terriers showed their excitement on the power play, going 4-for-5 on the man advantage. The last time the Terriers accomplished such efficiency was in their only appearance at Agganis last season, when they crushed the University of Maine, 8-1, on Oct. 25.’
Senior goalie Melissa Haber had a strong showing with 32 saves.
The Terriers dominated in the first, going 2-for-3 on the power play and killing Providence’s lone opportunity. Sophomore forward Jenelle Kohanchuk rebounded junior forward Jillian Kirchner’s shot and put it home for the first goal.’ Senior Melissa Anderson’s scored the second goal, tipping in a setup from Watchorn.
BU wasted no time in the second-period, continuing to rack up goals.’ At 1:58, sophomore defenseman Carly Warren let loose a slapper from the point that Anderson deflected for her second goal of the game.’ Anderson attributed both of her goals to fellow teammates.
‘Right place at the right time,’ she said.
At 5:28, the Friars responded with their first goal of the night.’ Junior Jean O’Neill netted a top-shelf shot off a cross-ice pass from sophomore Abby Gauthier and junior Alyse Ruff during the power play.
Just over a minute later, BU countered with yet another power-play score.’ Kirchner snuck a goal around diving sophomore goalie Genevieve Lacasse for the Terriers’ fourth.
BU’s final goal materialized off a Watchorn pass to senior Laurel Koller as she cut through the slot, scoring her first goal of the season. Watchorn recorded her third assist of the game on BU’s only even-strength goal.
Six BU penalties in the third period allowed the Friars ten shots on the power play, two of which scored.’ The first came on a Providence two-man advantage off a deflected shot by sophomore Ashley Cottrell.’ Ruff scored the game’s final goal by picking up her own rebound.
Haber weathered 19 third-period shots to hang on to the lead.’ The team may have gotten too comfortable in the third-period, and Haber could have used more protection from the defense, BU coach Brian Durocher said.
The Terriers knew that Providence would turn it around on their home turf on Sunday’s game.
‘They were going to play hungry and with pride,’ Durocher said. ‘We had to deal with any type of let down and put yesterday behind us.’
After junior Leigh Riley scored for the hosts early in the second-period, the Terriers turned up their game, outshooting the Friars 18-8 in the period.
With 4:07 into the third period, BU senior captain Melissa Tetreau scored her first goal of the season off assists from Bloemers and sophomore Kasey Boucher.
Durocher said his team was ‘sitting pretty’ with a 2-2 tie in the third-period when Providence responded with Anderson’s second goal of the game.
Providence quickly tallied two more, the first completed Anderson’s hat trick. The second, from Cottrell, was assisted by Anderson.’ Ruff finished the scoring with one more with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Although BU outshot Providence 43-25, they went 0-for-2 on the power play and could not seem to find the net.’
‘[We] gave up too many very easy chances,’ Durocher said. ‘[We cannot] give up one or two goals on gift wrap opportunities. [There is] talent on this team. If we are competing, I like our chances on Wednesday [against Boston College].’
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