Don’t look now, but Boston College Women’s Hockey has themselves a pretty nice little winning streak going at the best possible time. Win number four in a row came on Friday evening against the surging UConn Huskies, who were sitting just barely outside of the top 10 in the polls coming into the weekend. The Eagles came from behind to get the W with three third period goals to earn the 3-1 victory in Storrs, CT.
Friday’s win was pretty different from Tuesday’s over Providence. On Tuesday, BC managed to outshoot the Friars and saw their top line take control of the game. But Friday, as we’ve seen plenty this season, was the Abbey Levy show. The senior transfer had possibly her best game of the entire season in goal, flashing the pads on some huge saves to keep the game scoreless for the bulk of the contest.
Despite UConn outshooting the Eagles pretty handily, Boston College did have their opportunities — in particular the new top line, which had their chances but couldn’t quite hit the back of the net. But with neither team able to break the stalemate in the first two periods, the Hockey East referees took things into their own hands and intervened to get things moving.
This was called a penalty last night in the @BC_WHockey vs. UConn game lol pic.twitter.com/2QWbyXjMzq
— Grant Salzano (@Salzano14) January 30, 2022
This very bad penalty call put the Huskies on the power play, and they would use it to get the scoring started.
UConn Goal #1 (PPG): 4:38 of the 3rd period
Viki Harkness (Summer-Rae Dobson, Natalie Snodgrass)
UC 1, BC 0
You’d have loved to see a “ball don’t lie” moment with BC getting a shorthanded goal or something on this call, but alas. The Eagles couldn’t get a clearance, and UConn used some great puck movement to get the net open to finally beat Levy. That was about the only way they were going to beat her on the night, and it was the only time they would.
Boston College Goal #1: 7:15 of the 3rd period
Caroline Goffredo (Gaby Roy, Willow Corson)
BC 1, UC 1
There were a couple ways this game could have gone after an obnoxious penalty call changed the trajectory of the contest, and it was nice to see it light a fire under the BC bench. The Eagles immediately responded with a goal of their own thanks in part to a UConn turnover, but BC earned the goal by winning the battle in front of the net. Caroline Goffredo found the puck in the end and put it back home, tying the game at 1-1.
Boston College Goal #2 (GWG): 8:39 of the 3rd period
Natalie Tulchinsky (Olivia Finocchiaro, Sidney Fess)
BC 2, UC 1
But BC wasn’t done! Just a minute and change later, BC scored a nice one on a very satisfying wrist shot from Olivia Finicchiaro that was tipped on its way through by Natalie Tulchinsky. It started with the Eagles winning another puck battle in the corner before cycling the puck to the top of the slot for the goal.
All of a sudden the Eagles had their first lead of the night, and they’d get the empty netter to seal the deal with about a minute to play.
Boston College Goal #3 (ENG): 19:06.1 of the 3rd period
Abby Newhook (Hannah Bilka, Alexie Guay)
BC 3, UC 1 — FINAL
The top line finally got one, and Boston College would close the game out from there.
This was Boston College’s toughest opponent they’ve defeated this season, and it gives them some real momentum going into some huge games. Sunday afternoon is the Battle of Comm Ave with Boston University, and the Eagles would just love to enter Beanpot Tuesday with a five game winning streak. Puck drop against the Terriers is at 1:00pm Sunday afternoon.