After a successful road trip where the Boston University women’s hockey team grabbed a win in four out of five games, the Terriers (5-1-1, 2-1-1 Hockey East) return home this Friday against Northeastern University in a home-and-home series.
BU is coming off a weekend sweep against Pennsylvania State University (3-4-3), where the Terriers found the back of the net ten times in the last leg of the trip.
BU’s head coach Brian Durocher reflected on the team’s success against the Lions, mentioning how the Terrier’s special teams had a tremendous role in the weekend’s wins.
“[A] real good sign, good composure, and very positive,” said Durocher on his team’s successful penalty kill against Penn State.
Nine different players for BU collected at least one point in the Terriers’ 5-1 victory over Penn State Saturday afternoon.
Freshman forward Julia Nearis collected a career-high two goals, senior defenseman Abby Cook extended her point streak to five games with a goal and an assist, and sophomore forward Kaleigh Donnelly recorded her third straight multi-point game to help secure the sweep.
“[Donnelly’s] calling card is her hands and her vision,” Durocher said on Donnelly’s recent success. “She sees the game at a high level, and has the ability to make the play.”
Sophomore goaltender, Kate Stuart, of BU made her second appearance between the pipes this season, winning her first game while making 21 saves in the victory.
Meanwhile, Northeastern University (5-1-0, 2-1-0 Hockey East) is coming off a 1-0 loss to Providence College (3-2-0, 1-1-0 Hockey East). The shutout is the Huskies’ only loss of the season so far.
Northeastern is led offensively by sophomore forward Alina Mueller with 15 points, and sophomore forward Chloe Aurard with six goals.
The Terriers went 0-2-2 against Northeastern last season; their most recent game ending in a 3-3 tie that helped BU advance to the Beanpot final.
Former senior tri-captain Reagan Rust scored in the fourth round of the shootout to help send the Terriers to the championship game of the 41st Women’s Beanpot.
The key to this weekend for BU will be to continue their dominance on the penalty kill. The Terriers are 29/32 so far this season on the penalty kill, and went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill against Penn State on Saturday.
Durocher said that the success has come from his assistant coaches.
“[They] are doing a great job giving the [players] structure,” he said. “[The players] are understanding when to attack and look for clearers. It’s amazing how tough it is when you spend the whole two minutes or close to it in your end of the ice, [but] if you get one or two clearers during the penalty kill, that’s 15 to 20 seconds off the clock every time.”
The Huskies are a perfect 10-for-10 on the penalty kill in conference games this season. So far, Northeastern has also outshot their opponent in every match, averaging 38 shots per game and limiting their opponents to an average of 22.3 shots per game.
Durocher praised Northeastern’s depth saying that it has been vital to the Huskies’ accomplishments this season so far.
“They’ve built up their depth, their volume, with an all star goalie, and [added] some real quick and good skating defenseman,” Durocher said.
Coming off a victory, BU is ready to take on the conference rivals in their return home to Walter Brown Arena this Friday for the first time since Oct. 11.
The Terriers are using their momentum and remaining positive going into this weekend’s series against Northeastern.
“We just have to play it real smart, a good game, if we are going to come up on the positive,” Durocher said.
