ORONO, Maine - Senior captain Rebecca Leslie set a new program record with her 101st career assist, but the Boston University women's ice hockey team was edged by Maine, 3-2, in game one of a best-of-three quarterfinal series on Friday afternoon at Alfond Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Maine scored the first three goals of the game, with the last of those tallies coming with 2:59 to play in the 1st period.
- BU responded just 15 seconds later to cut the deficit to 3-1 Senior Nina Rodgers skated into the offensive zone and dropped the puck for classmate Victoria Bach, whose shot was turned aside by Carly Jackson (24 saves). Leslie went behind the net to get the rebound, however, and quickly found Rodgers in the left circle. Rodgers ripped a shot inside the right post for her sixth goal of the season.
- The Terriers capitalized on their first power-play chance of the game when Bach notched her 37th goal of the season to cut the lead to 3-2 at 10:50 of the second stanza. Freshman Jesse Compher gained the blue line and dropped the puck for Leslie, who quickly dished it to Bach. Bach dangled around a defender and quickly fired a shot past Jackson.
- Bach nearly tied it early in the third period when Bach had a shorthanded breakaway, but Jackson made the save.
- BU kept pressing in the final frame and had a couple chances with an extra attacker in the final seconds, but the Terriers were unable to convert.
LESLIE REWRITES THE RECORD BOOK
- Leslie broke Marie-Philip Poulin's program record with her 101st career assist.
- She joined Poulin as the only Terriers to reach the century mark in assists with No. 100 on Rodgers' first-period strike.
- Leslie finished the day with 32 assists this season and now has 53 points on the year.
ANOTHER GOAL FOR BACH
- Bach, a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, remained second in the country in goals with her 37th strike of the season.
- She also assisted on Rodgers' goal to complete a two-point day and extend her point streak to five games.
- Bach finished the game third in the nation with 63 points (37g, 26a) this season.
ERIN EXCELLENT AGAIN
- Senior Erin O'Neil entered the game after the third Maine goal and shut out the Black Bears the rest of the way.
- O'Neil made 26 saves in 41:37 of work.
- She has not allowed a goal in her last 126:30 dating back to Jan. 7.
- Freshman Corinne Schroeder got the start and made four saves.
GAME TWO TOMORROW
- BU will look to keep its season going on Saturday when the Terriers face Maine in game two.
- Puck drop is set for 2 p.m.
