Shot struggles hinder No. 6/7 women’s hockey in Beanpot semifinal loss

For No. 6/7 Boston University women’s hockey coach Brian Durocher, there was “nothing to write home about” regarding his team’s performance Tuesday night against Harvard University in the semifinal round of the 37th Annual Women’s Beanpot Tournament.

The Terriers (17-7-2) lost to their cross-river counterparts, 9-2, allowing 32 shots on goal while only firing 14.

The Crimson (16-4-2), on average, give up just 22.4 shots on goal a game, due largely in part to the fact that Harvard has a top-10 scoring defense that surrenders just 1.82 goals per tilt. A couple Olympians on the back end help bolster a strong defense corps.

Junior Michelle Picard and senior Josephine Pucci were both members of the United States Olympic Team in Sochi in February 2014 and so were absent from Harvard’s roster last year. That hasn’t stopped them from making a difference this season, though. Pucci was a plus-3 and had a blocked shot while Picard’s rating was plus-2 and had a blocked shot of her own.

Pucci missed the beginning of the season and made her season debut Jan. 2. Since the second pairing blue liner’s return, the defense has been able to settle itself in terms of minutes played.

“They’re some talented kids,” Durocher said. “You’ve gotta fight through things, and before Josephine Pucci was back, there might have been a chink in the armor, so to say, in that somebody’s gotta pick up her minutes. And the top two maybe can play just a little bit less, but without a doubt, they’re ready and loaded right now with her back and healthy, and that’s great for her because she’s a super kid and a great hockey player and tough for her opponents.”

The Terriers recorded just three shots on goal after the first period of play against the Crimson. By frame’s end, though, the ratio wasn’t too skewed, as Harvard had just five shots of its own.

In the second period, the Crimson really broke through. Not ones to be fettered by low-event hockey, Harvard threw 16 shots on sophomore goaltender Victoria Hanson in the middle frame, five of which found the back of the net. The Terriers, on the other hand, had just six shots in the second for a grand total of nine through 40 minutes.

Harvard rifled another 11 shots off in the third for two more goals while BU registered just five more. Junior wing Sarah Lefort led the Terriers in shots on goal with five throughout the contest and had a goal and an assist in the loss.

Harvard winger and 2014 Olympian Lyndsey Fry had more shots on goal by herself (7) than the Terriers had in any period on their own.

“We didn’t have it,” Durocher said. “Whether it was the strength of the compete or the conviction, it was tough, and then I know it wasn’t our best night of the year in any other areas as well, but too many times, we were doing that and maybe we were running around a little bit.

“Give a lot of credit to Harvard. They played a real good game, real sound at both ends, getting 30-plus shots, giving up 12, 13, 14 whatever they did. Really making some great shots on goal and getting the grubby rebound goals as well.”