Filling in for a voiceless head coach Tara Watchorn during her midweek media call, assistant coach Megan Myers acknowledged players needed to step up in the absence of seniors Luisa and Lilli Welcke.
After being swept by Vermont at home just two weeks ago, BU responded with a sweep of its own against Merrimack. Myers said that the players stepped up as the Welckes got settled in Italy to represent Germany in the Olympic Games.
With the chance to avenge the two losses to the Catamounts — again shorthanded — this time at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vt., the Terriers (9-16-3, 7-10-2 Hockey East) failed to step up, falling 3-0 in a lackluster effort.
“It wasn’t our night — that’s for sure,” a hoarse Watchorn said on a postgame call. “They’re a tough team to play against, especially when we’re on the road.”
Before BU could even settle in against Vermont (13-14-4, 7-9-3 HE) on Thursday evening, the puck was in the back of the Terriers’ net. Junior Lauren O’Hara opened the scoring just 10 seconds into regulation.
After winning the opening face-off, junior Kaylee Lewis fired a shot wide that careened to the far corner of the ice. From below the right circle, O’Hara one-timed the puck past junior Mari Pietersen.
The Catamounts earned a power play when junior Greta Henderson was called for holding at 11:49 of the first. But it was shorthanded BU that had the best look on the Vermont power play.
Senior Sydney Healey collected a rebound in front of Pietersen and wheeled up the ice, creating a 2-on-1 with sophomore Kaileigh Quigg. Set up by Healey, Quigg fired the shot wide.
The Terriers created very little offense Thursday, tallying only 18 shots on goal in the contest. Watchorn said BU wasn’t able to forecheck effectively and stack shifts.
“They’re a fast physical team, and you feel them,” she said. “They were really able to hem us in at times.”
Sophomore Lola Reid drew two penalties in the first half of the second period — a hooking call followed by an interference — giving BU two chances on the player advantage to get on the board.
Down two of its most dangerous offensive players in the Welckes, the Terriers’ power play continued to struggle, failing to convert on all four opportunities.
“A little disappointed,” Watchorn said of the power play. “We talked about some different strategies that they were executing in practice and they got away from it today.”
Worse off for BU, the Catamounts doubled their lead shorthanded at 8:32 of the second period. Senior Maeve Carey had the puck poked away from her behind the net by junior Stella Retrum, and after her initial attempt on goal was saved by Pietersen, Retrum backhanded one home to put the Terriers down 2-0.
BU lacked a sense of urgency entering the third period down two goals, and Vermont extended its lead to 3-0 at 4:29. Junior Kaylee Lewis received a pass as she entered the offensive zone and, with no Terrier defender in sight, fired a short-side wrist shot that beat Pietersen, who made 20 saves on 23 shots.
In a period in which BU generated few quality chances, Reid had the team’s best look, breaking free on a breakaway after receiving a pass from freshman Lexie Bertelsen. Her shot was easily corralled by first-year netminder Lily Prendergast with under five minutes to play. Prendergast stopped all 18 shots she faced.
It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Terriers, who’ll travel back home to face Maine on Saturday. For BU, it’s about getting back to the fundamentals.
“It was a really good week of practice, all things considered, and we’re executing at a really high level, I felt, so it’s not getting away from our habits,” Watchorn said.
