With 19 seconds on the clock, the Terriers got one more faceoff in their offensive zone with a chance to win the game in regulation. Five minutes before that, the Northeastern Huskies, who were down 1-0 since early in the second, evened the score.
The approach, BU head coach Tara Watchorn said, going into that final play: “let’s get the win.”
Senior forward Catherine Foulem won the faceoff for the Terriers, BU got two shots off but both were blocked by junior Northeastern defender Tory Mariano, and the game went to overtime.
Four minutes into overtime, junior Northeastern forward Skylar Irving scored, giving the Huskies their tenth straight win over the Terriers.
“I think this group’s still learning how to win,” Watchorn said following the 2-1 loss.
Despite leading shots on goal, holding a lead for nearly half the game and stellar play from their netminder graduate Alexa Matses, the Terriers still found a way to lose to Northeastern.
“As much as it is like the on-ice component and how we’re playing, it’s a mentality and an inner confidence and a belief and I think we’re still seeing that fight. We’re fighting ourselves a little bit,” Watchorn said.
BU’s biggest impact player was inarguably Matses, with 21 saves in Friday’s loss.
“It’s really cool to watch her come into her own, we always say [Matses] is the best kept secret in college hockey,” Watchorn said.
Matses, who played in her ninth start for BU Friday, has become a defacto go-to netminder for the Terriers as they approach the end of the first half.
When asked if Matses had become the team’s go-to starter Watchorn said “she’s put herself in the conversation for every game the way she’s playing, it’s hard not to consider that when you watch what she’s doing on the ice.”
BU played an unexciting offensive game in the first period, nearly every breakaway attempt in transition got clogged up by the Huskies, and most pass attempts ending up going back to Northeastern.
The Terriers started building momentum offensively in the beginning of the second period, outshooting Northeastern 2-1 to begin the period.
That momentum swing led to BU taking a 1-0 lead off a goal from sophomore forward Clara Yuhn eight minutes into the period.
Senior forward Lacey Martin started the play, getting the puck from Alex Law at center ice. Martin skated to the right circle before dishing it over to the left where a crashing Yuhn snapped it past Gwyneth Phillips.
“Clara shot off the pass there, which, I mean, if Clara shoots off the pass, I don’t know many goalies that are going to stop that puck,” Watchorn said.
The Terriers had some opportunities to add the score late third period, desperately trying to pad the lead. One sequence past the halfway point of the third saw BU get four shots off in thirty seconds.
However, freshman Husky forward Ella Blackmore tied it up for Northeastern with less than five minutes left in the third period.
Blackmore got the puck from sophomore defender Kristina Allard above the right circle. Blackmore then crept up towards Matses, while BU’s skaters gingerly trailed behind her, and easily tapped the goal past the reach of Matses’ glove.
The Huskies remained an aggressor on the offensive end for the remainder of regulation, outshooting BU 7-5 in the minutes following their game-tying goal, but it wasn’t enough to grab a lead.
Both teams stayed tight through most of overtime, with shots even at 2-2 before Northeastern’s game winner.
On the final play, Skylar Irving drove the length of the ice before dishing to graduate Northeastern forward Peyton Anderson. Anderson passed it back to Irving who shot in the top right corner to seal the vicotry.
The win for Northeastern (11-8-0, 7-6-0 Hockey East) gives them a sweep against BU (6-8-1, 4-6-0 HE) in the season series.
The Terriers opened their season with two losses against the Huskies. Despite surrendering the same outcome to the Huskies on Friday, Watchorn felt the team had grown a lot since that opening series.
“I think we’re getting more mature and professional and how we approach every game. I know they’re really excited for a game like Northeastern, but I think they’re learning how to be more consistent in their approach,” Watchorn said.
The Terriers will next take on Providence Friars in Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 3.p.m. and the Boston Hockey Blog will have full coverage so be sure to follow along on Twitter (X) @BOShockeyblog and Instagram @boston.hockey.blog.
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