Conference Clash Pits No. 8 Terriers Against Boston College
November 17, 2009 | Women's Ice Hockey
Nov. 17, 2009
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The No. 8 Boston University women's ice hockey team (5-4-5, 3-3-1-1) takes on Boston College (4-3-5, 3-2-2-2) in the second of three scheduled games this season on Wednesday at Silvio Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The Terriers are looking to rebound after the Eagles grabbed a 2-1 win at Walter Brown Arena in the teams' first meeting of the season on Nov. 2. Wednesday's game marks the first trip to Conte Forum for the Terriers this season and the second Wednesday conference matchup in as many weeks.
Boston College holds a 5-9-2 all-time advantage against BU and has recorded three shutouts to the Terriers' none in the 16-game history. The last time the teams played in Chestnut Hill, BC skated away with a shootout win after regulation ended in a 3-3 tie. In the first matchup of this season between the two teams, the Eagles escaped from Walter Brown with a 2-1 victory, despite being outshot 28-16 on the night. The teams exchanged goals in the second period, but an Ashley Motherwell tally early in the third proved to be enough as BU was unable to respond, sealing the 2-1 final.
In their last game, the Terriers wrapped up their season series with Providence, dropping a 6-2 decision to the Friars on Sunday afternoon at Schneider Arena. The Terriers took the 2-1 season-series win after powering past the Friars 5-3 at Agganis Arena the day before and notching a 3-1 win in Providence on Oct. 31.
Sophomore Jenelle Kohanchuk has remained in the team lead for goals (10) and points (14) and ranks 10th in the nation with a 0.71 goals-per-game average. Kohanchuk is also tied for second in the nation with five power-play goals on the year, a total that ranks third in Terrier season annals. With a strong string of games last week, Melissa Anderson is right on the sophomore's tail with 13 points (4-9-13), and now holds the program record for career points with 106.
Rookie Jill Cardella is second on the team in goals with seven, and is tied for third with Jillian Kirchner with 11 points. Cardella currently sits in ninth place in the nation for points-per-game amongst rookies with 0.79. Tara Watchorn leads all defensemen with nine points on a goal and eight assists and is the highest rated player on the BU roster at +9. Watchorn also ranks 12th in the nation in points-per-game for defensemen with a 0.64 average. Goalie Melissa Haber has compiled a 5-3-3 record on the season thus far, and boasts a 2.65 goals-against average along with a .899 save percentage.
The Terriers are one of just eight teams in the nation to average more than three goals a game, scoring at a rate of 3.07 tallies per contest. BU also ranks second in the nation on power-plays, converting on 23.3% of its man-up chances.
Boston College is having an up-and-down season so far and, much like the Terriers, have had a tendency to push games past regulation with five ties on the year. While the Eagles' offense is only averaging 2.0 goals per game, the defense has kept them afloat, allowing just 1.9 goals a game, good for the eighth-best scoring defense in the nation.
BC is coming off a solid weekend against the UConn Huskies, recording a shootout win in Storrs on Saturday before blanking Connecticut, 4-0, on Sunday in Chestnut Hill. Seven different players notched points in Sunday's win as Alison Szlosek was the only multiple-point scorer with two assists. Allie Thunstrom, Caitlin Walsh, Danielle Welch and Kristina Brown were the goal scorers, while Katelyn Kurth and Blake Bolden chipped in assists. Goalie Corinne Boyles stopped 42 shots for the clean sheet.
Thunstrom has emerged as the finisher for the 2009-10 Eagles, leading the team with eight goals and 11 points. Motherwell and Mary Restuccia both have seven points (2g, 5a) on the year and Szlosek shares the team lead in assists with five. The freshman Boyles has become the go-to goalie for BC, compiling a 3-2-3 record with a 2.15 goals-against average and .935 save percentage on the year.
In the Eagles' next game, they travel to Burlington, Vt., to take on the Catamounts in a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, Nov. 20.
BU is in action next against Maine as they take on the Black Bears in Lewiston, Maine on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m.
