BU loses to BC in shootout

Shootouts used to be the Boston University women’s hockey team’s best friend. The Terriers were at a conference-best 4-0 in shootouts under Hockey East’s new policy, which rewards shootout wins in conference play with two points and a shootout loss with one, while both count as ties in the NCAA records.

That was before Saturday, when the Terriers (15-10-7, 12-6-1 HE) fell in their first shootout loss of the season to No. 6 Boston College (20-7-4, 13-5-1) at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill.

In the three-round shootout, BC junior forward Kelli Stack, the conference leader in points (49), and BU freshman defenseman Tara Watchorn each scored goals before freshman forward Mary Restuccia was able to beat BU senior goalie Allyse Wilcox for the winner.

BU coach Brian Durocher took the shootout loss on a very optimistic note.

‘We ended up winning four shootouts and losing one. If those are the percentages in your life, you’re going to be pretty good in about everything in your life,’ Durocher said. ‘Sure, we would have loved to have that one, but four wins and one loss is a pretty good number for just about anybody.’

To get to the shootout, the Terriers relied on the combined four-point effort of two of the team’s up and coming freshmen: forward Jenelle Kohanchuk (two goals), her second straight two-point game after missing four games due to sickness, and Watchorn (two assists).

‘Those are top players. They could easily be All-Rookie Team selections,’ Durocher said. ‘They have influenced Hockey East on the big picture and our program as a national program. We’re real proud of our young kids and what they’ve brought to Hockey East and our program in general.’

Kohanchuk’s first score tied the game at one apiece after BC struck first six minutes into the contest on a goal by freshman forward Andrea Green. Ten minutes later, Watchorn, after just exiting the penalty box, started a two-man break with senior forward Gina Kearns. Watchorn put a shot on net that was blocked by BC junior goalie Molly Schaus. Kearns put the rebound on net, only to find that one saved as well. But a shot by a trailing Kohanchuk found the back of the net for the equalizer.

BU built on that momentum early in the second when junior forward Melissa Anderson scored on the power play with only 54 seconds coming off the clock in the period. After a shot by freshman defenseman Kasey Boucher was stopped in front of the net, Anderson was able to control herself among the mayhem and put the biscuit in the basket for the only power-play goal of the game. With the goal, Watchorn, who fed Boucher for the first shot, got her second assist.

The Eagles answered with two goals of their own in the second frame to go back on top, 3-2. A slap shot from senior forward Meghan Fardelmann and a wrist shot in traffic by fellow senior forward Becky Zavisza both eluded Wilcox, who had a total of 23 saves on the afternoon.

Kohanchuk tallied the final goal of the contest to tie it at three with 13 minutes left. Playing like the hockey equivalent of rebound machine Dennis Rodman for the Terriers, the freshman scored again on a rebound, this time off of a shot by sophomore forward Lauren Cherewyk.

After the one point from the shootout loss, the Terriers now stand in third in the Hockey East standings in a tie with the No. 10 University of Connecticut. On a national level, BU is ranked 14th in the country according to USCHO.com’s PairWise rankings, which would place them six spots outside the NCAA Tournament.

With those two considerations in hand, the Terriers’ final two games, which come this weekend in a home-and-home with conference foe Northeastern University, become all the more important. A sweep would mean an additional four points in the conference before the Hockey East playoffs begin, as well as a potential climb in the national rankings. The last time the Terriers and the Huskies met was in the consolation game of the Beanpot last week, with the Terriers emerging victorious, 2-1, at Matthews Arena.