After sweeping a home-and-home series against Merrimack the weekend prior, Boston College women’s hockey entered its final series of the regular season with momentum on its side.
Looking for revenge after its last matchup with the Catamounts, BC (19–12–1,16–8–1 Hockey East) faced Vermont (20–10–3, 17–7–2) for the second time of the 2021–22 season. The score remained tied 3–3 through three periods and overtime, but BC gave up an extra Hockey East point as the Catamounts prevailed in a shootout.
“I thought overall it was a really good hockey game,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said in her postgame press conference. “I like the amount of opportunities we had. … We just came up short in the shootout there. Overall, I was happy with the way we played, and we need to come back tomorrow and play hard again.”
The Eagles trailed Vermont in shots through the first period, as the Catamounts dominated the ice. BC goaltender Abigail Levy recorded 12 saves in the first frame. Hannah Bilka peppered Vermont’s net with shots and moved the game across the ice, but both teams left the first period scoreless.
“I thought she was great,” Crowley said of Levy. “I thought she played well for us. You need a good goaltender in these big games. I say that all the time, and I think we have one back there, and she’s done a phenomenal job for us.”
Under three minutes into the second period, Vermont’s Kristina Shanahan fired a quick shot past Levy to put the Catamounts on the board. Bilka responded four minutes later.
The 1–1 stalemate didn’t last for long, though, as Vermont’s Theresa Schafzahl landed a shot in the top shelf of Levy’s goal to put the Catamounts back in the lead.
The Eagles tied things back up when Caroline Goffredo leveled the score at 2–2 under one minute into the third frame. BC then turned the puck over in its own zone, leaving Vermont’s Maude Poulin-Labelle open to land a shot against Levy.
Bilka responded again and fired a top-shelf shot over Vermont goaltender Jessie McPherson to equalize the board at 3–3.
The final minutes of the third frame passed scoreless, and the two teams kept the battle rolling in overtime. The five-minute period expired with no change on the scoreboard, leaving the teams to settle the score in a shootout. Vermont’s Cam Morrissey and Schafzahl both scored while the Eagles failed to get a shot past McPherson, handing the Catamounts the extra point in league standings.
“It’s really frustrating because we had the chances—we just had to finish,” Bilka said.
Bilka’s two goals led the Eagles Friday, and she has recorded five goals and seven points in her last three games.
Featured Image by Leo Wang / Heights Staff
