It was a brutal start for Boston College women’s hockey.
The unranked Eagles (0–1) opened their regular season Thursday night with a 7–1 road loss to the No. 3 Golden Gophers (1–0). This marks the ninth time the two teams have met, and BC’s record now stands at 1–6–2 in the series with Minnesota.
Sticks went flying at the puck drop, but Minnesota controlled the ice after freshman Anabella Fanale scored just over halfway through the first period.
The Golden Gophers established their dominance with pucks hitting the back of the net in rapid succession. With seven minutes left in the first period, Minnesota’s Chloe Primerano put up another score, only for Fanale to follow suit one minute later.
Eagles fans could hardly watch as Kendra Distad notched a goal and Abbey Murphy made it 5–0 with still another 4:17 remaining in the first frame.
Olivia Maffeo and Sammy Taber attempted to press with shots, but none were able to hit the net, bringing the shot on goal score at 21–0 at the end of the first period.
Despite the devastating start, BC seemed to find its footing during the second period. They kept the Golden Gophers at bay and even found some space against the intense offensive unit.
Both teams struggled to capitalize on power plays throughout the game, with the Eagles going 0-of-6 and Minnesota only slightly better at 1-of-6.
Former Eagle Molly Jordan scored her first goal as a Golden Gopher against her old team. The junior ranked fourth in total points for BC during the 2024–25 season before transferring to Minnesota.
The second period ended with a BC goal, scored by freshman Ava Thomas with less than a minute left, and assisted by Alanna Devlin and Lauren Glaser. The second period score ended at 1–1, reflecting a significant improvement for the Eagles.
Goaltender Grace Campbell kept the team rejuvenated with 41 saves, providing a crucial defensive presence despite the lopsided score.
The game reached a boiling point with six minutes remaining when a scuffle resulted in coincidental minors, leading to 4-on-4 play. Minnesota’s Nelli Laitinen took the advantage of the open ice and closed out the game 7–1.
