They will need that. Because BU, during a season that simply refuses to get going, left this potential watershed series behind without a win to show for its efforts. The Terriers are now an astonishing 2-10 on the season and 2-5 in the conference, putting them 14 points off the pace in Hockey East after a month into defending the league title.
BC, which leads HE by 20 points through nine conference games, was in its defensive zone for most of the 120 combined minutes on Thursday and Friday evening. The Eagles still secured the series sweep, winning the final at Agganis Arena 3-2, after a 5-2 victory over Conte Forum the night before.
And although BU played well in both games, it also has itself to blame for the final outcome. Watchorn said the Terriers should play with more attention to detail in midweek against a BC team that will make you pay if you get the chance. BU didn’t, and the Eagles (7-6-1, 6-2-1 HE) did exactly what Watchorn said they would do.
BC redshirt senior Emma Conner potted the game winner with just over three minutes to play, forcing a puck past BU netminder Michelle Pasiechnyk after an initial shot took an unfortunate bounce off Terriers captain Maeve Carey. But the opportunity came in transition, continuing a theme from the entire series: BU couldn’t keep the Eagles off the rush as the Terriers couldn’t play a clean enough game.
That was why BU lost Thursday, and the story was no different in front of 3,965 fans (a new record for the women’s Hockey East regular season) at Agganis Arena Friday. BC scored its first short-handed goal as BU junior Greta Henderson committed a horrific turnover at the Eagles’ blueline and Conner converted the ensuing breakaway opportunity.
BU senior Sydney Healey responded immediately, burying a wrister in the top corner for the third power play goal of the season and second of the series for the Terriers. It was the assistant captain’s sixth goal of the year.
As on Thursday, the Terriers played an excellent first period, enjoying significant periods of sustained attacking time. BU dominated in puck battles along the boards and was chased on the forecheck, two key parts of Watchorn’s system that it had been missing to start the season. The Terriers didn’t end Friday’s first period with the 18-5 advantage in shots on goal that they did Thursday, but they were the better team, and they knew it.
“I think we beat them most of the game,” Healey told the Agganis Arena rink reporter during the first intermission.
And yet Healey and her team were still behind. With a minute and a half left in the first inning, freshman defenseman Lucy Thiessen took an unnecessary penalty in front of BU’s bench. The Eagles took the lead on the ensuing power play when senior Kate Ham scored a big rebound.
Discipline has been an issue for the Terriers all season, and it cost them dearly on Friday. The second period was one of BU’s worst periods in the series, largely because Watchorn’s group couldn’t stay off the beaten path. The Terriers committed three penalties in the frame – one of them for too many players on the ice as BU played on its own – and at one point in the period the Terriers were forced to kill a 5-on-3.
They did, and aside from BC’s lone power play goal, BU was excellent in the kill all night. Still, the Terriers’ game is based on establishing territory and ball possession, and it’s nearly impossible to do that with four skaters. That’s one reason why BU only finished with a 33-32 edge in shots on goal, even though the Terriers were the better team at even strength.
BU took no penalties in the third period and regained dominance, eventually outscoring the Eagles 14-5. Senior assistant captain Clara Yuhn tied the score a few minutes after the restart, putting a rebound over BC goalkeeper Grace Campbell after the Eagle captain made a routine save. It was her fifth of the season.
The Terriers had plenty of opportunities to score the winner the rest of the period, none more evident than when freshman Lexie Bertelsen failed to hit the net on a 2-on-1 opportunity with Henderson midway through the frame.
That was another theme of the series: the Eagles were absolutely clinical when they had their chances. The Terriers were not.
This story will be updated.
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