GOAL BY GOAL: #7 BC Women's Hockey Dismantles Providence College, 5-0

It had been three weeks since the Eagles had Haley Skarupa in the lineup. She returned in a big way Saturday afternoon, scoring twice and playing her best hockey in months as the Eagles pasted Providence College in a 5-0 rout.

BC didn't miss a beat in the four games without Skarupa in the lineup, winning all 4 and scoring 15 goals in the process... But it sure didn't hurt to get back one of the game's biggest offensive threats.

Goal #1 (GWG) -- 11:00 of the 1st period: Haley Skarupa (Kristyn Capizzano, Kaliya Johnson)
BC 1, PC 0

Prior to Skarupa's time away from the ice, she had gone remarkably cold for a player of her caliber, posting just a 1-2--3 line in 8 games since 11/23, leading some to wonder whether she had been playing injured.

After 4 games of rest, it didn't take long at all for Skarupa to get on the scoresheet. Here she shows nice movement in space (with some help from Capizzano who clears out some extra room by going hard to the net). Skarupa maneuvers all the way from the boards to the high slot and rips home the first goal of the game.

Despite just leading by 1 after the first period, the Eagles dominated from tape to tape, outshooting the Friars 22-7 and controlling every minute of the period.

The second period was all BC once again.

Goal #2 -- 5:11 of the 2nd period: Emily Field (Haley McLean, Andie Anastos)
BC 2, PC 0

Emily Field has been one of BC's best players all year, and she showed some flash on this goal -- one of her best of the season. Field manages to split a pair of PC defenders with toe-drag in tight to come in all alone, and then just buries the finish after getting PC goaltender Sarah Bryant to bite.

It was Field's 100th point of her career -- in her 100th game of her career -- and it was a beauty.

Goal #3 -- 10:56 of the 2nd period: Kate Leary (Kaliya Johnson, Meagan Mangene)
BC 3, PC 0

Not a goal that is going to make any highlight reels, but effective nonetheless. Kaliya Johnson takes the puck and wrists it toward the net through all kinds of traffic (seriously through something like 6 different bodies) and despite the puck barely trickling past by the time it reached the PC 'tender, she couldn't have had a chance after the tip by Leary to direct it in.

Goal #4 -- 16:50 of the 2nd period: Haley Skarupa (Kristyn Capizzano)
BC 4, PC 0

More Skarupa here, but this time freshman Kristyn Capizzano does all the work, streaking down the left side into the clear before getting the puck poked away by the PC goalie. Providence looks, well, pretty bad in trying to clean up the mess, falling all over themselves while Skarupa chips the puck right in to wrap up a dominant 2nd period for the Eagles.

Any hopes the Friars had of cutting into the lead were dashed pretty quickly.

Goal #5 (PPG) -- 3:17 of the 3rd period: Dana Trivigno (Emily Pfalzer)
BC 5, PC 0 -- FINAL

Okay, so this one was kind of sloppy. But it comes on a power play right in the beginning of the 3rd period to make sure PC wouldn't even sniff hopes of a comeback.

I'm still not sure of what happens on this goal, but after a nice cut to get in toward the goalie, Trivigno loses the puck and it either trickles right in past the goalie, or the Friars put it into their own net.

Either way, it counts, and that would be all the scoring.

There were a few things to get excited about in this game:

--It was one of the most complete games we have played all season. The Friars never threatened and it felt like BC was putting on the offensive pressure from start to finish.

--Haley Skarupa played out of her mind. Two goals doesn't do it justice. She was flying all over the place. Hopefully the time off did a lot of good for her and we see the player we saw to start the season.

--Another shutout! After not posting one all season, that's now 2 in the last 4 games. Very quietly, the defense has put together an extended stretch of very, very solid play, allowing more than two goals just once since November 15th and giving up just 20 goals in the last 14 games. Early on it seemed like team defense would be our achiles heel, but the blueliners have absolutely improved as the season has progressed.

--Yet another balanced attack. It might sound like this is the BC Skarupas from our excitement at her return to the lineup, but that would be grossly unfair to the depth on this team. Through 26 games, BC has seven players with 20 or more points, and none above 28. That's impressive.

Coach Crowley appears to have found something special with the new top line of Wasylk-Trivigno-Leary, which posted another multi-goal effort today, and now we have Skarupa back to compliment another line. BC is a scary team right now, and they are hitting their stride at just the right time.

So like the men, that wraps up the weekend as we move on to the Beanpot on Tuesday night against BU. The Terriers are the polar opposite of BC at this point, currently in free-fall mode, dropping all the way out of NCAA tournament contention with a string of terrible losses to lesser opponents. The Women's Beanpot takes place at Conte Forum this year (it rotates between the four schools) so if you're on campus, head down on Tuesday to watch BC try to continue their unbeaten streak. We'll have coverage for you right here.