Women’s Hockey: Terriers Shut Out by Maine, Extend Scoring Drought

By Ryan Owens

The Boston University women’s ice hockey team (9-17-3, 7-11-2 HEA) was blanked 2-0 by the University of Maine (11-16-3, 7-10-3 HEA) on Saturday evening at Walter Brown Arena.

Maine’s Stephanie Jacob accounted for both goals, and goaltender Kiia Lahtinen stopped all 19 shots she faced to earn the shutout. BU goaltender Michelle Pasiechnyk made 17 saves in the loss.

The defeat extended BU’s scoring drought to six and a half periods. The Terriers have not scored since 10:31 of the third period in their Jan. 31 game against Merrimack.

“It’s not always a science, it’s an art, in terms of getting a group to be able to produce the outcome that you want on the ice,” head coach Tara Watchorn said.

Maine controlled play early, hemming BU in its own end, though senior forward and leading scorer Sydney Healey created a spark midway through the first period with a solo rush that forced a stop from Lahtinen. The Terriers appeared to grab the lead late in the frame when senior forward Kaileigh Quigg knocked the puck through Lahtinen’s pads, but the goal was waved off, sending both teams into the intermission scoreless.

BU opened the second period with momentum and a power play, but penalties on both sides led to 4-on-4 play and then a Maine advantage. The Black Bears capitalized when Jacob fired a shot that hit the post and deflected in at 7:00, giving Maine a 1-0 lead.

Neither team controlled sustained possession for much of the period, though BU weathered heavy pressure late in the frame. Pasiechnyk denied multiple shots through traffic to keep the deficit at one.

The Terriers earned another power play early in the third but failed to convert before taking a penalty of their own. Offense remained hard to come by as both teams pushed for possession, combining for just 30 total shots with 10 minutes remaining.

BU pressed late and pulled Pasiechnyk with 3:30 left, but Jacob sealed the win with an empty-net goal from her own end.

“It’s just the controllables,” Watchorn said of the team’s scoring struggles. “You’ve got to get to the netfront, bury those rebounds, take away the goalie’s eyes — just simplify it. I think if we do that, it’ll come.”

Maine finished 1-for-3 on the power play while BU went 0-for-2.

“There’s still more to go,” Watchorn added. “We had a good conversation in the [locker] room after, and I’m optimistic.”

The Terriers return to Walter Brown Arena on Feb. 13 to host Northeastern. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.