Women’s Hockey: Terriers stymied by Levy, BC in 3-0 loss
By Patrick Donnelly
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Abigail Levy made 32 saves, and the Boston College Eagles took down the Boston University Terriers 3-0 at Conte Forum in the Battle of Comm. Ave. on Saturday.
Sophomore forward Gaby Roy scored twice, and freshman forward Abby Newhook also scored for BC (17-11-0, 14-8-0 HE).
Freshman goaltender Callie Shanahan made 27 saves for the Terriers (10-11-5, 9-7-4 HE), and senior forward Courtney Correia had six shots, sharing the game-high. BU outshot the Eagles 25-19 through the final 40 minutes, but could not solve Levy.
“I think overall we had chances, and there were similarities to last night [against UConn],” BU head coach Brian Durocher. “Structurally, I think we played a reasonably sound game, but it’s a game of mistakes, a game of inches. Whatever you want to call it. … In the end, we never could get that goal that changes the complexion of the game.”
Roy opened the scoring one minute into the game to make it 1-0 for BC, fighting through BU’s defensive pressure to score on a rebound off sophomore forward Caroline Goffredo’s chance.
Newhook doubled the Eagles’ lead at 12:41 of the second one-timing senior forward Kelly Browne’s cross-crease pass.
“We leave somebody alone early in the game, and give them a little bit early momentum [on Roy’s first goal],” Durocher said. “We seemed to get grounded, and had a good seven, eight minutes late in the first. In the second period, they gather a little more of a lead.”
Roy got her second of the game at 9:42 of the third to give BC a 3-0 lead off junior defender Alexie Guay’s prone feed after being taken down to the ice by BU graduate defender Ellie Larson.
The Terriers and Eagles each went 0-for-3 on the power play with seven and three total shots, respectively.
“You’ve got to capitalize on one of those [chances] to change the complexion of the game,” Durocher said. “We’ve probably had three, four or five games this year, for sure, where that’s sort of been part of the story. We just can’t change the complexion, and so again, gave ourselves a little bit of a chance. The power play looked better, but still couldn’t get either the puck luck, or the tip, or the screen that gets by a good goalie.”
The Terriers were coming off a 1-1 tie against UConn on Friday, winning the shootout for the extra point, but are 1-6-2 since sweeping Merrimack on Dec. 3 and 4, 2021.
“I mean, we’ve tried hard to make the five and 10-foot passes, which I think we did last night and maybe got away from today, and just continue to play smart,” Durocher said. “Today, I felt like we were running all over the place, not really covering anybody and not really forechecking with a purpose, but last night we did both of those things much better, and it got better and better as the game went on.
“So again, when it’s time to forecheck, forecheck, but when it’s time to maybe play a little bit of a trap in the neutral zone, play smart and take good angles, you have to do that. That can slow people down just as much as an all-out pressure forecheck.
BU will return to action against No. 3/4 Northeastern in the Beanpot consolation game on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Matthews Arena. BC will face No. 6 Harvard in the Beanpot final at 7:30 p.m.
Featured Image: BU senior captain Kaleigh Donnelly (12) battles for the puck with BC freshman defender Keri Clougherty (4) in a 3-0 loss at Conte Forum on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. Photo by Patrick Donnelly.