Women's Ice Hockey 2006-07 Season in Review
March 12, 2007 | Women's Ice Hockey
BOSTON - The Boston University women’s ice hockey team ended its 2006-07 season with a record of 19-12-3 overall and 10-9-1 in Hockey East play in just its second year of varsity status for the program. Overall, it was an impressive sophomore outing for a team that recorded several program firsts, setting the stage for a strong future.
As a team, the Terriers saw a vast improvement on the road. After recording only two road wins the year before, a team goal was set before the season of going .500 or above on the road. BU managed to exceed that goal by finishing the year 8-6-3. The season was also highlighted by a 3-1 win over then-No. 8 Boston College on Jan. 19, when senior captain Cara Hendry scored the game-winning goal to give BU its first ever win over BC and its first win over a ranked opponent.
The team opened the 2006-07 season with a six-game winning streak, including back-to-back shutouts over Vermont on Oct. 21 and 22. BU completed the season sweep of the Catamounts on Nov. 12 with a 3-0 shutout. Freshman goaltender Melissa Haber recorded two of her four shutouts during the series.
Heading into the new year, BU found itself 11-6-1 overall, an improvement from the year before when the Terriers stood at 9-8-3 at the same marker. The second half of the season is where the team showed what one year of experience can do. BU went 8-6-2 in the January and February, an improvement from the year before when the rookie team went 3-9-1 in the same span. The Terriers also recorded an impressive 7-4-1 record in the conference and a 5-2-0 record at home during the final two months.
In February, the Terriers posted four wins, including a 4-2 victory over Northeastern on Feb. 6 to advance to the Beanpot championship game for the first time since 1982. By season’s end, the Terriers had posted wins over every Hockey East school in the last two years except New Hampshire.
BU’s top offensive line of freshman Melissa Anderson, sophomore Erin Seman and Hendry combined four 89 of BU’s 217 total points, including 16 power play goals and more than half of the game-winning goals. Seman finished the year with a team-high 19 goals.
Anderson led the team with 34 points in her rookie campaign, and became the first woman in BU hockey history to break 30 points in a season. She led the team in assists with 22, ending the regular season ranked 13th in the nation in assists per game (0.79) and sixth among all rookies in points per game (1.21). Other freshmen who excelled in 2006-07 included Jonnie Bloemers, who recorded 14 points (four goals, 10 assists), and Sarah Appleton, who registered 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) from her defensive position.
Junior Julie Poulin joined Appleton on the blueline, helping the Terriers end the season ranked 13th in the nation in defense, allowing an average of just 2.35 goals per game. Poulin ended the season +10 in plus/minus, tied with Seman, and sitting behind Anderson, who ended the year at a team-best +11.
The young team also found leadership in sophomore Gina Kearns, a co-captain. Kearns ended the year third in points with 26, including 14 goals and 12 assists. Her season was highlighted by an overtime goal to lift BU over UConn, 3-2, on Jan. 11, giving the team its first conference overtime win in history.
BU’s offense was backed by a rotating duo of goaltenders. Freshman Melissa Haber and sophomore Allyse Wilcox both saw considerable time between the pipes, combining for five shutouts. Wilcox ended the year 10-9-1, with a save percentage of .915 and a goals against average of 2.46. Haber saw action in 15 games, starting 14, and went 9-3-2. Haber’s winning percentage of .714 ranked her tenth in the nation. She ended the season with a goals against average of 2.12 and a save percentage of .910, and was in goal for BU’s upset win over BC on Jan. 19.
The team’s effort helped head coach Brian Durocher improve his career winning percentage to .515 (31-29-7) in Division I women’s ice hockey. His young team will lose only two players this year - Hendry and senior Jessica Lortie - but will return the core of freshmen and sophomores who have the opportunity to build upon the program's early success.
