Cristina Romano
In interviews leading up to Boston University women’s ice hockey’s season-opening series against No. 3 Minnesota, head coach Tara Watchorn emphasized one question above all: “How do we define success?”
For this Terrier team, success goes beyond the scoreboard — and this weekend proved it.
BU executed with precision and confidence. Was it flawless? No. But perfection isn’t the benchmark this early in the season.
Minnesota entered with two more games under its belt, and a roster stacked with veteran talent. Yet the Terriers held their own, edging the Gophers in the opening two periods of tonight’s game.
That kind of performance signals promise. BU didn’t just compete — it contended. That’s the perfect foundation to build on.
In Saturday afternoon’s 5-2 loss, much of BU’s momentum came from the assertiveness it played with early on. This shined on the penalty kill. In the first frame, BU was called for back-to-back penalties.
In Friday’s first period, starting center Lilli Welcke was assessed a major penalty and issued a game misconduct, forcing her early exit. Prior to the call, BU controlled the pace, dominating offensive zone time and setting the tone. Following Welcke’s removal, the Terriers’ offensive rhythm began to fade. While they didn’t lose complete control, the energy noticeably dipped, and so did their sustained pressure.
Tonight, BU absorbed the pressure of consecutive penalties and came out sharper, not shaken.
“We’re settling in,” Watchorn said of the penalty kill’s performance. “I’m excited to have some more time to really chip away at it and build it over the season.”
The Terriers’ second line delivered both goals after a scoreless outing the night before.
Last season’s leading goal scorer and now assistant captain, Sydney Healey, broke BU’s scoring drought with a crisp wrister, the first of the afternoon for BU. Healey generated multiple quality attempts throughout the game, alongside her freshman linemate Anežka Čabelová, who also scored her first collegiate goal.
“She’s always one of the first people in the gym. She’s always doing the extra work,” Healey said of Čabelová. “So to see her get that goal — she’s been working for it.”
The newcomers are quickly syncing with the rest of the team. Čabelová, alongside freshmen Lexi Bertelsen and Lucy Thiessen, led a two-way charge. Čabelová was gritty in the neutral zone, unafraid to insert herself physically. Bertelsen was fast in transition, clearing the puck for BU cleanly, and Thiessen was bold in her shot attempts, consistently open at the top of the circle, ripping one-timers.
All of them are offering an early answer to concerns about BU’s thin returning defensive core.
It may have been a two-goal night, but BU was not short on chances. Through two periods, the Terriers kept pace in shots on goal and dictated stretches of play, specifically in the second. The final frame saw a dip, but the early offensive rhythm showed promise.
Goaltender Michelle Paseichnyk anchored BU’s defense. Before taking a year off the ice, her second-to-last collegiate appearance was a marathon NCAA quarterfinal against Minnesota, which ended in a quadruple overtime win for her former team, Clarkson.
She made some late-game mistakes, but expecting her to instantly match the level she left off at is not a fair measure of her ability as a goaltender.
Pasiechnyk turned aside multiple breakaway chances from the Gophers and displayed smart rebound control throughout. If her performance tonight is any indication of what’s ahead, BU is not just gaining depth in net, it’s gaining confidence in a second goaltender capable of delivering.
BU’s grip on the game slipped away in the third frame — largely due to their inability to crack Minnesota captain forward Abbey Murphy.
Murphy recorded a hat trick, and BU had no answer for her speed and relentless pressure. Through just four games, she has already posted a staggering 9-6-15 stat line.
When asked about BU’s trouble to defend Murphy, Watchorn said, “I might plead the fifth on that one,” and did not answer any more questions on the player.
Had Murphy been neutralized, the outcome might have looked very different for BU.
Watchorn acknowledged the team’s late-game lapse, framing it as a chance for growth and an early step towards the team solidifying their identity.
“When they tied it up, we struggled to answer,” Watchorn said. “I think we’re gonna figure that out internally within the group, in terms of how that got to us, and we’ll go from there.”
Looking back to last season, when the Terriers kept things tighter on the scoreboard, this weekend’s series marks a benchmark for the program.
Yes, BU came up short, but not without a fight. Compared to last season’s matchup, this was a strong, more cohesive showing.
BU women’s hockey is not just hanging on, it’s building momentum. If the Terriers can carry the same resilience, grit and pace into conference play, they won’t just compete. They will threaten.
With a young core already clicking and veterans stepping into leadership roles, the pieces are falling into place.
“We have 10 new players on our team, and I think that you wouldn’t have thought that watching us play,” Healey said.
