PREVIEW: BU women's hockey looks for revenge against Northeastern in Beanpot final
Yesterday at 06:46 PM
Revenge? Or repeat?
It's the Boston University women's hockey team against No. 15 Northeastern, again. Last year, the Huskies defeated the Terriers (14-7-1, 11-4-1 Hockey East) 2-1 in overtime to win the Beanpot.
Just like last year, TD Garden will play host for the 46th Women's Beanpot championship game. A record 10,633 people flooded into the venue on Jan. 23 last year, and this year looks to be much the same.
BU is looking to win just its third-ever Beanpot, while Northeastern hopes to win its 20th, already boasting the most of any of the four schools with 19.
"I would love that feeling for our players," head coach Tara Watchorn said of a potential title in her weekly media call on Monday. "They deserve it."
The puck drops at TD Garden at 7:30 p.m. Here's what you need to know.
Freshman vs. senior perspective on the Beanpot
Freshman Kaileigh Quigg and senior Christina Vote come from different backgrounds and said they approach competition differently, but they can both agree on one thing: they desperately want to win the Beanpot.
"I would consider myself not a competitive person, and I've been dreaming about it this last week," Vote said after practice on Monday.
"I'm a very competitive person. I do not want to lose," Quigg added.
Hailing from Arlington, Mass., Vote grew up around the Beanpot. Her brother Will is a sophomore forward at Boston College. Quigg grew up in Keswick, Ont., watching from afar, but she knew she wanted to be in Boston.
"The Beanpot was always such an exciting experience," Vote said. "It was a time for teams to come together."
"It's just a competitive environment where all the best players are playing," Quigg added.
Both teams struggled this past weekend
After winning their respective semifinal games at Matthews Arena last Tuesday, both the Terriers and the Huskies didn't look like themselves over the weekend.
BU dropped its lone game to New Hampshire on Saturday 2-0, dropping out of the USCHO poll for the first time since Oct. 28. Northeastern lost twice to Providence in a home-and-home series, 5-1 and 3-2.
It's not uncommon for teams to lose in between the Beanpot semifinal and championship. Even though conference standing was on the line in all three games, playing at TD Garden looms large for all.
"We know the Beanpot's around the corner, and for the most part, were present," Watchorn said after Saturday's trip to Durham, N.H.
Scouting the Huskies
Northeastern (14-8-1, 10-6-1 HE) enters Tuesday's contest much different than in the home-and-home set against the Terriers back in October — and the changes start with freshman netminder Lisa Jönsson.
Jönsson's first collegiate start came against BU on Oct. 12, which the Terriers won 4-0. Since then, she's been nothing short of spectacular. Jönsson overtook senior Paige Taborski as the Huskies' No. 1 goaltender, posting a .951 save percentage in her 13 starts, which is tied for the best mark in the nation. She's allowing 1.24 goals against per game, the second-best mark in the country, and has recorded five shutouts.
Senior Skylar Irving and freshman Éloïse Caron are still leading the charge offensively for Northeastern. Irving leads the Huskies in scoring with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists), and Caron is right behind her with 18 (six goals, 12 assists).
Irving and Caron played on the same line in the series against the Terriers earlier this season, but of late, head coach Dave Flint has split the pair up.
"They play fast. They definitely have a really disciplined but aggressive style of play," Watchorn said. "Similar to us in a lot of ways, the way they get it going on the forecheck."
