In its last series of the regular season, the No. 4 Boston University women’s hockey team split two games with the University of Maine. With the win on Friday night, the Terriers clinched the Hockey East regular season title.
“It was certainly, I think, exciting and kind of a completion of a task which I think is very impressive,” said BU coach Brian Durocher on securing the title. “It’s very exciting for everybody associated with the program. I certainly give all the credit to the young ladies on the ice and the job they did through the course of the season.”
Friday’s win came on the shoulders of junior forward Jenn Wakefield. Wakefield, who leads the Terriers with 28 goals this season, scored twice in the second period to give BU all the points it would need for a win.
“She had a fantastic weekend and up till the end she was pretty much our offense,” Durocher said. “She was obviously very powerful, very strong, and took advantage of some good opportunities.”
The scoring started for the Terriers when Black Bear sophomore Brianne Kilgour went to the penalty box for slashing 4:33 into the second frame. A few seconds later, junior forward Jenelle Kohanchuk won the face-off and passed the puck off to junior defenseman Tara Watchorn. A mere eight seconds into the power play, Wakefield scored her first goal of the weekend with a shot from the left circle.
Wakefield scored again eight minutes later to double the Terriers’ lead.
“There were other people out there,” Durocher said, “but [Wakefield] was the one that determined some of the outcome of the game by getting something past [Maine goaltender] Brittany Ott.”
The Terriers held Maine scoreless because of another strong performance by freshman goaltender Kerrin Sperry. For the sixth time this season, Sperry white-washed her opponent.
“I remember one big save in the first period when it was very, very close and then I also remember a break right after we made it 2-0,” Durocher said. “A kid got in alone and went from right to left and cut across the front of the crease. [Sperry] stayed right with her and shut her down… It’s a continuation of a good run for her and a real good season body of work.”
On Saturday, Maine had a reason to fight for a victory and the Terriers didn’t. The win by the Black Bears put them into the HE playoffs, whereas BU was already guaranteed the top seed after its win on Friday. Despite BU’s loss, Durocher was still confident that his team performed well.
“I think that we tried to play pretty hard as a team,” Durocher said. “When somebody’s in a do-or-die situation there’s an awful lot that the body can perform. It’s not an every night thing. Maine came in and fought right to the end and found a way to get a win, so I give them a lot of credit.”
BU started off the scoring with 2:05 left in the first period when graduate student defenseman Catherine Ward passed to freshman forward Kaleigh Fratkin. Fratkin then passed to Wakefield who wristed in her 28th goal of the season. This was the only lead the Terriers would hold during the game.
Maine junior Dawn Sullivan evened up the score 7:26 into the frame when she picked up a blocked shot and fired it past Sperry. With five minutes left in the period, Maine picked up a shorthanded tally by sophomore Brittany Dougherty to take the lead.
The Terriers tied the game with 42 seconds left in regulation on a goal by Watchorn.
The Black Bears found themselves with a five-on-three advantage 55 seconds into overtime. On that power play, Maine senior Jennie Gallo picked up a rebound off of Sperry and put it in for the win.
“We still played a pretty solid hockey game,” Durocher said. “But we give up a shorthanded goal that was real important in the game and despite having a bunch of chances don’t score until it’s right down at the end, with 40 seconds left… Give [Maine] credit. They blocked enough shots, their goalie made enough saves that it came down to the end.”
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