In a game that embodied physicality and missed opportunities, a second-period altercation between Providence’s Brooke Becker and Boston College women’s hockey’s Sammy Taber represented the two game-defining characteristics.
The two teams had played chippy toward each other all game long, and the tension reached its climax late in the second period. After a missed shot from Taber, Becker grabbed her facemask and was rewarded with a game misconduct, while also gifting BC a five-minute power play. It was the perfect opportunity for the Eagles to tie the game back up after being down 2–1.
But the Eagles managed just two shots on the advantage, and both were blocked before they ever threatened to score. The Friars were able to play compact defense that limited the Eagles’ offense, while also managing two shots on goal—all while down a skater.
“When we get opportunities, 2-on-0’s, 2-on-1’s, breakways, we need to put a couple in,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said. “We weren’t able to do that today.”
Despite losing 3–1, the Eagles (13–8–6, 12–4–4 Hockey East) recorded just one less shot and two fewer shots on goal than Providence (11–14–2, 10–8–2). The Eagles also won six more faceoffs than Providence and recorded two less penalties. Despite these opportunities, however, BC just could not convert.
“We just need to find a way to bury them,” Crowley said.
The first 10 minutes of the opening period featured plenty of shot opportunities from both teams. The Eagles came into the match firing on all cylinders, keeping the puck away from the Friars and taking the first nine shots of the game.
The Friars then flipped the script and launched eight consecutive shots of their own. The two teams continued to go shot for shot with BC firing 11 shots on goal while Providence had nine of its own in the opening frame.
The big difference, however, was that Providence found a way to put the puck in the back of the net on one of its shots and BC did not. Lindsay Bochna’s goal with 1:18 remaining in the period, fired into the top left corner of the net to put Providence ahead 1–0.
Starting with a big hit against BC’s Julia Pellerin delivered by Providence’s Reichen Kirchmair, the first period set the physical tone of the game. As the period ended, Keri Clougherty and Bochna slammed into the glass near the Providence bench, and a small scuffle between the two teams broke out shortly before being broken up by the refs.
“It was a physical game,” Crowley said. “It typically is when we play against Providence, it can get a little chippy and a little physical.”
The start of the second period mirrored the first, with the Eagles dominating time of possession and producing three shots on goal, while limiting Providence to none in the first six minutes. But Providence responded by outshooting BC by 11 shots in the second period, resulting in another goal for the Friars. This time, Kiara Kraft’s goal with 11:43 remaining put Providence up 2–0 over the Eagles.
The second period was full of chances for the Eagles in the first 13-and-a-half minutes. But the Eagles couldn’t convert their chances into a goal, until a deep shot from Molly Jordan ripped past Hope Walinski and into the back of the net at the 6:04 mark.
“She is certainly finding that net and I guess we need her to shoot a little bit more,” Crowley said of Jordan.
Heading into the third period down a goal, the Eagles needed to score, but never found the back of the net in the final frame. Providence found another, though, as Bochna ripped the puck into the bottom left of the goal with 3:06 remaining to score her second goal of the game and put the game on ice.
“I’m proud of our team and how resilient we’ve been these last couple of weeks,” Crowley said. “They’ve never gotten down on themselves or each other. They are not pointing fingers at each other.”
Crowley said her team still plans on making big waves in the near future.
“Our team has that desire to make a run in the playoffs,” Crowley said.”
