Boston College Women’s Hockey just keeps marching on.
Friday afternoon, the Eagles once again took care of business against a team in the bottom half of the league. On a night where several top ranked teams stumbled, BC is probably pretty content with being able to kick their feet up and coast to a 5-1 win against Holy Cross.
Most notably, the Eagles went the entire game without taking a penalty for the first time in nearly five years. More on that later.
Boston College Goal #1: 4:17 of the 1st period
Kelly Browne (Delaney Belinskas, Hadley Hartmetz)
BC 1, HC 0
BC made this one a pretty stress-free affair by getting on the scoreboard nice and early. Kelly Browne, the team leader in assists while somehow having zero goals to this point, put an end to the her goalless streak with authority with a snipe from the faceoff dot.
But the scoring chance was created thanks to Belinskas getting a clean steal off the Holy Cross player and tapping the puck to the open Browne. Holy Cross’ goaltender Jada Brenon barely even got a chance to flinch on the shot, and it’s 1-0 BC early.
Boston College Goal #2 (GWG): 4:41 of the 1st period
Hannah Bilka (Kelly Browne, Olivia Finocchiaro)
BC 2, HC 0
Just seconds later, the Eagles effectively wrapped the game up inside the opening five minutes.
It’s not all that different of a play. BC gets a steal, the shooter lines it up glove side, and just rifles the puck through Brenon. Perhaps the Crusader ‘tender could have held the post just a bit better, but that’s a well-earned goal on a hell of a shot for Guay’s first career goal.
Boston College Goal #3: 9:18 of the 2nd period
Alexie Guay (Lindsay Agnew)
BC 3, HC 0
So many of these goals are just a result of Holy Cross getting outclassed by a far more skilled BC team. The Eagles feasted all afternoon by forcing turnovers and skating around Crusaders in open ice, and that’s on display here for goal number three.
It’s a steal at center ice from Bilka, a quick three on two, and a slick one timer from Agnew to Guay result in a sweet BC tally to make it 3-0.
This goal was reviewed for an excessive amount of time for goaltender interference, with the explanation being that there was no behind- or above-the-goal camera angle available. Yours truly could have given them a pretty definitive angle, though — there was a bit of a tangle of legs, but the leg in the crease actually belonged to a Holy Cross player. Norcross was well out of the crease throughout the duration of the play.
This was good pic.twitter.com/uU4CTISCEg
— Grant Salzano (@Salzano14) October 25, 2019
In any case, four hours later when the review ended, the goal stood, and it was 3-0 BC.
Holy Cross Goal #1: 9:45 of the 2nd period
Sommer Ross (Rachel Moore, Hannah Gillis)
BC 3, HC 1
The Eagles did get a little complacent, though. A few seconds after BC’s third, Holy Cross responded with their second-ever goal against the Eagles on one Maddy McArthur would probably tell you she’d want back.
It’s just a soft low shot from above the slot, and McArthur reacts like she either isn’t expecting the shot to be taken or just that she doesn’t see it initially. It looks at first like former Eagle Rachel Moore may have gotten a tip on it — but it appears that the puck just slips in untouched.
That was all the Crusaders would get, though, as BC would tighten things up after that.
Boston College Goal #4: 12:06 of the 2nd period
Savannah Norcross (Lindsay Agnew, Cayla Barnes)
BC 4, HC 1
BC has gotten their share of greasy goals and Norcross earns one here. Holy Cross is a bit unlucky here, because while the Crusader defender has Agnew boxed out and behind the net, the BC forward still has her stick up in front of the goal line.
Barnes’ shot wide looks like it might be targeting Agnew’s stick, and it really couldn’t work out better for BC. Agnew bounces the puck right back across the crease, Norcross is left unattended on the other side thanks to the defender taking a tumble after a collision, and it’s an easy tally for Norcross to collect her 5th of the season.
Boston College Goal #5: 5:51 of the 3rd period
Willow Corson (Hadley Hartmetz, Bridget McCarthy)
BC 5, HC 1 — FINAL
It was time for the fourth line to run the show in the final period, and they were able to get their first goal of the year.
Star freshman defender Hadley Hartmetz uses some really sharp stickwork to dance around the Holy Cross pressure and she’s walks into space. She’s got a target on the far side of the net in Willow Corson, and the puck goes in off her leg for the goal. It was clear that there was no kicking motion, and the goal stood without a review.
The dork behind the net (me) was very excited to see Corson get her first goal in nearly two years.
As the clock ticked down, thoughts turned to the stunning fact that not only had team penalty minutes leader Erin Connolly stayed away from of the watchful eyes of the referees, but the entire team had done so as well. No one could quite remember when the last time that this penalty-prone team had stayed out of the box, and it took a bit of research to find out:
Today's game was the first since February 28th, 2015 against Providence that @BC_WHockey did not take a single penalty https://t.co/oeiDrlYUuG
— Grant Salzano (@Salzano14) October 25, 2019
The Eagles turn their attention to the Maine Black Bears Saturday at 4pm for what will likely be a tougher test. NESNplus has the game this afternoon, so be sure to throw the game on while waiting for BC Football to kick off against Clemson!