Twice as nice

One week removed from its first-ever win over the University of New Hampshire, the No. 8 Boston University women’s hockey team solidified its position as a team deserving of national recognition last night with a 3-2 shootout victory over the No. 5 Wildcats at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H.
BU coach Brian Durocher attributed his team’s performance to the confidence the Terriers (5-2-2, 3-0-0 Hockey East) have gained in the last few weeks.
Coming into last night’s game, the Terriers were riding momentum from a series of big wins against tough opponents and carried a six-game unbeaten streak.’
The Wildcats (5-1-3, 1-1-2) allowed BU few scoring opportunities last night, but the Terriers made their shots count. Despite being out shot by a 2-to-1 ratio (36-18), BU managed to keep the UNH defensemen guessing.’
Durocher credited part of BU’s performance against the Wildcats to senior goaltender Allyse Wilcox, who gave BU’s offense some breathing room for most of the game with 34 saves over three periods and overtime.
Senior Caroline Bourdeau scored first for the Terriers, sending the puck into the net at 4:17, assisted by sophomore Lauren Cherewyk. It was Bourdeau’s first goal of the season. For Cherewyk, coming off a spectacular run of five goals in two games, the assist was her first of the season.
UNH fired back two minutes later, as sophomore Julie Allen scored her first collegiate goal off senior Angela Taylor’s assist on the power play. After Allen’s goal, the teams went back and forth for several minutes before either team was able to break through offensively.
With about three minutes left in the period, BU freshman Jenelle Kohanchuk scored her fourth goal of the season off an assist from senior co-captain Sarah Russell.’
‘ Halfway through the second period, penalties gave UNH a two-man advantage for 1:13, but Wilcox’s efforts nullified the power play.
‘ By the end of the second, UNH had outshot the Terriers 27-10. Despite the huge disadvantage in shots, BU still managed to put the puck in the net more often than their opponent, and led the Wildcats, 2-1.
‘ The Wildcats managed to keep their composure going into the third period. UNH senior Sam Faber scored a shorthanded goal at 5:39 ‘-‘- the first BU has allowed this season. The tally tied the game at two.
‘We’ve got to break these trends,’ Durocher said of the Terriers’ tendency to back off in the final two periods. ‘We wanted to get this win.’
Neither team was able to find the net for the rest of the period, and after a scoreless overtime period the game went to a shootout.
Junior Melissa Anderson got things rolling for the Terriers, burying her first shot past UNH goaltender Kayley Herman. Wilcox turned away the first two UNH shooters, bringing BU freshman Tara Watchorn to center ice with a chance to win the game for the Terriers. The rookie came through in a big way, sliding the game-winner past Herman.