On the heels of two competitive losses, 1-0 and 5-2, to No. 2 Minnesota, the Boston University women’s hockey team (1-2, 1-0 Hockey East) has another steep hill to climb, as it is set to face No. 13 Northeastern.
In Oct. 7’s USCHO Women’s Poll, the Terriers received two votes. Still yet to be ranked in second year head coach Tara Watchorn’s tenure, BU only received votes twice last season, one in the Jan. 22 poll and seven in the Sept. 18 poll.
Watchorn remains pleased with the progress she’s seeing from her group, regardless of the results. She knows her team can compete with the nation’s best.
“[I’m] really excited to see the level we’re capable of playing at,” she said on the Inside BU Hockey Podcast. “We don’t just have Hockey East aspirations, we have national aspirations.”
This weekend’s series against the Huskies is the perfect opportunity for the Terriers to prove that they can accomplish what they’ve set out to.
Friday’s contest is set for 7 p.m. at Matthews Arena, and Saturday’s at 3 p.m. at Agganis Arena. Here’s what you need to know.
Identity?
BU has shown it can score goals in bunches, and it’s also shown that it can lock it down defensively. But the Terriers have yet to do both in the same game against a quality opponent. What does that look like?
“Hybrid of grit and skill,” Watchorn said on Inside BU Hockey. “Playing effective and strong, but professional and creative all at the same time.”
The Terriers seem to be bought in defensively, more so than last season. It was evident in the first game against Minnesota. The team put their bodies on the line, blocking 23 shots. Last season, the team averaged just over seven per game.
The team is also starting to believe in its process, according to Watchorn, after the two-game set in Minneapolis, even if it came away without a win.
“We’re creating an identity, which I feel we didn’t have much of one last year,” Watchorn said.
Goalie tandem it is
After sophomore Mari Pietersen started in the season opener due to senior Callie Shanahan not feeling 100 percent, Watchorn went to Shanahan in the first Minnesota game. In her first start of the season, the senior saved 40 of 41 shots in the 1-0 loss.
“Her time to shine,” Watchorn said postgame of Shanahan’s performance. “She’s put the work in and there was no doubt that she was gonna perform on a big stage like this.”
Watchorn went back to Pietersen for the second game, deciding not to start the hot hand in Shanahan. A puzzling decision from the head coach, but not a surprising one. Pietersen stopped 21 of 26 shots in the 5-2 defeat.
Once again, expect each goalie to see a start this weekend.
Scouting the Huskies
Picked to finish second in Hockey East in the preseason coaches’ poll, Northeastern (2-2, 0-0 HE) faced two stern tests to start the season, splitting series against No. 12 Penn State and No. 10 Quinnipiac.
The Huskies top line of forwards is off to a blistering start through the team’s first four games, combining for 15 points. Senior Skylar Irving, the Huskies point leader last season, has six points (three goals, three assists), freshman Éloïse Caron has five (two goals, three assists) and graduate student Jaden Bogden has four (goal, three assists).
“They’re always such a well-coached team” and they’re “disciplined defensively,” Watchorn said on Inside BU Hockey.
In goal, expect senior Paige Taborski for Northeastern on both Friday and Saturday. She’s filled the massive hole Gwyneth Philips left, posting a .936 save percentage through the first four games of the season, allowing only 1.76 goals against average.
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