Women’s Hockey: Shanahan’s stellar night sends Terriers past Providence

Featured image by Joe Eachus

By Haydee Cepeda

Boston University Women’s Ice Hockey (7-3-0, 5-1-0 HEA) returned to Hockey East play with a 5-1 win in the first game in a home-and-home series against the Providence College Friars (5-4-0, 2-3-0 HEA) at Agganis Arena on Friday. 

A much closer game than the final score indicated, BU was outshot 33-27, but goaltender Callie Shanahan had yet another stellar outing, turning aside 33 of 34 shots to raise her season save percentage to .962, good for second in the country.

“We’re still growing,” coach Tara Watchorn said. “I feel great about the identity that we’ve had to solidify through preseason, but now it’s still finding ways to make sure you don’t lose sight of that with external distractions and pressures.”

Clara Yuhn was penalized for tripping less than two minutes into the game, but despite the power play in the Friars’ favor, senior goalkeeper Callie Shanahan stayed firm and was able to stand tall early.

Still in power play, the Terriers proved themselves capable of scoring while being shorthanded. Following a turnover of the puck that resulted in it being rapidly sent down the ice, sophomore Neely Nicholson scored her first goal of the season assisted by sophomore Alex Law.

“With her speed [Law] can create transition,” Watchorn said. “She can be first on loose pucks and opportunistic pucks and be able to skate 200 feet as a center man as well. So, definitely nice to see her settle in a little bit more today.” 

The Terriers doubled their lead off a rebound goal from Riley Walsh, tapping home a second effort off senior Ani FitzGerald’s initial shot that was turned aside by Providence’s Hope Walinski.

The first period continued with efforts from both the Terriers and Friars to score, but both goalkeepers were able to defend and the score remained 2-0. 

Offense and defense strengthened as the second period began. 

Junior Luisa Welcke was penalized for hooking, but the Terriers’ top-tier penalty kill did their job yet again.. Shanahan remained as collected as before, blocking all of the Friars’ attempted shots through the power play.

Further solidifying the Terriers’ lead, Julia Shaunessy carried the puck back to the blue line, fired a wrister, and found Clara Yuhn’s stick for a tip-in,  Yuhn’s fourth of the season.

“I think our team’s in a really good spot right now,” Yuhn said. “With just learning and growing and not being complacent with how we’re playing, and finding a way to be better, because we know that we want to win championships.”

The final period was the most intense. Both teams played fervently, with the Terriers eager to stay in the lead and the Friars desperate for a goal. 

The game went into a BU power play following a penalty on Providence junior Reichen Kirchmair, but the Terriers were unable to score on the shorthanded Friars and a stellar Walinski. 

While keeping the Terriers from scoring, the Friars’ desperate efforts allowed them to score just minutes before the end of the game. Sophomore Dylan Berman passed the puck to Kirchmair from a faceoff circle and she was able to score over Shanahan.

Shortly after, with the Friars opting for an empty net with four minutes to go, BU senior Christina Vote brought the puck to the offensive zone from the neutral zone and passed it to FitzGerald, who scored her second goal of the season.

FitzGerald kept it up just moments later, taking the puck from the Friars and passing it to Reid, allowing her to score the last goal of the game to the Friars’ empty net from the neutral zone.

The Terriers hope to take down the Friars again at Providence on Nov. 2. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. at Schneider Arena, with streaming available on ESPN+.