GOAL BY GOAL: BC Women's Hockey Coasts In Win Over Princeton

BC women's hockey is still undefeated, with a near-pristine 24-0-1 record, and tops in the Pairwise. But it might be fair to say that the Eagles are in a slump.

In the last 4 games—which, granted, were against two teams with a pulse and one that had hung out at #3/4 in the Pairwise for much of the season—BC has only scored 4, 2, 2, and 4 goals. Nothing to write home about for the average team, but a concerning lack of production for a team that had averaged 6 goals per game for the first half of the season.

The team is still winning games, and now is the best possible time for a slump (if that's what this is), but we'd all be much happier if BC would start torching teams left and right against starting this weekend.

In the meantime, BC posted a pretty up and down 4-2 win over Princeton on Monday afternoon as the Blizzard started to bear down on New England.

Honestly, BC should just be happy to have not tied the Tigers, given that the Eagles had been a bizarre 1-1-6 in regulation against Princeton over the last several years.

Boston College Goal #1: 5:50 of the 1st period
Kate Leary (Tori Sullivan, Dana Trivigno)

BC 1, Princeton 0

I love this goal. I'm not sure why I'm so entertained by it. Sullivan takes the initial shot from the point but there is pretty much nothing on it. I'm not sure if she's trying to pass it across to Trivigno in the slot and just misfires, or if she's actually trying to shoot, but it ends up going right on net.

Princeton's goalie, Kimberly Newell, is about to make an easy save but Leary, recognizing that there's just no mustard on this shot at all, doesn't even bother trying to tip it, and instead intercepts the shot, pulls it back around a totally silly looking Newell, and roofs it from close range.

Despite the goal it was a very, very sluggish start for BC. It was another game where it felt like the Eagles came out flat, looked slow, misfired on passes, and generally looked like they might be expecting to coast to another win. The goal was BC's only shot of the first 5-7 minutes or so.

You do have to give credit to Princeton, who completely out-worked BC in the early stages. BC did start to work a little hard for the rest of the period, but would only go into the locker room with 7 shots under their belts.

Princeton Goal #1 (PPG): 0:47 of the 2nd period
Kelsey Koelzer (Cassidy Tucker, Molly Contini)

BC 1, Princeton 1

Both of Princeton's goals were remarkably similar—on the power play, a hard shot from the point into traffic, and Burt gets beat.

That's what happens here. It's an absolute bomb from Kelsey Koelzer, who is probably Princeton's most talented player, and it goes in clean without a deflection.

That was it for Princeton in the 2nd period, though. Compared to the first, it was night and day.

Boston College Goal #2: 7:22 of the 2nd period
Alex Carpenter (Haley Skarupa, Megan Keller)

BC 2, Princeton 1

Whatever Coach Crowley said in the locker room between periods really lit a fire under the Eagles. BC outshot Princeton 19-3 in the second and had significantly better chemistry and puck movement through the entire period.

This goal is a good example. Skarupa makes the pass over to Keller which opens space up for her to receive the back end of the give-and-go, right from the top of the slot. It's the prime shooting area we've been talking about all season and she lets one rip, right into traffic.

Newell is able to make the initial save, but Carpenter is right there on the doorstep to clean up the rebound and put BC back on top.

Boston College Goal #3 (GWG): 16:39 of the 2nd period
Alex Carpenter (Haley Skarupa, Kenzie Kent)

BC 3, Princeton 1

It's the top line at it again on this goal. Skarupa wins the puck along the boards and fakes the pass over to Carpenter, skating in toward the net. #24 for Princeton, McKenna, has to clear out to cover Carpenter, which gives Skarupa just enough time to take a few strides in toward the top of the slot to get a better angle on the shot. Much like the previous goal, Newell makes the save, but Carpenter is in the right place at the right time to finish it off.

That's not coincidence, either. Alex Carpenter might have the best hockey IQ of anyone to ever wear the uniform.

Boston College Goal #4: 19:55 of the 2nd period
Kate Leary (Dana Trivigno, Emily Pfalzer)

BC 4, Princeton 1

BC really deserved this goal to give them the three-goal period and a nice cushion going into the last 20 minutes.

This is pretty tough on the Princeton goaltender, who did pretty much everything she could. Pfalzer skates around the net and gives a backhand shot on the back side trying to beat Newell, but she's up to the task. She gives up a rebound right to Trivigno who fires one off from one knee, but Newell is there again. Third time is a charm for the Eagles, and Leary is right there.

Good thing she gets the puck up, because otherwise Newell would have made yet another stop.

On to the third period. Any hopes of seeing if BC could continue their groove and finish strong was pretty much dashed with the parade of Eagles to the penalty box. And it didn't go all that well to start.

Princeton Goal #2 (PPG): 4:55 of the 3rd period
Morgan Sly (Kiersten Falck)

BC 4, Princeton 2 -- FINAL

Just like Princeton's first goal, a shot from deep, although this time the Princeton player out front gets a stick on it and gets a pretty nasty deflection on it, beating Burt and putting Princeton back into the thick of things.

That was just the first penalty—there were three more in quick succession, including two separate, long 5 on 3's that the Eagles had to kill.

They did, fortunately, and kept the game from getting too interesting, finishing strong and not allowing Newell to head to the bench for the extra attacker. 4-2 was the final, and while it wasn't inspiring, they did get the job done.

Next up for BC is Providence on Friday evening, assuming everyone is able to dig out from the blizzard. Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the snow day!