Women’s Ice Hockey: Terriers Draw Huskies, 4-4
By: Max Wolpoff
In the first of their home-and-home set this weekend, the Boston Univsersity Terriers (11-7-1, 8-3-1 Hockey East) and the University of Connecticut Huskies (7-7-3, 3-4-1 Hockey East) fought to a 4-4 tie at Freitas Ice Forum.
Five minutes in to the game, the Terriers went to the power play thanks to Alexandra Lersch’s tripping penalty. Despite seven shots on goal, Annie Belanger stood tall and fended off each one.
Five minutes after the penaty had expired, Sarah Lefort and Alexis Crossley combined to assist on Victoria Bach’s tenth goal of the season. Just three minutes later, BU went to the penalty kill and scored shorthanded when Rebecca Leslie fed line-mate Rebecca Russo for her 21st assist of the season and Russo’s first of the game. Russo scored from the right post after corraling Maddie Elia’s pass to end the period up by three.
Theresa Knutson cut the lead to two just 3:39 into the second period, but sophomore Erin O’Neil saved the other ten shots thrown at her that period to keep the Huskies at bay. Samantha Sutherland finished off the passing by Jordan Juron and Alexis Woloschuck to restore the three goal lead heading into the third period.
The Huskies skated out of the locker room ready to score, tallying three goals on 12 shots throughout the third period. After BU took an early penalty, the Husky power play found its footing and took just 14 seconds for Knutson to get her second of the game.
Jamie Fox scored an even 11:00 minutes into the period to cut the lead to one. On another UConn power play, Justine Fredette scored the fourth and final goal for the Huskies. Knutson tallied assists on both Fox’s and Fredette’s goals for her four point night; Fredette finished with three assists and a goal for another four point night.
Each team got three shots on goal through the overtime period, but neither team could pierce the twine for the decisive marker. O’Neil ended the game with 29 saves and Belanger countered for 28, 17 of which came in the first period.
With the tie, UConn moves into fifth place behind New Hampshire by three points and ahead of Providence, Vermont, and Maine by one. BU remains one point behind Northeastern in third place.
BU is now 1-0-1 against UConn this year and they will close out their season set tomorrow afternoon with a 3 p.m. puck drop from Walter Brown Arena.