Boston University women’s hockey captain Jenn Wakefield had scored 103 goals in her collegiate career before Saturday night’s contest against the University of Vermont— but not once had she scored three times in one game.
After her performance on Saturday, she can check that task off her to-do list as she earned her first collegiate hat trick Saturday in BU’s 6-2 victory over Vermont. The Terrier finished with a six-point game – the highest of her career – on three goals and three assists against the Catamounts, placing her atop Hockey East in points this season.
“I was relieved that we were going to win the game,” Wakefield said. “It was fun, but it was more for the win and not the hat trick.”
The senior forward opened the game with a goal just over a minute in on an assist from freshman forward Kayla Tutino. Two minutes later, Wakefield assisted junior forward Jill Cardella in the Rochester, N.Y. native’s sixth goal of the season.
During the second period, Wakefield took advantage of the BU’s man advantage and scored 11:18 into the frame. Mirroring their performance in the first period, the dynamic duo of Tutino and Wakefield added to the team’s lead when Tutino scored on an assist from Wakefield.
“I think she is one of the hardest workers and I know she’ll go to the net super hard so if I can put pucks on the net, I know she has the talent and capability of banging in rebounds and she has a very good shot too,” Wakefield said of Tutino.
The two lead the team in points, Wakefield with 34 (15 goals and 19 assists), and Tutino with 22, (13 goals and nine assists). Between the two Canadians, they hold first place on the team in nine categories, including both power-play and short-handed goals.
Wakefield sealed the deal, ending the Terriers’ three-game losing streak, with her last goal of the game 9:41 into the third period. Two minutes after assisting junior forward Isabel Menard in her 10th goal of the season, the captain scored a goal of her own with assists from Cardella and freshman forward Sarah Bayersdorfer.
With injuries that have plagued the team all season, specifically for sophomore forward Marie-Philip Poulin and senior forward Jenelle Kohanchuk, Wakefield’s leadership on the team has been even more important.
“When you go into slumps, there are a lot of things that come into play,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “It can be individuals, days when you maybe aren’t getting the bounces or calls. In [Wakefield’s] case, she still gathers points.
“She’s had a little slump in the last six games. Multi-goal games have been a part of her game in the last four years. We’re going to need her in the back half here and in the playoffs to make things happen.”
Since BU’s first of two losses to then-No. 3 Cornell in November, Wakefield had only scored one goal against Maine last Saturday before she broke the goal drought with her hat trick. Saturday’s win is also the Terriers’ first in four games and their third in almost two months.
“There is no question it puts a little more pressure on her,” Durocher said. “She was trying too hard. She was alone and half ahead of her line mates, looking for a goal, but almost doing it in the incorrect way.
“With her line using give-and-gos, those will free her up more. I’m glad she recognized that and understands that. She’s going to be a big part, not only offensively but on the defensive side of the ice as well.”
Wakefield is ranked eighth in the country in power-play goals, 16th in assists and 17th in goals.
After their win on Saturday, the Terriers will look to transfer some of their momentum to their matchup against No. 4/5 Boston College Wednesday night.
“It gives us some confidence that we’re able to play for 60 minutes, which has been our biggest flaw this year,” Wakefield said. “We want to take that momentum over to BC.”
With nine games left in the regular season, BU will look to secure a high seed in the Hockey East Tournament and continue to improve before the season’s end, something Wakefield feels is the most important goal for the team.
“I don’t really set personal goals, as long as we’re winning and the team is moving forward, then that is good for me personally and for the team,” Wakefield said.
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