GOAL BY GOAL: BC Women’s Hockey Clinches Hockey East Regular Season Title With 3-2 Win Over Providence

It was a big day for Boston College Women’s Hockey at Providence College’s Schneider Arena.

Not only did the Eagles come away with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Friars, but BC clinched their fifth consecutive Hockey East regular season title, and Katie Burt became the all-time winningest goaltender in the history of women’s college hockey.

Big things all around for the Eagles!

Boston College Goal #1 (PPG): 1:48 of the 2nd period
Caitrin Lonergan (Serena Sommerfield, Caroline Ross)

BC 1, PC 0

Saturday’s first period played out exactly like the opening period from Friday’s matchup — it was a defensive slog. That’s not the worst thing for the Eagles, as it at least meant they weren’t giving up goals.

The second period wasn’t too far off from yesterday, either, to the benefit of the Eagles.

Caitrin Lonergan started the party for BC on the power play right at the beginning of the period. The Eagles have some good puck movement leading up to the goal, with Ross and Sommerfield sending the puck around the perimeter. But from there, BC gets creative — instead of passing back to the center point, Sommerfield finds Lonergan coming in across the high slot, where the Friars left a ton of space. Lonergan fills that space and fires off the shot while skating laterally across the top of the slot for the goal.

Boston College Goal #2 (SHG): 4:28 of the 2nd period
Daryl Watts (Unassisted)

BC 2, PC 0

You would think Daryl Watts would score a garden-variety goal one of these games, but this was not that game. Watts gathers in the Providence turnover in the neutral zone and just goes to work.

With a Friar diving in front of her, Watts shoots an absolute lightning bolt into the top corner of the pipe for yet another highlight reel goal in a season full of highlight reel goals. That put the Eagles up 2-0 after 2 periods, and BC might have had that trophy in their sights just a little early...

Providence College Goal #1 (SHG): 0:17 of the 3rd period
Christina Putigna (Unassisted)

BC 2, PC 1

Just seconds into the third period, Providence started mounting a comeback. Christina Putigna harassed the BC defender enough to disrupt the play before pulling off the quick lift of the stick from behind to come in on Katie Burt all alone. Burt had been sensational all night, but sometimes great players just make great plays.

Putigna goes forehand to backhand for the shorthanded goal, and it’s 2-1 BC.

Providence College Goal #2 (PPG): 9:58 of the 3rd period
Chloe Gonsalves (Blair Parent, Maureen Murphy)

BC 2, PC 2

Midway through the period, it was the penalty bug that bit the Eagles one too many times. The Eagles managed kill off a lengthy 5 on 3, but the last few seconds of the residual 5 on 4 saw a shot from Chloe Gonsalves find a lane all the way through several bodies worth of traffic to the back of the net.

After being in control for the entire game, the Eagles found themselves all tied up with 10 minutes left in regulation.

But remember what we said about great players making great plays?

Boston College Goal #3 (PPG, GWG): 16:27 of the 3rd period
Daryl Watts (Toni Ann Miano, Kenzie Kent)

BC 3, PC 2 — FINAL

Hello great player, hello great play. The Eagles went on a power play of their own with just a few minutes left in the game and sent out one of the most talented units in the country.

Caitrin Lonergan, Daryl Watts, Makenna Newkirk, Kenzie Kent, and Toni Ann Miano — who combined are 4 of the top 12 scorers in the country, plus Kenzie Freaking Kent — put a jolt into the Eagles and gave them the win. Miano and Kent combine to keep the puck in the offensive end, and they immediately press toward the net. Miano skates into a pretty good scoring area of her own, but she dishes over to Watts who’s ready and waiting for a one-timer.

Watts does not miss. She finds the opening with the slapshot, sending the BC fans home happy with the win. Including me!

This was a big weekend for the Eagles, even aside from locking up the Hockey East regular season title. The sweep of the 10th ranked Friars has BC up to 3rd in the Pairwise — important for avoiding Wisconsin in the NCAA semifinals, should BC advance to that point — with the Beanpot, and another trophy opportunity, coming up next.