Women’s Hockey: Terriers start off 2024 with win over Maine

Featured image: Claire Guest

By Alexa Podalsky

Boston University Women’s Ice Hockey was tied for sixth place in the Hockey East standings with the University of Maine Black Bears before their contest. What began as a slow start for Boston’s offense morphed into an intense matchup as they crept into the lead and secured a win to start the second half of their season.  

“Maine is a very hard, tough team, they play very physical and we know that. So, it’s always going to be a tough, hard-fought game against them,” senior forward Lacey Martin said in the post-game conference. 

The Terriers (8-8-2, 6-6-1 HEA) continued Hockey East play against the Black Bears (10-11-0, 6-8-0 HEA), in Orono, ME on Monday after a 30-day break. 

With only eight days and two games until the first round of the Women’s Beanpot, the team showed they have what it takes to bring home a win. BU has not won a Beanpot title since 2019, but looks competitive this year under the coaching of Tara Watchorn.  

Boston struggled to pull the puck away from Maine early in the first period, keeping them on the defensive. Despite the puck entering Maine’s zone a handful of times, freshman goalie Mari Pietersen acted as a barrier to keep the score at zero. 

Both Pietersen and graduate Alexa Matses have split time in goal this season as junior Callie Shanahan recovers from a knee injury, combining for an .887 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average in 18 games.

Boston jumped the line into Maine’s zone during a power play that led to sophomore forward Luisa Welcke scoring. Sophomore forward Lilli Welcke brought the puck from the right wing and cycled it to center ice for Luisa to fire into the net. 

Into the second on the power play, BU was not able to sustain pressure. Following the man-up, Pietersen made three big saves before Maine graduate Ann-Federique Guay scored. After a shot towards Pietersen, Guay chipped in the rebound to the top-left corner to put Maine on the board.

Boston answered Maine’s equalizer soon after to bring themselves back into the lead. Freshman forward Alex Law received the puck from senior Catherine Foulem and sent it flying past freshman goalie Julia Bachetti.

Senior forward Lacey Martin extended Boston’s lead after she sent Bachetti sliding when she failed the save the puck, bringing the score to 3-2 to end the second. 

A last-minute goal from Maine’s Rahel Enzler brought the Black Bears within one after two frames.

The Black Bears tied the game two minutes into the third period as freshman forward Mikayla Boarder carried the puck from center ice and fired it past Pietersen.

Tensions rose after both teams received a penalty after there was some shoving four minutes in. Maine fifth-year Abby Latorella hit Pietersen after the whistle and Mattivi shoved her; both players were sent to the box. Even four-on-four play continued after and Boston’s offensive aggression picked up. 

Martin scored a second goal after she brought the puck from center ice and tipped it into the lower left corner of the goal with less than three minutes in the game. Maine pulled Bachetti to play with an empty net in hopes of bringing the game into overtime. 

The Black Bears made a few shots on the net, and as the seconds dwindled, struggled to get past Pietersen. Junior forward Mira Seregély slapped the puck toward the lower right corner, but the tip of Pietersen’s leg pad blocked the shot and gave BU the win. 

The Terriers bring their record over 0.500 and will move on to play the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. at Walter Brown Arena. With two games left before the Beanpot, BU should look to bolster their offensive strength and complement their defense to dominate the entire game. 

“I think [we] were a little sloppy coming off from break, but I’m proud of what we did today and looking forward to the second half,” Martin said.