No. 4 Boston College women’s hockey (10-3-0, 7-1-0 Hockey East) is coming off a great weekend, having outscored Connecticut 7-0 in a two-game sweep. Now, the Eagles will face longtime rival Boston University (3-3-4, 3-3-4 WHEA) at home on Tuesday night in the 53rd edition of the Battle for Commonwealth Ave. BU has had a rocky season, especially after losing star Victoria Bach—who piled up 67 points in just 33 games a year ago—to graduation. With the way BC has been playing, especially against UConn, it likely shouldn’t have too much trouble on Tuesday night with the Terriers.
Who is BC playing?
Boston University
Where is BC playing?
Kelley Rink, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
When is BC playing?
Tuesday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m.
How to Watch:
The game will be livestreamed on ESPN3 and accessible via WatchESPN.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Maddy McArthur made 33 combined saves against UConn in the two-game series, posting her third and fourth shutouts of the season—good for a share of the national lead. It is also two more than any other freshman goalkeeper.
2) Megan Keller moved her point streak to eight games over the weekend, tallying an assist on Friday and a pair of goals on Saturday. Her 32 career goals are just four goals behind Toni Ann Miano’s program record for career goals by a defenseman, a mark that she’ll likely quickly surpass—Keller has six goals in 12 games thus far.
3) Cayla Barnes registered two assists against UConn, the second time doing so this season. The freshman defenseman has enjoyed a strong start to her career on the Heights as she sits alone in second place for the team lead in points with 11.
BU:
1) Jesse Compher extended her point streak to seven games against Vermont. She finished with two goals and three assists in the two-game series against the Catamounts, in which the Terriers came away with a win and a tie.
2) BU matches its opponents in goals per game with an average of 2.1. The Terriers are fifth in the conference in scoring defense while just seventh in offense—the product of a woeful 1-for-27 mark on the power play.
3) In their second game against UVM, the Terriers allowed three goals, the first time allowing that many since Oct. 6. Goaltender Corinne Schroeder had 45 saves and stopped all three shots she faced in overtime to preserve a 3-3 tie. Schroeder’s 2.05 goals against average falls in the middle of Hockey East goaltenders.
Last Meeting:
The two teams last met last February in the Beanpot tournament at Kelley Rink, where BC knocked off BU, 4-3, to claim the historic title. The win was far from easy, as the Eagles needed a game-winning goal in overtime from Miano. The victory was followed by Daryl Watts earning the tournament’s most valuable player award, while Katie Burt was the tournament’s top goaltender for the second time in her career. BC finished 3-0-1 against the Terriers last season and is 15-3-2 in the last five years.
Outlook:
BC has shown how good of a team it truly is after rolling past the Huskies, putting them away seemingly with ease. If the Eagles could stop UConn’s decently strong offense, they shouldn’t have a problem denying BU’s offense many chances. BC boasts the best scoring defense in the conference and McArthur is playing at her best in net. Paired with the fact that the Eagles are averaging about three goals per game, good for fourth, this game could turn lopsided quickly—the only thing to keep in mind is that rivalry matchups rarely play out the way they should on paper. Still, if they keep up momentum from their great series win against UConn, they shouldn’t have too much trouble coming out with a win on Tuesday night.
Featured Image by Kaitlin Meeks / Heights Editor
