Targets on their backs

For the first time since last season’s Hockey East championship game on March 7, the No. 5 Boston University women’s hockey team will face University of Connecticut on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Storrs, Conn.

In that last meeting, junior defenseman Tara Watchorn earned BU (11-2-3, 3-1-3 Hockey East) its first conference title, scoring the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory. UConn (6-8-1, 4-2-1 HE) won the 2009-10 season series, 2-0-1, but the Terriers overcame their earlier struggles against the Huskies just in time.

“I think it might be on [UConn’s] minds,” BU coach Brian Durocher said of the title game. “They’re a proud team, a team that is as disciplined and as well coached as any team in that league. . .Without a doubt it’s bulletin board material for them, and we will definitely have to fight that as well as going down to their rink and playing away from Walter Brown Arena.”

BU is flying high after last weekend’s sweep of Princeton University, in which they put up 10 goals in two games. Prior to that, they battled to a 1-0 win over No. 6 Boston College in Chestnut Hill on Nov. 21, relying on freshman goalie Kerrin Sperry to protect the thinnest of leads for most of the game.

Sperry was named Hockey East Co-Rookie of the Month after going 3-0-1 with a shutout and a .941 save percentage in November. In the UConn crease, junior Alexandra Garcia was selected Women’s Hockey East Association Goaltender of the Month, recording a .959 save percentage in six games.

In a conference stacked with strong goaltending – six goalies from six different teams have goals-against averages less than 2.00, and Garcia’s overall .926 save percentage is good for just eighth in the conference – BU has averaged 2.57 goals per game against HE opponents. They lead HE with an average of 3.75 goals overall, but while an offensive explosion is always possible with the level of firepower the Terriers have, a high-scoring shooting match seems unlikely on Saturday.

“I would like to think they’re not going to try to beat us 7-6,” Durocher said. “They’re a team that in the past has had some real top players, maybe three or four years ago. . .they were a little more explosive team. This team is a little more close to the vest, and we’re going down there thinking we’ve got to match their defensive toughness and intensity. I don’t think you’re ever in control of offense because a goalie can always play well, and you can hit the post, shoot wide and end up having to win 2-1 games.”

UConn is averaging 2.2 goals per game, an average that may even have been slightly inflated by their 11-0 rout of Sacred Heart University on Nov. 27. Before that, they had not won a game by more than two goals all year. In contrast, eight of BU’s 11 wins have been by three goals or more.

Despite an unimpressive overall record and a low-scoring style of play, UConn has beaten the teams they should beat – University of New Hampshire (twice), University of Vermont and University of Maine, the three teams tied for last in the conference – and tied first-place BC, 2-2, on Oct. 30. Saturday’s game actually represents a battle for second place in HE, and as they near the midway point of the season, BU cannot underestimate UConn’s ability to win tight games.

“Every time we’ve ever played them, they’re the toughest team to deal with defensively,” Durocher said. “They stand in lanes, they block a lot of shots, they don’t play an overly aggressive forechecking style, but they are the toughest team in this league down around the net. Person to person, they’re a strong team on the ice and on their skates. We’ve got to find a way to get tips and rebounds.”