Women’s Hockey: BU Snaps Losing Streak as Offense Errupts vs. Merrimack

By Stevie Potter

Boston University Women’s Hockey (3-5-0, 2-4-0 HE) ended the weekend on a high note, defeating the Merrimack Warriors (2-7-1, 1-6-1 HE) 5-2 after losing by the same score just one night earlier.

“We finally played as a team,” BU assistant coach Abby Ostrom said. “We were a little bit more effective breaking out of our zone quickly and maintaining time in our offensive zone. We got pucks to the net and obviously goals as well. It’s a good team effort; kind of a confidence boost after yesterday.”

Both Merrimack and BU chose to put their seasoned veterans in net for the 3 pm start. Graduate goaltender Andrea Brändli took to the ice for the first time since Oct. 21 against Boston College. Merrimack’s senior goaltender Emma Gorski started for the Warriors after tallying a 5-2 win in Friday night’s game.

After BU scored first in Friday’s game, Merrimack opened the scoring 6:16 into the period with a goal by senior forward Allison Reeb to put her team up 1-0.

Shortly after Reeb’s goal, Merrimack senior forward Madison Oelkers was sent to the sin bin for tripping. Unlike their first power play, BU was able to capitalize and tie the game at 1.

Senior right winger Julia Nearis scored the equalizer after a rebound popped out of the crease and left her with a wide-open net to shoot at. The goal was assisted by sophomore left winger Christina Vote. Nearis’ goal increased her team lead in goals and points.

While the second half of the first period slowed down considerably, there were still a few notable occurrences, one of which was an awkward hit on captain Nadia Mattivi. Mattivi was slow to get up and headed off the ice immediately. She did not return to play for the remainder of the game.

When asked when Mattivi might return, Ostrom stated they want her back “as soon as possible”

The second period of play once again opened with early penalties but saw both teams get penalized. BU graduate defender Alex Allan and Merrimack senior center Katie Kaufman both served time in the box following a slash by Kaufman that provoked Allan into taking a roughing penalty.

Junior defender Andi Calderone scored the go-ahead goal for BU during the 4-on-4 play 2:38 into the period. Her tally was assisted by freshman center Clara Yuhn to make the score 2-1.

“I think we’re definitely on the upward trend,” Calderone said. “I think going into next week and all the other weeks, we need to be able to find that feeling that we had today and recreate it in the following games.”

At 7:17, BU scored its third unanswered goal courtesy of freshman left winger Sydney Healey. Healey’s goal followed an impressive save sequence by Brändli on the other end of the ice to preserve the 2-1 lead that would shortly become 3-1.

With just under three minutes left in the period, Allan headed to the box for the second time in the period, this time for tripping. This penalty directly led to Merrimack’s second goal of the night by senior defender Teghan Inglis to make it 3-2.

Going into the final 20 minutes of play, Merrimack was outshooting BU 22-19.

The final period of play increased in its physicality, and as a result, Merrimack suffered three back-to-back penalties.

During a delayed penalty that occurred in an overlap between BU’s second and third power plays, Nearis scored her second goal of the night to put the Terriers up 4-2.

BU’s senior forward Jesse DeVito scored the final goal of the night on the empty Merrimack net.

Looking toward next week, BU will prepare for a home and home against the Providence College Friars, starting on Nov. 4.