Coming off a season that ended in triple overtime in the NCAA tournament, the No. 6 Boston University women’s hockey team will start off the season against No. 4 Boston College at Conte Forum on Friday.
“I expect to see the best team [BC] has ever had, and without a doubt the quickest, fastest team — definitely in the east — and maybe across the country,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “They’ve put together a really good team.”
BC finished last year’s season a record of 24–10–3, and BU finished last season with a record of 23–14–1. While BU finished behind BC for the season, the Terriers did top the Eagles 5–2 in the Hockey East semifinals. U.S. College Hockey Online ranked the Eagles No. 4 nationally in its preseason poll, which is the highest national ranking in program history.
The Terriers were ranked No. 6.
Part of the reason the Eagles were ranked so highly in the preseason poll was the return of sophomore forward Alex Carpenter, who led the Eagles with 21 goals last season.
The First Team Hockey East All-Star ranked fifth in Hockey East last year in points and only trailed former BU forward Jenn Wakefield and Northeastern University forward Kendall Coyne in goals on the season.
The Eagles will also return goaltender Corinne Boyles, who led the league in minutes played last season. Her 2.15 goals against average ranked third in Hockey East last season only behind graduated goaltenders Florence Schelling of Northeastern and Genevieve Lacasse of Providence College.
On Sunday, the Terriers beat McGill University in an exhibition game without the help of freshman Sarah Lefort, senior forward Jenelle Kohanchuk and junior co-captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who were off participating in one of Hockey Canada’s camps.
However, Durocher said the players have acclimated well with this season’s team.
“All three players are going to be within our top nine forwards,” Durocher said. “This week we have to go over some of the technical stuff. We had to put together power plays because two of those kids are in our top two power plays.”
The game will be a return to the ice for Kohanchuk, who has redshirted her senior season last year due to an injury she suffered after the first seven games. In those seven games last season, she scored four goals and five assists while maintaining a plus-2 plus-minus rating.
A game this competitive will offer a good challenge to Terrier freshman, including Rebecca Russo and Jordan Juron, who each scored a goal against McGill on Sunday, said Durocher.
“It’s going to take another half a step up when [they] go up against BC,” Durocher said. “They may not be put in the same position on Friday as they were last weekend.”
Following the matchup with BC, The Terriers face the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in an exhibition game on Saturday, which includes BU alumnae Kasey Boucher and Holly Lorms, along with numerous United States women’s national team players.
Durocher said he hopes the Terriers will use Saturday’s exhibition game to get into the rhythm of back-to-back gameplay. The Blades’ do not play together often, nor do they have a consistent practice schedule, but the Terriers will be challenged nonetheless.
“There will be eight, nine or 10 kids who will be potential, past or future Olympians on that team. You’re also probably looking at another five, six or seven kids who are real good college hockey players,” Durocher said. “You’re playing a top game.”
Facing some previous teammates — Boucher and Lorms — will be a lot of fun on both sides, Durocher said.
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