Women’s Hockey: Terriers Advance To Beanpot Final In Overtime Victory Over Northeastern
Featured Image by Kate Kotlyar
By Ethan Pott
Boston University Women’s Ice Hockey (7-11-3, 5-6-2 HEA) defeated the Northeastern University Huskies (16-6-0, 12-1-0 HEA) at Walter Brown Arena on Tuesday to advance to the Women’s Beanpot final.
The tight tilt was mainly a defensive and goaltending battle, with the score 1-1 until the overtime period. In the end, senior defender Maeve Carey sent the Huskies home with an overtime goal, her first goal of the year.
The win was BU’s second over a ranked opponent this season, with Northeastern ranked No. 7 nationally. But that did not matter for the Terriers, who took revenge on the team that had beaten them in two previous matchups.
“We approach every game the same, so we were just going to stick to our game plan and play,” Carey said.
“They’re a fast team, and I think our group did a really good job respecting that,” BU Head Coach Tara Watchorn said. “As soon as you transition the puck, as soon as you get possession, you’ve got to get to the middle of the ice and respect their speed,” Watchorn said.
The matchup felt more like an away game for BU, thanks to Northeastern’s early spring-semester start date driving a strong student-section turnout. The Husky crowd’s chants filled Walter Brown Arena all night, despite the BU Band’s best efforts.
Northeastern went on the power play less than a minute into the game as BU senior defender Maeve Kelly went to the penalty box for interference. The Terriers’ penalty-kill unit turned away three shots by the Huskies.
After a quick entry into the Northeastern zone, freshman forward Lexie Bertelsen put BU up 1-0. Bertelsen showed skillful puck control as she dodged around Husky sophomore goaltender Lisa Jönsson’s pad-save attempt, forcing the puck through the crease and into the corner of the Northeastern net for her second goal of the season.
The Huskies knotted the score at 1-1 just over halfway through the first as senior forward Lily Shannon redirected a centering pass from senior defender Kristina Allard over Terrier junior netminder Mari Pietersen’s right shoulder.
BU took its second penalty of the game again on interference, this time assessed to junior defender Ella Belfry. Northeastern failed to generate significant momentum and promptly found itself down a player as the referees sent graduate student forward Jaden Bogden to the box for cross-checking. The Huskies neutralized the Terriers’ power play, stealing the puck each time BU advanced.
The middle frame was scoreless but not uneventful. Momentum was slightly in favor of Northeastern. Both teams generated chances, including several at point-blank range, though the Huskies’ were generally more dangerous. Pietersen made 12 saves to Jönsson’s 10.
BU went on the power play again with a minute remaining in the period as Shannon was called for interference. The Terriers gave up a shorthanded 2-on-1 opportunity, but Northeastern sophomore forward Élose Caron’s shot missed high and wide. BU did not convert.
Though the third was similarly scoreless, it was not for a lack of chances. The Huskies had most of the momentum, but Pietersen repeatedly came up with skillful saves to keep the Terriers in it.
“Mari gave us a chance to win,” Watchorn said.
Almost halfway through the third, BU senior left wing Sydney Healey fired a shot at the open left side of Northeastern’s net on a dangerous chance, but the puck bounced perpendicularly to the goal line before the Huskies’ defense cleared.
A minute later, the Terriers had another high-danger scoring opportunity with numbers in front of the Northeastern goal. Jönsson, dislodged from her net, leapt onto and smothered the puck in front of the BU attackers.
Husky junior center Allie Lalonde delivered a big hit to two Terriers simultaneously to generate a brief breakaway, but Pietersen saved her shot near the crossbar. Carey racked up a hit of her own behind the Terriers’ net, prompting shouts of disapproval from the Northeastern crowd. The final minutes of regulation passed and overtime commenced.
BU won the opening faceoff and recorded a shot on goal, but Husky senior defender Jules Constantinople captured the rebound, drove up the ice and shot it directly into Pietersen.
Shortly thereafter, the Terriers went on an overtime power play as Bogden was called for slashing, infuriating the Northeastern students.
Overtime ended as soon as it began. Carey got the puck and sniped it past Jönsson, electrifying the Terrier fans in the arena.
“I had a really good screen in front by [sophomore forward Kaileigh] Quigg, and [Sydney Healey] was sitting there backdoor,” Carey said. “I was in shock. I took a second, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, we just won.’”
“[It’s] one of the most proud moments I’ve had [as a coach],” BU Head Coach Tara Watchorn said. “The way they took over, professional, composed, patient leaders all across, up and down the bench.”
The Terriers will move on to face the Harvard Crimson, who won the earlier matchup at Walter Brown Arena, defeating Boston College 2-1. They will have the opportunity to capture the third Women’s Beanpot title in program history.
“There aren’t a lot of Beanpot titles to our name,” Watchorn said. “Another opportunity to go for the trophy is really special.”
BU last played the Crimson on Jan. 3 in a 3-2 win, also in the title game of a tournament, when the Terriers clinched the 2026 Friendship Four title in Northern Ireland.
The Terriers will next play the Holy Cross Crusaders on Jan. 17, followed by the Women’s Beanpot final on Jan. 20. Streaming for both games will be available on ESPN+.