BELFAST, Northern Ireland — Heading into the Friendship Series with the worst record and NPI ranking of any of the four teams, the Boston University women’s hockey team entered Belfast as heavy underdogs.
The first 30 minutes against Quinnipiac on Friday showed why, as the Terriers conceded 35 of the first 39 shot attempts.
Yet, someway, somehow, BU is leaving with the Belpot trophy. The Terriers showed their resilience, earning a shootout win over Quinnipiac after falling behind 2-0, and then entered Saturday flying around the ice.
In the end, junior forward Neely Nicholson’s goal 12:46 into the third period provided the eventual winner, as the Terriers skated to a 3-2 victory over Harvard at SSE Arena.
Senior forward Riley Walsh opened the scoring at 17:55 of the first period. Freshman forward Lexie Bertelsen won the puck along the end boards and backhanded the puck to Walsh, who found the sliver of space between Harvard netminder Ainsley Tuffy and the goalpost.
Just over a minute later, Harvard freshman forward Carla McSweeney appeared to net the equalizer for the Crimson. However, after a successful challenge for goaltender interference by Tara Watchorn, officials ruled no goal.
McSweeney found her eventual equalizer at 4:18 of the second period. Sophomore Ella Lucia stripped sophomore Kate Meinert of the puck in BU’s defensive zone and found McSweeney on a centering feed. Junior netminder Mari Pietersen made the initial save but failed to locate the puck, leading to a backhand finish for McSweeney after a net-front scramble.
The Terriers found an answer 36 seconds later, as sophomore Lola Reid found senior forward Lilli Welcke just outside the crease, who lifted her shot into the top left corner.
Freshman forward Elle Sproule tied it up 1:21 into the third period, rocketing a wrister from the top of the right circle past Pietersen right off of a Crimson face-off win.
Junior forward Neely Nicholson put the Terriers in front for a third time at 12:46 of the third period, ripping a wrister from the high slot past Tuffy. She celebrated with a Skol chant, clapping her hands above her head. Her teammates happily joined her. Senior defender Maeve Kelly supplied the assist.
Here are four takeaways from BU’s hard-fought victory.
The Terriers came out hot.
After having to make a late push against Quinnipiac on Friday, BU made sure it didn’t come out slow with the Belpot trophy on the line Saturday.
The Terriers dominated Harvard from the onset, using the Olympic-sized ice to their advantage. Sophomore forward Kiera Healey created a 3-on-1 chance within the first minute of play, although to no avail.
BU sustained possession for stretches on multiple occasions in the first period, but Crimson sophomore goaltender Ainsley Tuffy stood tall for the most part. At the 7:18 mark, the Terriers held a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Senior forward Luisa Welcke took an untimely hooking penalty when BU was firing on all cylinders at 8:33, but after a routine kill, the Terriers got right back to business. When the first period buzzer sounded, BU had a 1-0 lead after controlling the game for a majority of the opening frame. — Eli Cloutier
BU capitalized on board battles.
In the opening 30 minutes of Friday’s matchup against Quinnipiac, the Terriers struggled matching the Bobcats’ aggressiveness against the boards, in part due to playing on a larger Olympic-sized sheet of ice. Tonight, however, BU generated big off-board battles.
This is the type of hockey head coach Tara Watchorn wants BU to play: wear down their opponents through battling against the boards. When the team does this, Watchorn believes they are playing their best.
Tonight this was on full display when freshman forward Lexie Bertelsen set up senior forward Riley Walsh for the first goal of the game. Bertelsen won a forecheck battle behind the net against the boards, slotting a pass back to Walsh, who buried it. — Hannah Connors
Harvard battled back after BU’s hot start.
BU’s opening 10 or so minutes were dominant. It looked much like a role reversal from Friday night, when Quinnipiac had the Terriers on the ropes for 30. Harvard was on the back foot and, frankly, was fortunate that multiple of BU’s good looks missed the target entirely.
The Terriers held a 9-1 edge in shots on goal less than eight minutes into the contest, and even when the Crimson went to the skater advantage at 8:33 of the first frame, BU killed it off effortlessly, only conceding a single shot on goal.
By the end of the second period, however, Harvard had taken the edge in shots on goal, 20-19. At 1:21 into the third, it netted its second equalizer. The Crimson provided a threat on the rush and found stretches of offensive zone time.
Harvard by no means dominated. It wasn’t even the better team. But it rose to BU’s level, providing an evenly matched contest after the opening sequences. — Henry Dinh-Price
The Welcke’s chemistry was on full display.
Senior forwards Luisa and Lilli Welcke were responsible for BU’s second goal of the game, but their chemistry was shown beyond their tally.
On numerous occasions, Luisa or Lilli would set up the other in front of the net, gaining possession off winning a battle behind the goal line. The two were able to capitalize on each other’s rebound opportunities, peppering shots on goaltender Ainsley Tuffy.
Lilli Welcke’s leading goal came after she found freshman forward Lola Reid in the slot. As Reid attempted to shoot, wrapping around a defender, Luisa tried to tip the puck in. Lilli then skated behind the net to take advantage of her sister’s rebound.
During a powerplay opportunity in the third the sisters set each other up for numerous high quality chances, good for four shots throughout the man-advantage.
The Welckes ended the game with 17 shots. — Connors
