Not even a forecast of blustering 75 mile per hour winds, 30-inches of snow, and a biting negative two degree wind chill could cool Boston College women’s hockey team fiery streak.
The Eagles’ 4-2 effort over the Princeton Tigers extended both their win streak to 22, and their season-long unprecedented unbeaten streak to 25.
Alex Carpenter and Haley Skarupa continued as the driving force for the team’s success, as the former Olympian found a pair of goals both coming from assists by her linemate. Senior Kate Leary, however, was the first and the last to score in this contest.
After just six minutes of play, Leary received a pass up the near crease from freshman Tori Sullivan, who turned and found the open net to give BC the lead that lasted the rest of the first period.
The Tigers were slow to offensive play, amounting just four shots through the first two periods of play—giving little work for freshman goaltender Katie Burt.
With the opening puck drop of the second period, Princeton looked to change that tune. The Tigers pounced on the unsuspecting Eagles defense, scoring their first goal of the game even before the clock ticked past 19 minutes.
Kelsey Koelzer gave Princeton a tie game at one apiece, firing a laser from the point. But it takes more than a single goal to bring a 25-game unbeaten streak to a halt.
BC’s defense shook off the shot and took matters into its own hands for vengeance. Mounting their own attack in the seventh minute, the Eagles defensemen brought the puck across the blue line, where freshmen Megan Keller sent a puck towards Skarupa at the top of the slot who shot towards the screening freshman Kenzie Kent. The puck then took a good bounce towards Carpenter at the top of the crease who pushed it up high over the goaltender’s left shoulder.
Carpenter tacked another rebound goal onto the lead in the period’s waning minutes, but just a few minutes later, Leary matched Carpenter’s two goals with another of her own to end the second.
Carpenter is alone in her pursuit of a new program record for longest point streak. With a point in her next game, she is tied with the current holder (who happens to be herself) at 24 games. And with the way this BC team is playing, she just might make it all the way to 30.
For the second consecutive game, the Eagles struggled with penalties, leading to a pair of 5-on-3 situations for the Tigers. Princeton managed one goal on four penalties, but Burt left the third with another nine saves as BC’s stellar penalty kill shut the door on the Tigers’ hope of a third period rally.
BC’s third period struggles with discipline have yet to have major repercussions, but if the team wants to make it past a strong Boston University team in three weeks’ time, BC may have to consider making some adjustments.
With the win over Quinnipiac last weekend, the Terriers are the only true obstacle in the way of an unbeaten regular season for the Eagles. Before that time comes, however, the Eagles head down to Rhode Island for a Friday evening game against the Providence College Friars.
Featured Image by Arthur Bailin / Heights Editor
