They called it the “Dorm Storm.”
They knocked on doors, armed with free tickets. They handed out flyers so the recipient wouldn’t forget. They offered slices of Domino’s Pizza in the elevators. And eventually, Boston University women’s hockey made it down to the dining hall.
“BU VS. BC, FRIDAY NIGHT AT AGGANIS,” the group shouted, tickets, flyers and pizza in hand.
To be fair, assistant captain Julia Shaunessy had said a few days prior that “BC’s a weekend everyone gets excited for.”All of that wasn’t what came to mind, but this is the Battle of Comm. Ave. The gloves come off.
And this one’s an enormous Battle of Comm. Ave, at that.
Because neither BU or BC has lost a game in over a month. Both are nationally ranked (BU No. 14, BC No. 11), simultaneously, for the first time in forever. Both are near or at the top of the Hockey East standings (BU’s in first; BC third). And now, both seek a ratifying win — or a deflating blow — against the team from down the road.
Yeah. Pretty good time to storm the dorms.
Especially on BU’s side of things. The Terriers’ runaway start to the season (9-3-1, 7-1-1 HE) is still pretty difficult to believe. It’s their fastest in over a decade, and it’s from a team that exited the Hockey East tournament in the first round last year and was then ravaged by the portal in the offseason.
But they’re here, awaiting their highest-ranked opponent since their undefeated streak began. Game One is on Friday at 6 p.m. at Agganis Arena; Game Two on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Conte Forum.
It’s the Terriers’ biggest test yet, and it’s against their very biggest rival.
“Kind of works out nicely, doesn’t it?” BU head coach Tara Watchorn said Wednesday on her midweek video call.
Scouting the Eagles
“Yep,” Watchorn said, “they definitely have firepower.”
The headliner is reigning Hockey East Rookie of the Year Sammy Taber (five goals, nine assists), who’s scored seven points in the last three games, but senior captain Abby Newhook (five goals, seven assists) is red hot, too. Graduate captain Gaby Roy and freshman Lauren Glaser (Shattuck-St. Mary’s) complete a group of forwards with reliable experience and exciting youth.
“If you make mistakes and give them chances off the rush, they’re probably going to make you pay for it,” Watchorn said.
Yet on paper, the Eagles (8-3, 5-1 HE) are nearly identical to the Terriers in offensive output. Goals per game and shot-to-goal ratio are each within a few percentage points, and the two team’s power-play percentages are exactly the same (.182). The only meaningful statistical difference is at the other end of the ice, where BU is allowing 1.7 goals a game and BC is surrendering 2.7 (the Terriers’ penalty kill is fourth-best in the nation, while the Eagles’ kill is 23rd).
But overall, these are two remarkably even teams.
An uncharacteristic collapse
BU senior netminder Callie Shanahan entered last weekend’s series with Merrimack boasting a .956 save percentage, the highest in Hockey East and fourth-highest in the country. She looked her normal self in North Andover in the first game, allowing one goal on 16 shots.
Then she allowed three on eight the next day.
“We had a good laugh about it,” Watchorn said. “She’s bailed us out of our fair share, and we need to support her, too.”
She said Shanahan has a “great relationship” with goalies coach Bret Gilmour, with whom she has an individual, on-ice session every week to “debrief and hash it out.” As for Watchorn’s own role, she said it’s making sure Shanahan knows her head coach still believes in her, win or loss.
“No doubt she’s gonna bounce back,” Watchorn concluded.
The balloon didn’t pop
Watchorn had to preface the statement.
“This is going to sound crazy,” she told her team in the locker room last Saturday at Agganis Arena.
The first-place team in Hockey East had just tied with the last-place team, at home. BU had outshot Merrimack 41-8. Coming in, the Terriers had outscored the Warriors 12-2 in their first two meetings of the year. Then, out of nowhere, a tie, for a team still trying to prove it’s for real. There’s your context.
“I might be, right now, in this moment, the most proud of our group,” Watchorn told the room. “You should be damn proud about how you were present, how you were in the moment and solved problems.”
Really. After a tie with Merrimack?
“Those games are so easy to get frustrated in,” Watchorn said Wednesday. “And I think it was important to highlight the consistent professionalism they showed. No one tried to do too much. No one tried to think they had to be the hero. They finally committed to how we change [shifts] appropriately, even in a moment like that. There was just so much good.”
Professionalism has been a buzzword for Watchorn and BU all season. The Terriers still held on for a shootout win and the extra Hockey East point.
“It’s easier to do when you’re winning,” Watchorn said. “It’s easier to do that against teams that are tougher, your Providences, your Minnesotas.”
Your Boston Colleges, too.
Recent Comments