The Boston University women’s hockey team (1-2-0 Hockey East) fell to the University of Connecticut Huskies (1-3-1 HE) by a score of 4-1 Friday night. The matchup, according to the game’s announcer, was a flex game and therefore does not affect the Terriers’ conference record.
However, the buzzer at the end of the third marked the Huskies’ first victory against BU since Jan. 10, 2017.
The Terriers skated without senior forward Jesse Compher, freshman forward Lacey Martin and freshman defenseman Julia Shaunessy. Head coach Brian Durocher said their absences were not correlated to a positive COVID-19 test.
In their third straight Friday home game, the Huskies hit the ice strong, putting on pressure in the offensive zone early in the match. UCONN senior forward Natalie Snodgrass netted her first goal of the season four and a half minutes into the opening period, putting the Huskies up 1-0. Snodgrass’ early goal was the start of an impressive performance Friday.
Junior defenseman Camryn Wong put the Huskies on the board again late in the first period to lift her team to a 2-0 lead. The Terriers had a chance to shift the momentum in the last few seconds of the first period with what turned into a missed shot from sophomore forward Julia Nearis.
“I think [Nearis] just picked up her head to see the net, and the puck slid off the heel of her stick on pretty much a wide-open net,” Durocher said. “I think there’s your potential momentum changer.”
UConn’s offense continued to produce throughout the second period — junior forward Danielle Fox scored her first goal of the season four minutes into the period, and freshman forward Kate Klassen dumped one in less than thirty seconds later.
Going into the third period, Durocher made a goaltending change. Junior goaltender Nicole McGuigan took over for senior goalie Corinne Schroeder. Additionally, he tried to motivate his team during the intermission, he said.
“All I said to the kids going into the third,” Durocher said, “was, ‘I want to see who our competitors are.’”
The Terriers didn’t allow any goals in the last period of play and finally got on the scoreboard with 2:48 left. Junior forward Mackenna Parker gave the team their first point with a cross-crease goal, assisted by junior forward Courtney Correia.
BU’s loss gave Tia Chan, the Huskies’ freshman goalie, and the UConn team its first win of the season. Durocher noted the home team brought a higher level of competition to Friday’s matchup.
The Terriers have a short break until Jan. 1, 2021, when they will face the University of New Hampshire at Walter Brown Arena. The puck’s drop time is to be announced.
