Women’s Hockey: Terriers open preseason with 5-1 win over Université de Moncton

By Stevie Potter

Boston University Women’s Ice Hockey faced off against the Université de Moncton at Walter Brown Arena for a preseason exhibition game, beating them 5-1 and tallying an astounding 48 shots on goal. 

Sophomore goaltender Callie Shanahan was in the net to start the game against the team from New Brunswick. After the first period of play, Andrea Brändli, a graduate student who recently transferred from Ohio State University, took Shanahan’s place in goal. Freshman Allie Cuellar subbed in for the third. 

“They did a nice job… We’d love to give them all a game or a couple of games in the preseason, but that’s not how college hockey works,” Head Coach Brian Durocher said about his goaltenders. 

UdeM goalie Audrey Berthiaume played all three periods for Moncton. 

The action began with BU’s captain, senior defender Nadia Mattivi, recording the game’s first shot on goal. 

Shortly into the game, UdeM defender Emilie Lalancette received a penalty for tripping. BU’s junior defender Andi Calderone capitalized on this power play opportunity, scoring the game’s first goal with a powerful shot from the blue line 8:25 into the period. Her goal was assisted by junior forward Lacey Martin and Northeastern transfer Ani Fitzgerald. 

BU continued to dominate offensively throughout the rest of the first 20 minutes and scored two more goals. Senior forward Brooke Ersoy scored the first even-strength goal of the game for BU to put the team up 2-0 at 13:08. Less than two minutes later, freshman defender Brooke Disher recorded her first goal as a Terrier to close out the period.

Just about two minutes into the second period, Moncton’s third-line center Shani Rossignol netted what would be UdeM’s only goal of the night. The puck made its way past Brändli on the first shot she faced, and just one of two she would face all night. 

“It was kind of a quiet period for Andrea, but the good thing is she’s been around the block quite a bit between four years of collegiate hockey and international hockey, so we aren’t too worried about her,” Durocher said.

What the rest of the period lacked in goals, it made up for in penalties. Four penalties were dished out in under 13 minutes between the two teams.

Just 51 seconds into the third period, another new Terrier scored her first collegiate goal. Freshman forward Sydney Healey put the puck in the back of the net with some help from her linemate Martin.

Senior forward Julia Nearis scored the last goal of the night to make the final score 5-1. Nearis scored on a power play courtesy of a hook by UdeM’s second-line center Erica Plourde.

BU outshot their opponents 48 to 16. 

BU will play their first regular season game on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. against Rensselaer at Walter Brown Arena.