Women's Hockey vs. Providence (1/20/08)
by Jeremy Binckes
Heading into their game against the Providence College Friars, Boston University head coach Brian Durocher had to believe that if his team played as well against the Friars as they did the previous night against UConn, BU would walk out of Providence victors.
It was not to be, though. The Terriers fell 3-1, which dropped them to 7-11-2 (4-5-0 Hockey East). On the weekend, the Terriers lost 2 games and 4 potential Hockey East points. After the game, Durocher suggested that the loss was due to a lack of competitiveness, and that major line changes may be in the works this week.
“We’ve been pretty consistent with the lines, and right now it feels like they’re a little stale,” Durocher said, in reference to BU’s first line pairing of sophomore Melissa Anderson and junior Erin Seman.
“I know they enjoy playing together, but they appear to be a little stale. I respect and understand slumps,” Durocher continued, “but sometimes it helps to get a new face in there.”
While Durocher did not say that the first line would definitely be broken up, he admitted that the coaching staff would “investigate other options.”
The Friars (10-9-3, 5-4-2 HE) entered Sunday’s game on a high note, taking a point from the #1 team in the nation, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, the night prior.
Both teams looked even in the first period, but the Friars struck first. Almost halfway through the first period, PC had a face-off to BU netminder Allyse Wilcox’s right. The Friars ran two set plays, firing quick one-timers each time to Wilcox’s right, which she covered up. However, on the third play, the Friars opted to go left, finding a wide open Kathleen Smith right in the center, who fired a one-timer top shelf left.
“If anybody knows about faceoff plays, it’s the BU Terriers,” said Providence head coach Bob Deraney, a Boston University goaltender, who graduated in 1987.
“[In the beginning of the game], we were too individualistic,” Deraney said. “BU really tightened it down against us.”
“It takes three things [to score a goal],” Durocher said. “It takes a draw, it takes good puck collection/flat pass, and it takes a beautiful one-timer. They did all three—twice—and I tip my cap to them.
“I’m never going to yell at our team, get down on our team for plays like that. They’re gorgeous plays. I get down on the lack of competitiveness.”
BU was able to strike back at the end of the period when freshman forward Jillian Kirchner was able collect a wraparound pass from junior linemate Caroline Bourdeau and put it past PC netminder Danielle Ciarletta (26 saves).
It was the closest that the Terriers would get. Although BU kept the Friars scoreless for most of the second period, the Friars did everything they could to break up BU’s momentum.
“We had a few near breakaways,” Durocher said, “but we’re falling over ourselves.”
“They hemmed us in, and we didn’t respond too well.”
PC struck for the eventual game-winner towards the end of the second period when, with sophomore defender Sarah Appleton in the box for checking, Danielle Tangredi picked up a rebound to Wilcox’s left, and lifted it over the sprawled-out goaltender’s left pad.
“When they got that quick goal in the second, it kind of shut us down,” junior co-captain Sarah Russell said.
In the third, Kathleen Smith scored again for the Friars, on the exact same play off a draw in the exact same situation. The 3-1 deficit was too large for BU to overcome, despite having a 5-on-3 for 1:49.
“The scoreboard showed that we were in the game,” Durocher said, “but I don’t think that we played with that much composure. We made it too easy for Providence.”
Terriers Notes
- Both teams combined for 10 penalties in the game. While this is not unusual for either team (the Friars have the second-most penalty minutes in Hockey East), 2 of the Friars’ 3 goals came with the advantage.
“Coach says that usually it’ll take at least one penalty to let them know you’re out there,” Russell said.
- Goaltender Allyse Wilcox (33 saves) may see some rest next weekend, as the Terriers host the cellar-dwellers of Hockey East, the Maine Black Bears for two games. Wilcox, who entered the weekend in the NCAA top-10 in goaltending with a 1.77 GAA, allowed 3 goals in each of the 2 games.
“I don’t think there’s anywhere near a bad start in any of those games,” Durocher said. “Five [of the six goals this weekend] are going to be pretty hard to argue that she should make the save.”
“Next weekend will be a good time to see if we can start [sophomore goaltender] Melissa [Haber] again, as well as give Allyse a bit of rest. So there’s a good chance that they’ll split the games.”
BU’s next game will be on Saturday, January 26th, as the Terriers host the Black Bears in their Agganis Arena debut. The puck will drop at 3 p.m., but WTBU will kick things off with Terriers Today at 2:40.
Heading into their game against the Providence College Friars, Boston University head coach Brian Durocher had to believe that if his team played as well against the Friars as they did the previous night against UConn, BU would walk out of Providence victors.
It was not to be, though. The Terriers fell 3-1, which dropped them to 7-11-2 (4-5-0 Hockey East). On the weekend, the Terriers lost 2 games and 4 potential Hockey East points. After the game, Durocher suggested that the loss was due to a lack of competitiveness, and that major line changes may be in the works this week.
“We’ve been pretty consistent with the lines, and right now it feels like they’re a little stale,” Durocher said, in reference to BU’s first line pairing of sophomore Melissa Anderson and junior Erin Seman.
“I know they enjoy playing together, but they appear to be a little stale. I respect and understand slumps,” Durocher continued, “but sometimes it helps to get a new face in there.”
While Durocher did not say that the first line would definitely be broken up, he admitted that the coaching staff would “investigate other options.”
The Friars (10-9-3, 5-4-2 HE) entered Sunday’s game on a high note, taking a point from the #1 team in the nation, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, the night prior.
Both teams looked even in the first period, but the Friars struck first. Almost halfway through the first period, PC had a face-off to BU netminder Allyse Wilcox’s right. The Friars ran two set plays, firing quick one-timers each time to Wilcox’s right, which she covered up. However, on the third play, the Friars opted to go left, finding a wide open Kathleen Smith right in the center, who fired a one-timer top shelf left.
“If anybody knows about faceoff plays, it’s the BU Terriers,” said Providence head coach Bob Deraney, a Boston University goaltender, who graduated in 1987.
“[In the beginning of the game], we were too individualistic,” Deraney said. “BU really tightened it down against us.”
“It takes three things [to score a goal],” Durocher said. “It takes a draw, it takes good puck collection/flat pass, and it takes a beautiful one-timer. They did all three—twice—and I tip my cap to them.
“I’m never going to yell at our team, get down on our team for plays like that. They’re gorgeous plays. I get down on the lack of competitiveness.”
BU was able to strike back at the end of the period when freshman forward Jillian Kirchner was able collect a wraparound pass from junior linemate Caroline Bourdeau and put it past PC netminder Danielle Ciarletta (26 saves).
It was the closest that the Terriers would get. Although BU kept the Friars scoreless for most of the second period, the Friars did everything they could to break up BU’s momentum.
“We had a few near breakaways,” Durocher said, “but we’re falling over ourselves.”
“They hemmed us in, and we didn’t respond too well.”
PC struck for the eventual game-winner towards the end of the second period when, with sophomore defender Sarah Appleton in the box for checking, Danielle Tangredi picked up a rebound to Wilcox’s left, and lifted it over the sprawled-out goaltender’s left pad.
“When they got that quick goal in the second, it kind of shut us down,” junior co-captain Sarah Russell said.
In the third, Kathleen Smith scored again for the Friars, on the exact same play off a draw in the exact same situation. The 3-1 deficit was too large for BU to overcome, despite having a 5-on-3 for 1:49.
“The scoreboard showed that we were in the game,” Durocher said, “but I don’t think that we played with that much composure. We made it too easy for Providence.”
Terriers Notes
- Both teams combined for 10 penalties in the game. While this is not unusual for either team (the Friars have the second-most penalty minutes in Hockey East), 2 of the Friars’ 3 goals came with the advantage.
“Coach says that usually it’ll take at least one penalty to let them know you’re out there,” Russell said.
- Goaltender Allyse Wilcox (33 saves) may see some rest next weekend, as the Terriers host the cellar-dwellers of Hockey East, the Maine Black Bears for two games. Wilcox, who entered the weekend in the NCAA top-10 in goaltending with a 1.77 GAA, allowed 3 goals in each of the 2 games.
“I don’t think there’s anywhere near a bad start in any of those games,” Durocher said. “Five [of the six goals this weekend] are going to be pretty hard to argue that she should make the save.”
“Next weekend will be a good time to see if we can start [sophomore goaltender] Melissa [Haber] again, as well as give Allyse a bit of rest. So there’s a good chance that they’ll split the games.”
BU’s next game will be on Saturday, January 26th, as the Terriers host the Black Bears in their Agganis Arena debut. The puck will drop at 3 p.m., but WTBU will kick things off with Terriers Today at 2:40.
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