That’s how many times Boston University women’s hockey has lifted the coveted Beanpot Trophy.
Only once have the Terriers won the tournament as a varsity program. That was in 2019.
Over the past two years, BU has fallen to the same opponent in a crowded TD Garden: Northeastern.
Now things are different.
BU defeated the heavily favored Huskies in a 2-1 overtime battle in the semifinals to seal a ticket to the championship game against Harvard.
A power-play goal from senior captain Maeve Carey made the difference. Until the semifinal against Northeastern, Carey had yet to score a point on the season and BU’s power play was invisible. It had not scored in the Boston College series since November.
Even more impressive, though, was how far BU had come since its first meeting with the Huskies – a series in which the Terriers were swept. In the second game of that series, they were bowled out 7-3, outplayed in every facet and left at one of their lowest points of a season that started with a brutal 2-10 record.
But in a program that values process far more than results, a win over Beanpot would prove the effectiveness of this philosophy.
“It shows that we’ve really come a long way as a team, and now we’re capable of beating anyone,” sophomore forward Lola Reid said of the semifinal victory. “I think we knew that, but proving it to a team like that … it really showed us and showed everyone that we can hang with anyone.”
And as slow as BU has been this season, there’s no denying that things have been hot lately.
After a tournament victory at the inaugural Friendship Series earlier this month — where the Terriers faced two out-of-conference opponents and called the Belpot over Harvard — BU gained valuable one-off experience while also getting a chance to “get the group going” and “start feeling that confidence and unity of the team,” head coach Tara Watchorn said.
In Belfast, Watchorn adjusted the lineup midway through the Quinnipiac game when the Terriers’ forecheck was ineffective.
Senior forward Riley Walsh moved from the wing of the Welcke sister line to the middle of a line with freshman forward Lexie Bertelsen and junior forward Greta Henderson.
The line has since served as an ‘energy line’.
“The way they bring energy as people and teammates, the way they compete in practice, their willingness to be F1 at the forefront, they are gamers,” Watchorn said. “You had the feeling that it would click. And it certainly did. And they gave us a lot of life.”
Five minutes into the Beanpot semi-final, Bertelsen put BU on the board thanks to a brutal forecheck. That line was by far the hottest of the game for BU, and without them the Terriers probably wouldn’t have been nearly as competitive against Northeastern.
Henderson explained that “communication” was central to the success of the new line.
However, communication extends further than this new ‘energy line’. Watchorn attributes much of BU’s defensive improvement since its first meeting with Northeastern to stronger, more consistent communication.
“Realizing that you’re going to play in your D-zone in a game, number one, and not putting too much weight on it,” Watchorn said. “Then that comes back to the leadership and communication that helps them solve problems, not trying to do people’s work.”
Tuesday presents a rare opportunity for both teams: a chance to play on an NHL rink, still an unusual stage for women’s hockey, and to meet again for the second time in just a month in a trophy-on-the-line game.
There is a slight advantage for BU: It has played in the TD Garden Championship the past two years. Harvard, meanwhile, has yet to appear in a title game at the Garden.
“Playing in an arena that full is something I never thought was possible,” Reid said of last year’s championship.
BU’s semifinal broke Walter Brown Arena’s women’s hockey attendance record, creating an atmosphere far greater than that of a typical women’s hockey game.
“I feel really good that they’re willing to put it all out there on Tuesday and have the experience of having played in it,” Watchorn said, “and even for our freshmen, Tuesday’s semifinal probably prepared them pretty well as far as the acoustics on that rink.”
Although BU defeated the Crimson in their recent meeting, Harvard’s goaltending still poses a significant challenge for the Terriers.
Harvard will split time between all three goaltenders, but sophomore Ainsley Tuffy will likely start in net due to her veteran experience in the Beanpot and her performances lately.
Tuffy currently has an impressive save percentage of .952 and a 1.76 goals against average.
“You’re going to have to work to score,” Watchorn said.
However, this challenge will only increase BU’s lead on Tuesday. With a third Beanpot title on the line for the third year in a row, the Terriers are not shying away from the stakes.
“We are hungry for redemption,” Reid said.
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