Women’s Hockey: BU Falls Short of Comeback Against BC
By Itai Merlin
Despite three third-period goals, Boston University Women’s Hockey (2-4-0, 1-3-0 HE) fell 5-4 to Boston College (5-2-1, 4-0-0 HE) Saturday afternoon.
Both Eagles co-captain Hannah Bilka and forward Abby Newhook had four-point afternoons for the Eagles, and freshman goaltender Grace Campbell stopped 23 of 27 shots. It was a team effort for the Terriers, as eleven skaters registered a point for BU, and sophomore goaltender Callie Shanahan stopped 37 of 42 Eagles shots.
BC started the game strong, capitalizing just a minute in as sophomore forward Katie Pyne was able to put the puck past Shanahan. Graduate forward Kelly Brown used her speed to create a 2-on-1 as BU was changing, and her pass across the ice led to an easy look for Pyne.
BC would double their lead a little more than a minute later. Senior defenseman Alexie Guay took a rebound and shoveled a backhander over Shanahan’s right shoulder. Bilka and Newhook had the assists.
Senior forward Julia Nearis was able to cut the deficit in half with just under five minutes remaining in the first. Duringn 4-on-4 play, the Terriers won the battle along the boards before freshman defender Brooke Disher feathered a pass to a wide-open Nearis, who put home a between-the-legs goal. This highlight reel goal was Nearis’ second of the season.
BC would increase the lead to 4-1 before the period ended, scoring twice within a minute. With just over two minutes to go, Bilka took a pass from Newhook and found space past Shanahan to make it 3-1. 43 seconds later, Guay got her second of the game, tipping home a pass from Newhook.
While only one goal was scored in the second period, BC saw their lead grow to 5-1. With just over three minutes left to play in the middle frame, Bilka scored her second goal of the game off a beautiful feed from Newhook.
While the Terriers pushed for any sort of momentum to start the third, they didn’t break through until over halfway through the period.
Senior captain Nadia Mattivi was given time and space and fired home a wrist shot to make it a 5-2 game at 10:10 of the third. It was Mattivi’s second goal of the season.
Less than a minute later, BU took advantage of a power play to make it a 5-3 game. With a screen in front from Julia Shaughnessy, junior defender Andi Calderone fired the puck on net, and Shaughnessy was right there for the tip.
As the Terriers continued to push, freshman forward Clara Yuhn got another deflection goal for BU. Yuhn retook the Terrier scoring lead, with three goals and four points after her goal.
The final horn sounded with the Eagles leading in shots 42-27 and hanging on for the 5-4 victory.
BU will travel to Merrimack for a home-and-home, with Game 1 taking place on Oct. 28. Puck drop is set for 6 pm.