The No. 10 Boston University women’s hockey team started the season this weekend with back-to-back games against Ohio State University. By the end of the weekend, the Terriers had no wins, no losses and two heart-wrenching ties to show for it.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead late in Friday’s opener, the Terriers (0-0-2) looked like they may be able to eke out a victory, but with just more than five minutes to play, sophomore Melissa Feste of Ohio State (0-0-2) deposited one into the back of the net to send the game into overtime.
After a back and forth OT produced no victor, the game headed to shootout. Mano y mano, both goalkeepers stood strong on the first shots. Ohio State scored on the next shot but was quickly answered by BU senior Jonnie Bloemers who tied up the score. Another goal by Ohio State left it up to Terrier junior Holly Lorms who was denied on her attempt, ending a disappointing opening night for the Terriers.
‘There is some frustration,’ BU coach Brian Durocher said. ‘We were seven, eight [actually five] minutes away from pulling this one out.
‘We had a couple great 8 to 10 minute sequences with a chance to put [the game] away.’
The lone goal from the Terrier side came in the second period from a vicious wrist shot into the top right corner by junior Lauren Cherewyk.
That, however, was the only time the Terriers would put the puck in the net, stymied time and again by Ohio State goalie Chelsea Knapp.
‘We had a number of 5-on-3s,’ Durocher said. ‘It was frustrating not capitalize on them.”
Manning the other net, BU senior Melissa Haber was met with an onslaught of Ohio State shots, but stood tall to record 27 saves.
‘Haber is a fantastic, well-prepared senior,’ Durocher said. ‘She really answered the bell tonight.’
Saturday’s rematch featured another late Terrier lead, and another late Terrier collapse.
Four different BU skaters lit the lamp in the second game, giving the Terriers a 4-2 lead heading into the third period. However, a pair of power-play goals for Ohio State forced the game into overtime, where it would remain 4-4.
Junior Jillian Kirchner and freshman Jill Cardella led Boston University with a goal and an assist, while freshman Cristina Wiley and last year’s leading point’s scorer sophomore Jenelle Kohanchuk also tallied a goal.’
Ohio State started the scoring early in the game at the 5:02 mark when Feste redirected a shot past Haber. It only took BU four minutes to respond as Kirchner scored on the power-play to even up the game at one apiece. Cardella skated down the ice on a two-on-one and slid a pass to Kirchner who was at the other post to jam it in.’
‘Jill had a great individual effort on Kirchner’s goal,’ Durocher said.’ ‘She beat one defenseman and carried it wide got it to the net.’
Cardella scored her first goal as a Terrier by putting in a rebound from a Cherewyk shot to give BU its first lead of the afternoon. The lead did not last long as Ohio State took advantage of a late power play. Good puck movement from Raelyn LaRocque and Paige Semenza led to Teal Bishop having a clean shot from just inside the blue line, which she converted to knot the game at 2-2 after one period.
The score remained 2-2 for more than half of the second period until Wiley scored her first goal as a Terrier. Lorms fired a shot on goal that was blocked by Knapp, but Wiley was there to put home the rebound, giving the Terriers a 3-2 lead.
Durocher’ said he was pleasantly surprised with the high level of play from Wiley this weekend.’
‘Christina Wiley has been a very pleasant surprise, somebody who was kind of a late decision, someone who wanted to take on the challenge of playing Division I,’ Durocher said. ‘She is a very intelligent player. She is a very quick player. She gives up a little size, but not courage.’
BU struck once more with less than two minutes in the period, giving the team a two-goal cushion heading into the final period. After a battle for the puck in the front of the net, the puck came to Kohanchuk whose backhander shot found the back of the net, with assists from Kirchner and senior Melissa Anderson.’
As was the case in Friday’s game, the third period was the downfall for the Terriers as their defense could not hold a two-goal lead, and let another win slip through their fingers.’
BU committed two penalties 22 seconds apart and Ohio State found the back of the net on both their five-on-three and five-on-four advantage.’ Minttu Tuominen cut the Terrier’s lead in half and 34 seconds later Kim Theut gave Ohio State the equalizer, to force the game into overtime.
The Terriers dominated the overtime session, outshooting Ohio State 7-0, but Knapp (31 saves) made some key saves to preserve the tie.
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