Bill Belichick once said of a team, “They’re undefeated. Until someone beats them, I don’t see how you can say anybody is any better than them.”
The Boston University women’s ice hockey team may not be at that level yet, but the Terriers strode out of this weekend flying high with their perfect record intact, remaining undefeated to begin their second season on Babcock Street.
Knocking off the University of Vermont in a two-game sweep for its first two Hockey East wins of the season, BU ran its record to 6-0.
The six-game winning streak is the longest in program history. Last season, the Terriers reeled off a seven-game unbeaten streak, but this is the first time the team has not tied a single game during such a run.
There’s no doubt that a good start like this is valuable further along in the season. Being able to build off a six-game head start softens the blow of any loss the team may encounter in the future.
“I think it means a great deal,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “I think the second night at Robert Morris when we came back in the last 10 minutes to win and then that overtime win against RPI where they really probably deserved to win, they outplayed us but we found a way to get it done.
“Those two things really bode well for confidence,” Durocher added.
During its six-game streak, BU has outscored its opponents 19-6-never scoring less than two goals in any of the six games, with an attack involving 11 different Terriers.
Leading the way for the Terriers are sophomore forwards Erin Seman and Gina Kearns, both tied for the team lead with three goals apiece.
The Terriers have been shaking up the lines with different players in and out of the lineup each night, as they try to find the most lethal combination.
“I guess you’re always trying to find the right mix and we’re starting to get close,” Durocher said. “But of course with people being out, it does necessitate that you move people around.”
The upside to shaking up the lines is the ability to see the flexibility of the players and how adaptable certain players are to different positions.
“We’re seeing people play a couple different positions, we’re seeing people play with different players and we’re even seeing different people in parts of the power play,” Durocher said. “All those things can be taken as positives, but it would be nice to get some core of your team together.”
A prime example of how this system can be successful came in the form of freshman Jenn Arms, who netted the first goal of her career in the first period of Saturday’s game against Vermont. Arms, who is usually a defenseman, got the start at right wing and took advantage for her first collegiate points.
With just over two-and-a-half minutes to go before the first intermission, Arms shot a pass to Stephanie Armstrong, who passed it back to Arms for the score, putting the Terriers up 2-0 before the first break.
“The goalie stopped it behind the net and I guess she didn’t see that I was coming, so I got the puck and went around the net and passed to Armstrong, and she passed to me and I had a one-timer for the score,” Arms said.
“It was great to get it,” Arms continued.
Although the offense has been on a surge to kick off the season, the Terriers’ toughest test will come when they face the real powerhouses of college hockey, coming as soon as next weekend when they take on No. 2 University of New Hampshire next Sunday afternoon and then No. 10 Boston College the following weekend-both Hockey East games.
“We’re playing with a whole bunch of freshmen and sophomores, so they’re not quite as strong as they will be in another year or two,” Durocher said. “But they’re playing awful hard and determined and that’s all we can ask for.”