Coming hot off an overtime thriller over Harvard in the Beanpot semifinal last Tuesday, the Boston University women’s hockey team will face Northeastern, which is looking to hoist the trophy for the third-straight tournament.
But before the Terriers (14-6-1, 11-3-1 Hockey East) can fight for their first Beanpot championship win since 2019, they’ll head to Durham on a short turnaround between tournament games to face the University of New Hampshire in a matinee game on Saturday.
BU split the series against its conference opponent in Vermont, while UNH (11-11-1, 7-9-0 HEA) is coming off a win over Merrimack last weekend.
Puck drop is set for 1 p.m. Here’s what you need to know.
Riding Beanpot momentum
This is a game that could be easily overlooked on the schedule with the Beanpot semifinals preceding it and the championship only days later, making it a quirk in the season’s schedule.
Despite the less-than-ideal timing, it is still a conference matchup that could help BU fine-tune what they need to beat out Northeastern for the trophy. The Terriers are coming off a late-game equalizer and an overtime win over a struggling Harvard team (2-14-2).
The Wildcats lost six straight before a 7-1 win over last-place Merrimack on Jan. 10, a victory that may jumpstart better play.
The Terriers need to take advantage of the opportunity this matchup brings.
BU goaltender Callie Shanahan only faced nine shots in her last game, so getting more looks would help her prepare for a likely championship start. Otherwise, Mari Pietersen, who got the nod for the last start against Vermont, will take the net to allow Shanahan to rest and prepare for that high-stakes event.
Maintaining discipline and professionalism
The Terriers’ frustration was visible in their last game against Harvard. It does not necessarily become an issue if it does not lead to penalties — BU only got called for one then — and is instead channeled into heroics, but it cannot carry into the upcoming matchup.
Losing discipline can become a slippery slope in a high-stress point in the season, and the Terriers cannot fall down it now.
The Wildcats, on the other hand, have been landing themselves in the box more often in their last few games, committing at least three in their last seven games. Merrimack, despite their loss, scored two power play goals against the Wildcat penalty kill.
UNH additionally has only scored two power play goals in 20 chances in that same seven-game stretch.
The Terriers can take advantage of the Wildcats’ special teams if they stay disciplined to prevent the conference opponent from bouncing back after a rough stretch.
Scouting the Wildcats
UNH has been middle-of-the-pack in almost every regard.
Sophomore goaltender Sedona Blair has a .925 save percentage, good to be tied with Shanahan for seventh in Hockey East, while taking on a bulk of the starts for the Wildcats with 19.
Their power play stands out slightly more, ranking fourth in the conference at 19.6%. Their 87.3% penalty kill sits at fifth.
Senior forward Kira Juodikis leads the Wildcats in goals (9) and points (15), but the offense has decent depth. Six players have double-digit points, and eight have at least eight.
BU and UNH have gone back-and-forth in their last six matchups, alternating winners dating back to early in the 2022 season. The away team has won in each game of that stretch.
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