The Boston University women’s hockey team (5-6-1, 4-5-0 Hockey East) is headed south for Thanksgiving to participate in the Smashville Showcase. The round-robin tournament also features Robert Morris University and Minnesota State University.
The Terriers will open the Nashville weekend on Friday with a 5 p.m. puck drop against Robert Morris (7-7-0, 4-2-0 CHA) at Ford Ice Center Bellevue, and close it out Sunday with a 1 p.m. matinee matchup against Minnesota State (3-10-0, 1-9-0 WCHA).
BU is looking to get back in the win column after dropping its last three games. The Terriers fell 3-1 to Harvard on Nov. 14 before losing 5-3 to Boston College on Friday and 2-1 to Providence College on Saturday.
While the team’s offensive production began to spike earlier in the season, the Terriers have scored just five goals in their last three games which has proven to not be enough in or outside of Hockey East. Senior forward and assistant captain Lacey Martin leads BU with 13 points (seven goals, siz assists), but her squad will need more depth scoring for success down the stretch.
Graduate Alexa Matses has gotten the past three starts, seemingly securing the first spot on the goaltender depth chart after she began the season splitting the net with freshman Mari Pietersen. Matses came up big for the Terriers against BC when the defense lapsed, and has posted a 2.86 goals against average and .891 save percentage thus far this season.
The Terriers have the opportunity to secure their first trophy of the season on a big stage against teams that have faced adversity to open their seasons.
Three things to know about Robert Morris:
- RMU is coming off a series split against RIT in which it lost 7-3 in the first game and won 3-2 in the second.
- Graduate Emma Gorski and sophomore Maggie Hatch have been splitting the net this season. Gorski – who transferred to RMU after a four-year stint with Merrimack College – has a 4.28 goals against average and .977 save percentage. Hatch has a 3.18 GAA and .911 SV%
- Freshman forward Alaina Giampietro leads RMU in both goals (7) and points (13). Giampietro has been skating on the first line with freshman Catriona Crarer and junior Madison Primeau.
Three things to know about Minnesota State:
- The Mavericks most recently split their series against Bemidji State, losing 3-2 in overtime the first game and winning 3-2 in overtime the second game.
- Senior forward Jamei Nelson leads the team in goals (8) and points (11). Nelson has been skating with senior Sydney Langseth and graduate Kennedy Bobyck.
- Junior Suzette Faucher and senior Lauren Barbro have been splitting the net this season. Faucher has posted a 3.30 goals against average and .889 save percentage. Barbro has a 3.21 GAA and .887 SV%.
Following the out-of-conference action, the Terriers will have a rematch with Northeastern University on Dec. 1 at Walter Brown Arena. The Boston Hockey Blog will have coverage of the Smashville Showcase so be sure to follow along on Twitter (X) @BOShockeyblog and Instagram @boston.hockey.blog.
Recent Comments