Women’s Hockey: Hanson Shines, Terriers Trounce Tigers
By: Max Wolpoff
BOSTON — Two early goals and two late goals, combined with a career performance from Victoria Hanson, were enough to give Boston University a 4-1 win over Princeton. Hanson made 41 saves in the victory, her’s and the team’s fourth straight win.
BU moves now to 9-5-1 (6-5-0 Hockey East) on the backs of Hanson’s career-best mark in saves. Princeton drops to 5-5-1 (3-4-1 ECAC), despite 24 saves from freshman goaltender Steph Neatby.
Neatby replaced starter Alysia DaSilva after she allowed two goals on the first three shots she faced. The freshman out of the Toronto Jr. Aeros had never played in any of Princeton’s previous 10 games.
Maddie Elia and Samantha Sutherland put up goals on the second and third BU shots, separated by 54 seconds. With an assist on Elia’s goal and 90th career point, Rebecca Leslie improved to 95 career points.
After that brief offensive spurt, the Terriers ran into penalty trouble. Seven different players took minor penalties, including two at the same time to give Princeton a two-minute five-on-three in the first period. The Tigers found their only goal on the woman-advantage.
Princeton outshot BU 20-7 in the first period, opening the second with a carry-over power play. Sylvie Wallin let her shot go through traffic and the puck bounced out of the net before Hanson realized it went past her. Karlie Lund put up another assist for her team-leading 15th point. Kelsey Koelzer also tallied a helper, her eighth.
Koelzer led all Tigers with 10 of their 42 shots on goal. Sammy Davis and Elia put five shots a piece on the net for the Terriers.
Davis had numerous chances in tonight’s contest, including a no-look backhander as time wound down in the third period. She got on the scoresheet with an assist on Elia’s goal.
After a few consecutive icings, head coach Brian Durocher needed to use his timeout with half of the third period to play. Princeton’s forecheck clogged the neutral zone to prevent clean passes through most of the game.
With 3:47 to go, the Terriers went on the power play when Wallin cross-checked Nina Rodgers in the BU defensive zone. Rodgers tipped a shot from Abby Cook right as the power play expired to take a 3-1 lead.
Neatby got pulled by head coach Jeff Kampersal and Mary Parker hit the open net from the penalty box doors to keep her point streak alive at seven games. With a primary assist here and a secondary one on Elia’s goal, Rodgers finished the night with a career-best three points.
Parker now has 14 goals this season, tied with Dani Cameranasi of Minnesota for most goals in the NCAA.
BU played the game with 10 forwards and seven defenders due to the absence of Natazsa Tarnowski and Mary Grace Kelley.
The Terriers and Tigers will rematch at 3 p.m. from Walter Brown Arena to finish the weekend series.