Despite the loss to cross-town rival Boston College in the opening round of the Beanpot, the No. 3 Boston University women’s hockey team was able to find some positives in their play. Even with the likelihood that the Terriers will be without two of their top players for at least the next three weeks, BU coach Brian Durocher said he was pleased to find that some of his players were able to step up and help keep the game close.
“We’ve got fantastic faith in our kids,” Durocher said.
One player in particular who has helped BU thus far throughout its monumental season is senior forward and captain Holly Lorms. Lorms, who has 17 points this year, cut BC’s lead in half with her ninth goal of the season early in the third period. With the Eagles having scored a mere 37 seconds earlier, BU found itself with a scramble in front of the net. Lorms picked up the puck and slid it past BC goalie Molly Schaus to put the Terriers on the board.
“Holly Lorms had a big night and plays a different role for this team,” Durocher said. “She’s a penalty killer and runs the third line.”
Lorms isn’t the typical high scorer for BU. So far this season, she has broken her personal bests as a Terrier for goals and assists (eight of each) in a season. However, her previous highs were the seven goals and seven assists that she had last season.
Many other Terriers found themselves in newer or more central roles coming into tonight’s game. Freshman Kaleigh Fratkin, for example, found herself playing forward instead of her usual spot as a defenseman.
“Tonight Louise Warren had a fantastic game because she was dialed in a bigger role,” Durocher said. “Fratkin is a fantastic player who played forward all night and showed you she could do things with Wakefield and Kirchner.
“These are people you don’t hear as much about in this team, but they played against one of the country’s best teams tonight, one of our archrivals, and I think they showed that they can do quite well.”
However, despite all the hard work of these typically unsung heroes, the Terriers were not able to win the game.
“Without a doubt there were a couple of players that were missing,” Durocher said. “The one goal was the difference… tonight was the night [BC] ended up one goal ahead and we respect them as an opponent. We respect them as a talented team and a highly well coached team and the difference was a whisker.”
In order for BU to be successful for the rest of the season, Durocher is going to need these players to continue to step up in big situations.
The Terriers will be missing freshman star Marie-Philip Poulin because of a hand injury that she sustained against University of New Hampshire on Feb. 5.
“[The injury] is something [where] she could be back in somewhere in the seven to 10 day range if she can deal with the pain—if she’s got enough tolerance to pain,” Durocher said. “I would probably project her to be playing in the three week timeframe, which puts us in the bye week we’ll have for Hockey East playoffs.”
Also injured is sophomore forward Taylor Holze, who injured her ankle before the game against UNH on Feb. 3. Holze fell on the ice walking to the arena and will hopefully be back playing in time for the playoffs.
“Nature has to take its course, not myself or the doctor’s,” Durocher said.
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