Sydney Healey is about as humble a star player as you’ll come across. If she does meet the media on Wednesday night, she’ll more than likely say she was simply lucky that the move worked, that the shot went in.
But she wasn’t lucky. We know it. BU knows it. And if her unusually smug celebration is any indication, Healey knows it too.
Because you aren’t pulling that move off with a stroke of luck. A deke to turn a Providence defender inside out, before a hilariously casual snipe to the top corner of Hope Walinski’s net? While shorthanded in a do-or-die playoff game? You pull that off with the skill and instinct befit of a top player in Hockey East.
… With the skill and instinct of a player that could — and perhaps should — get selected in June’s PWHL Draft.
BU will live to see another day, and it’s because the Terriers had Sydney Healey in the first round of the Hockey East tournament and the Friars did not. Eighth-seeded BU and ninth-seeded PC played each other to a virtual stalemate, both the hosts and the visitors pestering the opposing goalies with chances after a slow first period, only for Mari Pietersen and Walinski to respond with excellent saves. In a matchup of two teams scoring less than twice a game, goals were expectedly hard to come by at Walter Brown Arena.
In other words, just the kind of game for Healey, the fifth-leading scorer in Hockey East, to take into her own hands. The Terriers’ senior assistant captain delivered, her early-second period tally serving as the game-winner in a 3-0 victory. It was Healey’s fourth game-winner of the year, and her empty-netter late in the third to seal the victory was her 17th goal and 28th point. Linemate Lilli Welcke added another empty-netter moments later.
BU will face top-seeded Northeastern in the quarterfinal — as the visiting team at Walter Brown Arena — on Saturday.
Healey’s shorty was the pinnacle of a banner night for Tara Watchorn’s penalty kill, which snuffed four power plays, two of them at crucial inflection points during the game. The Terriers, whose 7.6-percent power play has just eight goals, now have six shorthanded tallies this season. BU very nearly had another later in the second, when, right after Welcke won the opening draw of PC’s second woman-advantage, the German received a feed from twin sister Luisa and had a Grade A opportunity saved by Walinski.
The Welckes’, in their third game back from the Olympics, dominated on the top line with Healey (more on the trio below) but couldn’t convert on their avalanche of chances. Providence’s top line, featuring senior captain Reichen Kirchmair (the reigning Hockey East Player of the Year) and junior Audrey Knapp, was similarly productive, but Pietersen stood on her head (more on her below as well).
BU outshot the Friars, 31-19. It was the first time Watchorn’s team has outshot an opponent since Jan. 30, a win over lowly Merrimack, which was eliminated by Maine on Thursday night. That was a run of seven straight games to conclude the regular season.
Here are three takeaways:
Mari Pietersen shined in a big spot.
Much of the discussion leading up to Wednesday was about who would start in net for the Terriers. Although Michelle Pasiechnyk had started the previous three games, Watchorn turned to Pietersen.
Her last start came on Feb. 13 against NU, where she stopped 26 of 30 shots. It was an impossible decision for Watchorn, but Pietersen proved to be the right choice, earning a 19-save shutout.
Despite the Friars’ lack of shot volume early, Pietersen was sharp from the jump,forced to make impressive stops early as BU allowed PC to break through on odd-woman rushes. Midway through the second period, when the Friars made a push, Pietersen made three expert saves in quick succession to keep the shutout intact.
This is the Mari Pietersen Watchorn envisioned when she chose to give her the nod. And with her performance, one thing is surely clear — it’s her net until the season’s over. — Eli Cloutier
BU’s top line did everything.
There’s an argument — one that I’ll make — that Luisa and Lilli Welcke are BU’s best players. And if it’s not the twins, it’s Healey.
Watchorn, who put the Welckes’ and Healey on the top line for BU’s regular-season finale at BC, said midweek the move was to see “how much of a threat they can be.” Well, she’s got her answer. The Welckes’ and Healey generated offense on just about every shift. They took a combined 13 shots on goal. Lilli Welcke went 17 for 26 on faceoffs, and many of those victories led to immediate chances. Luisa Welcke, off an unreal feed from her sister, drew a penalty on a breakaway chance early in the third, which helped neuter a potential PC comeback. BU’s offensive production trailed off dramatically when the other three lines, which took only a combined eight shots on goal, were on the ice.
The top line only scored once — the Welckes’, as good as they are, are still frustratingly feeble in front of goal, despite creating so many good looks — but Watchorn has a trio that’ll be a handful for anyone BU faces. Including… — Sam Robb O’Hagan
This offense isn’t going to get it done against Northeastern.
Outside of BU’s first line, the Terriers were once again quiet offensively. Wednesday mirrored Saturday’s loss to BC: despite tilting the ice in their favor, the Terriers have one goal, with a goalie in the opposing net, to show for it.
Against the Huskies, BU is going to need to score more than once. The Terriers created plenty of chances but, as they’ve struggled to do all season, failed to capitalize on all but one of them.
Speaking of capitalizing, or in this case, not, BU went 0-for-4 on the power play against the Friars. While there were flashes of the woman advantage, the Terriers were unable to extend their lead. They’ll need to take advantage of the NU’s mistakes on Saturday to even have a chance to extend their season. — Cloutier