BC Women’s Hockey Completes Sweep Of Merrimack With 3-1 Win

The Eagles hoped this weekend against last-place Merrimack would be stress-free, and by and large that’s exactly what they got. After an easy 5-3 win on Friday, Boston College Women’s Hockey closed out the weekend sweep against the Warriors with a 3-1 win at Lawler Rink to improve to 7-3-0 on the season. With ten games in the books, the Eagles are now NCAA Tournament eligible based on this season’s NCAA requirements.

While Friday’s game was pretty uneven — a slow start for BC, followed by a roaring second period and an okay third period — Saturday’s game was pretty consistent. The Eagles didn’t blow the Warriors out of the building, but BC never really let Merrimack threaten. After a few BC penalties, eventually the Eagles found their first goal with under a minute left in the first period from Cayla Barnes to make it 1-0.

The second period was more of the same. A couple BC goals and a couple BC penalties later and it was 3-0 Eagles without Merrimack getting too many opportunities — except perhaps on the power play, though Eagle goaltender Kelly Pickreign was equal to anything the Warriors threw at her.

Merrimack found a goal in the third period to make it at least someone interesting late (especially in conjunction with yet another BC penalty afterward), but 3-1 was as close as they’d be able to make it, and that would be your final.

The hope now over the next week is that BC can get everyone out of COVID protocol. Four skaters and two goaltenders were unable to play this weekend against Merrimack, and while things don’t get much tougher next weekend against Holy Cross, it would be nice to get everyone back to play a couple games before the big home-and-home coming up against Providence.

But for now, the Eagles will rest up for their matchup with the Crusaders next weekend. Puck drop on Friday at Conte Forum is at 2pm before the two teams head to Worcester on Saturday at 6pm.