Just under 15 minutes into the first period, No. 15 Boston College women’s hockey was still looking for its first goal in its matchup with Providence in Schneider Arena.
Sammy Smigliani delivered for the Eagles and was the kick-starter they needed. Sammy Taber set up the score when she sent a backhanded pass toward the goal where Smigliani waited and knocked it down with her hand before scoring from close-range.
The Eagles (9–7–1, 9–3–1 Hockey East) built their lead throughout the game and downed the Friars (5–11, 4–7) 5–1 on Friday night in Providence, RI. Smigliani’s first period goal marked her sixth of the season and the first of two on the night. Alongside her two goals, Smigliani tallied an assist and went 14-for-20 in faceoffs.
In the first period, Providence outshot BC 10–8, but the Friars were unable to convert their shots to any points on the board. Grace Campbell shut down the Friars’ attempts on net, and saved 10 shots during the first twenty minutes of play.
It wasn’t until the second period when the BC offense began to heat up, though. Sydney Fess launched the puck from long-range, and it sailed through Providence defenders to Caroline Goffredo who tipped it into the net 8:09 into the second period. Goffredo gave the Eagles a 2–0 lead over the Friars and the score marked her third goal of the season.
After referees tacked penalties on both Providence and the Eagles, BC and the Friars went on a 4-on-4 for two minutes with five minutes remaining in the second period. Following the faceoff in Providence’s defending zone Gaby Roy received a swift pass and swung her stick back before firing the puck into the top of the Friar’s goal to make it 3–0.
Following her eighth goal of the season, Roy was surrounded in a celebration of maroon and gold. The Friars, who take the second most penalties in the Hockey East conference, could not contain the BC offensive attack.
Unlike the first period where Providence had two more shots on goal, BC notched 10 shots compared to the Friars’ eight in the second.
BC’s offensive hot streak continued into the last twenty minutes of play. Smigliani scored her second goal of the night just 3:16 into the third period. Six minutes later, Goffredo followed Smigliani and tallied her second goal of the game to make it a five goal BC lead.
One minute later, the Friars finally put a point on the board following a goal by Grace Shirley. But that would conclude Providence’s offensive success, as BC limited Providence to just one goal in the game.
While Providence had 34 shots compared to BC’s 25, the Eagles still dominated offensively in their 5–1 win. The Eagles also outplayed Providence in faceoff success, as BC won 31 of its 59 faceoffs.
Another difference maker in the matchup was Campbell, who dominated in the net. Throughout sixty minutes, Campbell saved 33 of the Friars’ shots.
