After having to fight back from an early deficit just one day prior, No. 14 Boston College women’s hockey looked to avoid another slow start against No. 11 Penn State. But for a few minutes early in the first period, it appeared as if the same pattern was about to unfold.
Fed a pass right in the low slot, Penn State’s Eleri MacKay slipped the puck by goaltender Abigail Levy, putting the Nittany Lions ahead by a goal. After reviewing the play, however, referees waved off the goal, and BC had a chance to not repeat its mistakes from the previous day.
Stronger first-period play in BC’s second matchup with the Nittany Lions proved to be a difference maker, as the Eagles (3–2–1) took Penn State all the way to overtime for a 2–2 tie.
“I thought we were really, really good in that first period,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said. “We just got to put a few home earlier, and then I think it will help us as the game goes on, but we’ll get there.”
Penn State (3–4–1) played undeterred despite the missed opportunity. A cross-checking penalty on Cayla Barnes allowed the Nittany Lions to ramp up their offensive pressure, though Levy’s stout presence in net kept the game scoreless.
BC had its share of first-period success as well, generating nine shots.
Both teams remained deadlocked heading into the second period until Penn State gifted the Eagles their first turn on the power play. But instead of capitalizing, BC surrendered a shorthanded goal to the Nittany Lions’ Tessa Janecke via a crafty deke.
The Eagles responded five minutes later with a wrister score from Alexie Guay, knotting the game up at one apiece.
A wide-open Janecke then glided toward the net and flicked her second goal of the game past Levy.
While Penn State entered the final frame ahead by one goal, the Nittany Lions had seized momentum after launching 16 shots at Levy in the second period.
That mattered little to Abby Newhook.
With just under 10 minutes to play, the sophomore forward wove her way through the defense and flipped the puck over Penn State goalie Josie Bothun and just beneath the crossbar for the tying goal.
“She’s a sophomore putting in a tying goal—that’s a big goal,” Crowley said. “We’ve relied on her in the past to score some big ones, and she was able to do that for us today.”
Minutes later, Janecke looked to cap off her afternoon with a game-winner and a hat trick, as the Nittany Lions found her streaking toward the net all alone. Levy held strong, though, blocking Janecke’s breakaway shot and sending the game to overtime.
Levy again came up clutch in overtime, stopping an odd-man rush with a kick save.
“I just try to stop the puck,” Levy said. “A big save, a little save—every save is a save to me.”
Despite multiple opportunities, the Eagles couldn’t find the back of the net in overtime, resulting in BC’s first tie of the season.
“I thought we battled really well today,” Crowley said. “[It’s] tough to come out with a tie. I felt like we had the effort for a win but just couldn’t pull it out.”
