CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Second-ranked Boston College has shown time and time again the ability to run roughshod over its opponents.
Boston University certainly knew this fact coming into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Eagles recovering from an 8-1 rout on home ice Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles showed that they could win a closely contested game as well, defeating the Terriers 4-3 on an Alex Carpenter goal, her second of the night.
“That, to me, was a playoff hockey game,” BC coach Katie Crowley said. “The energy of BU/BC [was there].”
Carpenter opened the scoring early, manufacturing her own opportunity on a give and go play with Megan Keller to give the Eagles the 1-0 lead just 1:10 into the first period. The Eagles tacked on an additional goal. Dana Trivigno notched her 100th career point on a rebound goal, to send the Eagles into the locker room up 2-0.
Then the second period rolled around, and the Terriers came back with vengeance.
After getting outshot in the first period, the Terriers generated more opportunities to score, outshooting the Eagles 15-8 in the second period. About halfway through, Trivigno shot a puck at Victoria Hanson. Hanson made the save, and tensions flared. A scrum ensued behind the net, and penalties were assessed. The Terriers were given a power play. To add to the disadvantage, Kaliya Johnson was whistled for high sticking. The stage was set for Sarah Steele to break the ice for the Terriers, scoring on a 5-on-3 opportunity.
The Terriers got another goal from Maddie Elia, burying a rebound past Katie Burt to tie the game up at 2-all.
“Our battle level was good tonight,” BU coach Brian Durocher said. “This is not a team you’ll be able to forecheck, but you can get turnovers and you can get loose pucks, but you have to do it by frustrating them.”
Crowley mentioned that she felt that the Eagles had won the first period, while the Terriers had won the second.
The third period, in turn, was up for grabs.
Like two heavyweights in a title fight, both teams came out of the third period swinging, and neither would give much ground. When Kristyn Capizzano scored minutes into the third to give the Eagles the 3-2 lead, the Terriers fired right back, with a Rebecca Russo goal just moments later.
In a game that went back and forth, it seemed fitting that the two teams needed overtime to settle their differences.
The difference in this game, like it has been time and time again for the Eagles, was reigning Patty Kazmaier Award winner Alex Carpenter.
Carpenter, who had already picked up her 16th goal of the season, forced a BU turnover in the offensive zone, and she and Haley Skarupa broke out in to the zone. Skarupa fed the puck to Carpenter who beat Hanson to give the Eagles the victory, and preserve BC’s unbeaten record.
The Eagles improved to 12-0-0 on the season, emulating their unbeaten streak from last season. The Terriers fell to .500 at 6-6-0 overall and 4-3-0 in the conference.
