On Saturday afternoon, Boston College women’s hockey will make its eighth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, this time as the four seed. Its opponent, on the other hand—Ohio State—will be playing for a chance to win it all for the very first time. Just to put things in perspective, the No. 6 Buckeyes (23-10-4, 14-6-4 WCHA) are one of just five teams in all of Division I hockey that have never taken the ice against the No. 4 Eagles (30-4-3, 19-2-3 Hockey East) before.
This matchup between a longstanding dynasty and a tourney newcomer should be a good one, though, as both teams boast top-10 offenses and outstanding play in net. And despite its recent success, BC has claimed the same amount of National Championship trophies as Ohio State: zero. The winner of this game will advance to the Frozen Four, hoping to make history, and will face either Mercyhurst or No. 1 Clarkson.
Who is BC playing?
Ohio State
When is BC playing?
Saturday, March 10, 1 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Kelley Rink, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game can be seen on ESPN3.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) The Eagles are 4-0 when ranked as the four seed in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
2) Katie Burt has started at goalie for the Eagles in all 37 games this year, recording a .932 save percentage along the way.
3) BC averages 4.19 goals per game, the best mark in the country.
Ohio State:
1) Seven Ohio State skaters have at least 20 points on the year.
2) Netminder Kassidy Suave has posted nine shutouts for the Buckeyes this season.
3) Freshman Tatum Skaggs leads the Buckeyes in scoring with 23 goals.
BC wins if…
The best duo in the country performs as expected. The Eagles are the favorite in this one for a reason. While the Buckeyes have had their best season in team history, BC has the top two scorers in the nation in Daryl Watts and Caitrin Lonergan. On their home ice, the Eagles are 4-0 against top-10 teams this season, scoring 15 total goals. If its offense, namely Watts and Lonergan, gets going early, BC can start booking plane tickets for Minneapolis.
BC loses if…
It can’t control the puck. BC had its Hockey East Tournament run come to an early end at the hands of UConn last weeked, in part because of its failure to win the draw. The Eagles lost 30 of the game’s 47 total faceoffs, severely limiting their offensive opportunities. As an even more formidable opponent, Ohio State will be quick to put BC away if its young and fast offense can find easy ways to get scoring chances. While Burt is one of the game’s best, BC can’t win if it doesn’t control the puck on the other end.
Featured Image by Julia Hopkins / Heights Senior Staff
