But That goal was everything to her. Even if the senior assistant captain doesn’t seem to consider herself the legitimate Hockey East star she is.
And maybe, just maybe, the future PWHL player that she is.
Healey had tried to get in to look at the goal during the opening period of BU’s Hockey East first-round matchup with Providence. The brothers were all over it. After a short-handed breakaway early in the second, Healey went for the inside again. But then PC’s Cristina Cavaliere cheated hard on that side, and in a split second Healey pulled off a soul-grabbing deke to drive around the hapless defender.
“I saw space,” said a modest Healey. “So I brought it.”
Her almost automatic wristband did the rest. After the count, Healey pulled out what seemed like an unusually smug celebration, but it turned out there wasn’t much intention behind it at all. “Relief” and “excitement” is what she attributed it to.
“I’m the worst partier in the world,” Healey said, scratching her head. “Maybe I should work on that.”
Indeed. After all, she has quite a bit to celebrate this season. BU will see another day, and that’s because the Terriers had Sydney Healey and the Friars didn’t. Eighth-placed BU and ninth-placed PC played each other in a virtual stalemate, with both the hosts and visitors harassing the opposition goalkeepers with chances after a slow first period, with Mari Pietersen and Walinski responding with excellent saves. In a matchup between two teams scoring less than twice per game, goals were expectedly hard to come by at Walter Brown Arena.
In other words, exactly the kind of game that Healey, the fifth-leading scorer in Hockey East, could take into his own hands. The Terriers’ senior assistant captain delivered, her tally early in the second period serving as the game winner in a 3-0 victory, her fourth game winner of the year. She added an empty-netter late in the third to seal the score, and that was her 17th goal and 28th point, both of which put BU ahead by a mile. Linemate Lilli Welcke added an empty-netter moments later.
BU will face top-seeded Northeastern in the quarterfinals visiting team at Walter Brown Arena – on Saturday.
“It’s always tough to get a playoff win,” head coach Tara Watchorn said. “Proud of the group for playing the way they did. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was intentional and we fought hard.”
Healey’s shorty was the highlight of a great night for Watchorn’s penalty, which canceled out four power plays, three of which came at crucial turning points during the match. The Terriers, whose 7.6 percent power play includes just eight goals, now have six shorthanded games this season. BU almost got another one later in the second when, right after senior Lilli Welcke won the opening draw of PC’s second women’s advantage, the German was fed by twin sister Luisa and a Grade A chance was saved by Walinski.
“We don’t call it the ‘power kill’ for nothing,” Healey said. “We have our systems. But if we get the opportunity to go, we’ll take it.”
The Welckes dominated in their third game back from the Olympics on the top line with Healey (more on the trio below), but could not convert their avalanche of chances. Providence’s top line, featuring senior captain Reichen Kirchmair (the reigning Hockey East Player of the Year) and junior Audrey Knapp, was also productive, but Pietersen stood on her head (also more on her below).
BU defeated the Friars 31-19. It was the first time since Jan. 30 that Watchorn’s team outscored an opponent, a victory over lowly Merrimack, which was eliminated by Maine on Thursday night. That was a run of seven games in a row to end the regular season.
Here are three takeaways:
Mari Pietersen shone in a big spot.
Much of the discussion leading up to Wednesday was about who would start in net for the Terriers. Although Michelle Pasiechnyk had started the previous three matches, Watchorn turned to Pietersen.
Her last start came on Feb. 13 against NU, where she stopped 26 of 30 shots. It was an impossible decision for Watchorn, but Pietersen proved to be the right choice and earned a 19-save shutout.
“We couldn’t go wrong,” Watchorn said of the goalkeeper’s decision. “You just look at what the team needs, what the game needs and how each individual is doing. It was a gut feeling.”
Despite the Friars’ lack of shot volume early on, Pietersen was sharp from the jump and was forced to make impressive stops early as BU allowed PC to break through on stranger rushes. Midway through the second period, as the Friars made a push, Pietersen made three expert saves in quick succession to keep the shutout intact.
This is the Mari Pietersen Watchorn envisioned when she chose to give her the nod. And with her performance, one thing is certainly clear: it’s her goal until the season is over. — Eli Cloutier
BU’s top line did everything.
There is an argument – one I will make – that Luisa and Lilli Welcke are BU’s best players. And if it’s not the twins, it’s Healey.
Watchorn, who lined up the Welckes and Healey for BU’s regular-season finale at BC, said midweek that the move was to see “how big of a threat they can be.” Well, she has her answer. The Welckes and Healey were offensive on virtually every shift. They took a combined 13 shots on target. Lilli Welcke went 17 for 26 after faceoffs, and many of those wins led to immediate opportunities. Luisa Welcke, after a surreal feed from her sister, drew a penalty on a breakaway opportunity early in the third, helping neutralize a potential PC comeback. BU’s offensive production dropped off dramatically when the other three lines, which combined for just eight shots on goal, were on the ice.
“They’re smart players. They see the ice well,” Healey said. “I respect every decision they make on the ice because I know they’re trying to score. I’m trying to score too.”
The top line has scored just once (excluding the empty-netters) – the Welckes, as good as they are, are still frustratingly weak in front of goal despite creating So lots of good looks – but Watchorn has a trio that will be a handful for anyone who has BU faces. Included… – Sam Robb O’Hagan
This offense will not benefit Northeastern.
Outside of BU’s first line, the Terriers were once again quiet offensively. Wednesday mirrored Saturday’s loss to BC: despite the ice tilting in their favor, the Terriers have one goal with a goalie in the opponent’s goal to show for it.
Against the Huskies, BU will have to score more than once. The Terriers created plenty of chances but failed to convert all but one as they struggled to do so all season.
“It never hurts to get [shot] reps in a game,” Watchorn said. “And every time you do that, even if they don’t participate, you build a bank account of experience.”
Speaking of capitalizing, or not in this case, BU went 0-for-4 on the power play against the Friars. Although there were flashes of the women’s advantage, the Terriers were unable to extend their lead. They will have to take advantage of NU’s mistakes on Saturday to even have a chance to extend their season. —Cloutier
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