If someone were to look at the stat sheet from Boston College women’s hockey’s game on Tuesday, they could be forgiven for thinking that the Eagles came out with a win.
But the scoreboard told a different story.
Despite putting up 41 shots and successfully killing four penalties, the Eagles (9–12–1, 7–5–1 Hockey East) fell in the first round of the Beanpot to Harvard (10–8–1, 5–6–1 ECAC), marking the third straight year that BC has failed to qualify for the championship game.
Missed opportunities were the story of the game for the Eagles. They had multiple breakaways and some shots from point-blank range, but were only able to convert one of their 41 shots.
Ainsley Tuffy, Harvard’s goalkeeper, was a big reason for that. Tuffy saved 40 shots and seemed to anticipate everything BC tried to do.
“I thought we got more scoring opportunities than we have had all year,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said. “[Tuffy] stood on her head and found a way to save them.”
In the first period, BC controlled the puck and outshot Harvard 13–8 but was unable to change the scoreboard. The Eagles’ best chance of the period came on an Ava Thomas breakaway, but a timely penalty from the Crimson kept her from getting a look at the net.
Tuffy wasn’t the only Crimson player who helped keep BC scoreless. In addition to her 13 first-period saves, Harvard blocked 11 of BC’s shots.
“In the first period, I thought we dominated,” Crowley said.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, that domination did not translate to a lead.
For most of the opening 20 minutes, those lost chances didn’t punish BC—until Morgan McGathey found herself with the puck for Harvard with 2:10 left in the frame. McGathey fired a shot past Grace Campbell to open up the scoring and put the Crimson up 1–0 at the break.
The roles were reversed in the second period. Harvard got two power-play opportunities, but the Eagles’ defense held tough and successfully killed both.
Just under seven minutes into the second period, Thomas did what she has been doing all year for BC, finding the back of the net to tie things up. It was Thomas’ 13th goal of the season, which ties her for second in the nation for freshmen goal-scoring.
“What a player,” Harvard head coach Laura Bellamy said of Thomas. “I think she’s fantastic. I mean, what she can do, obviously, her size, her skill, her skating, her physicality—offensively, it feels like every time she’s out there, she creates.”
Thomas found herself on another breakaway during the second penalty kill of the period, but could not get the puck past Tuffy.
The third period was the same story as the first. BC got plenty of opportunities, racking up 16 shots on goal—and getting multiple good looks at the net that went wide—but were unable to break through.
Once again, that inability to capitalize haunted BC when Kaley MacDonald put Harvard up for good 8:23 into the final period. MacDonald took a pass from Emily Hamann and sniped the puck past Campbell to give the Crimson a 2–1 lead.
BC fought for the last 10 minutes, killing two more penalties and finding clean shots, but could not get past Tuffy. A final shot from Thomas sailed harmlessly past the net in the closing seconds, and BC was sent to the consolation game yet again.
The loss continues a rough stretch for the Eagles. They are now on a six-game skid and have only put up two goals in their last three games—both courtesy of Thomas.
“This is one of the best, complete games that we played, and unfortunately, we lost,” said Crowley. “I wish the hockey gods would fall our way once this year.”
