Boston University Women's Hockey

[mwade]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

WOW! Awesome collection!

Thanks!

[TonyTheTiger20]

Don't think so.

See, this is my only problem with the new USCHO design.

[ARM]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

See, this is my only problem with the new USCHO design.

A lot of people used to miss white font with the old design as well (although it was easier to see once quoted perhaps.) I didn't see the white font when you posted originally, but even without that, knew it was just a BU/BC thing.

[mwade]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

Article on Jenelle Kohanchuk from the Winnipeg Free Press - http://bit.ly/jenelle

[Bumbles]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

Was able to catch the game today and just wanted to provide a few quick comments.

-PC looked really good. Captain Jean O'Neill, who I believe just recently returned from injury, put in two impressive goals. PC has a lot of of offensive weapons and should definitely finish at least 3rd or 4th in HE, possibly higher depending on the results of their 3 game set with BC.

-I think BU was really lucky to get the W today. The play was choppy and I felt that their was a real lack of chemistry among the lines. Way too many passes were off target or ended up in icing for my liking. Play like this is how we got whopped by BC 6-3 and makes me worry about our chances next weekend. I also think BU is a little overrated at this pt in the season as I can see them having an extremely difficult time with Mercyhurst or UMD and possibly Minny. Although we have some elite players in Wakefield, Poulin and Kohanchuk, I don't think we have enough depth to challenge the other top teams.

-Lastly, what is going on with Lauren Cherewyk? She is the leading returning scorer from last season and through 21 games, shes yet to score and only has 5 assists. She started the season on a line with Wakefield and since then has been dropped to the 3rd line. In the games that I've been to this season, shes had a good number of scoring opportunities but either couldn't finish or was just too weak on the puck and as a result got stripped before being able to get a shot off. Defensively, shes the only non-4th line F with a - +/- at -1. Her defensive play today almost led to a few PC scoring opportunities. I really hope she's able to salvage the rest of this season and step it up because we need her to contribute if we're going to make a good postseason run. Durocher said at the beginning of the season that our success will really depend on the 3 seniors and whether they put in career yrs or not.

[Sean Pickett]

From Vermont to Providence

It's been two months since my last post so I thought I would try to post a few thoughts about each game/series since.

It turned out that the two Vermont games were very hard played games and BU continued the trend of giving up the first goal and having to play from behind. The Terriers were able to do so in both games, but the goaltending of Roxanne Douville was fabulous and she was able to get two ties at Walter Brown. Vermont played two great games against BU and they reminded me of BU’s team last year. I think the Catamounts will continue to improve the next several seasons.

The BC game at Walter Brown was a much needed reality check (although I would have preferred it to the game at BC). Giving up the first goal and the team’s other bad habits finally proved fatal as they played poorly. The final score was not reflective of the game, as it wasn’t that close. On the positive side, BU played a good third period heading into the rematch at Conte. I wasn’t at the games, but from what I read it was a good solid performance by the Terriers. They also scored first for the first time in eight games and were able to protect the slime 1-0 lead for the rest of the game.
The first game of the Princeton series looked like BU was slipping back into there out ways, as the Tigers scored first, but the Terriers responded with the tying goal less than a minute latter and it was all BU from that point on. The next game was played at Agganis Arena and Rachel Weber rebounded from her poor performance the previous night to have a solid game in net for Princeton. However BU forged a 2 -0 lead and then was able maintain the lead after the Tigers scored late in the second.

The Terriers next traveled to Connecticut and came away with a 4-0 win, but I didn’t make the trip and have no observations to make. BU next hosted NU in a Tuesday night game and it was another solid all-around performance by the Terriers. The Huskies played well in the first, if I recall correctly, but the Terriers took control in the second and never look back after taking a 1-0 in the middle of the second.

BU’s solid play carried over into their game at Harvard as they outplayed the Crimson for the first period and took a 2-0 lead early in the second. However, Harvard was not ready to roll over and the step up their play and outplayed BU for the rest of the second period and start of the third, tying the game at 2 all. BU responded retaking the leas just over a minute later and then doubling less then 2 minutes after Harvard had tied it up. The Crimson continued to pressure the Terriers, but it was BU who scored the next goal to ten minutes later to all-but-but away the game. Harvard continued to battle until the final buzzer and they were rewarded with a last second goal.

After a three week layoff BU made the trip down to Brown and I finally made it to a road game (as much to see the brown bear in the lobby as the game). Despite missing Tara Watchorn and Jenelle Kohanchuk off with the Canadian U-22 team and head coach Brian Durocher off with the US U-18 team, the Terriers showed little signs of the break. They controlled the game from start to finish and Alissa Fromkin had an easy afternoon earning her first shutout.

Providence then returned to Walter brown for the critical third game in the season series and the Friars came out with an aggressive forecheck and a physical game. Unlike the Brown game, it was obvious that BU was missing their two players off with the Canadian U-22 team. The team had trouble clearing the defensive zone on numerous occasions and turned the puck over too-many times, which lead directly to two PC goals. BU also missed passes on the break-out and in the attack zone all afternoon, allowing the Friars regain possession of the puck and counter-attack. Still, despite these problems BU had a number of great chances to score that they were unable to finish or that were saved. Despite these problems BU was able to pressure the Friars at times, including at one point when they attacked while playing 6x7 for 10+ seconds, before the officials finally called PC for too many player on the ice. The Terriers showed several areas that they need to work on but it was still a solid win against a very good team.

In goal it appears that BU is solid and in my opinion both Sperry and Fromkin have continued to improve as the season has progressed. I think Sperry is clearly the No. 1 goalie while Fromkin looks like a solid backup and Hiller is an unknown. On defense the team still needs to improve against an aggressive forecheck, but it looks good overall. On offense the team looks solid, even when it is misfiring like it did against PC. I also think that the return of Watchorn and Kohanchuk will help improve the passing as I expect the forward lines and defensive pairings to go back to what they were before the break.

Sean Pickett

[bu3puckster]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

Congrates to Coach Durocher and the BU Lady Terriers. What an outstanding job of putting together an top ranked team in such good order. Nothing less than the NCAA Trophy !

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

-PC looked really good. Captain Jean O'Neill, who I believe just recently returned from injury, put in two impressive goals. PC has a lot of of offensive weapons and should definitely finish at least 3rd or 4th in HE, possibly higher depending on the results of their 3 game set with BC.

I agree. I also thought they looked good when the two teams played back in early November and it looked like they have improved since then.

-I think BU was really lucky to get the W today. The play was choppy and I felt that their was a real lack of chemistry among the lines. Way too many passes were off target or ended up in icing for my liking. Play like this is how we got whopped by BC 6-3 and makes me worry about our chances next weekend. I also think BU is a little overrated at this pt in the season as I can see them having an extremely difficult time with Mercyhurst or UMD and possibly Minny. Although we have some elite players in Wakefield, Poulin and Kohanchuk, I don't think we have enough depth to challenge the other top teams.

BU was missing to top players for this game and that caused a change of the forward lines and defensive pairings. I would expect them to go back to how they had been before the break.

-Lastly, what is going on with Lauren Cherewyk? She is the leading returning scorer from last season and through 21 games, shes yet to score and only has 5 assists. She started the season on a line with Wakefield and since then has been dropped to the 3rd line. In the games that I've been to this season, shes had a good number of scoring opportunities but either couldn't finish or was just too weak on the puck and as a result got stripped before being able to get a shot off. Defensively, shes the only non-4th line F with a - +/- at -1. Her defensive play today almost led to a few PC scoring opportunities. I really hope she's able to salvage the rest of this season and step it up because we need her to contribute if we're going to make a good postseason run. Durocher said at the beginning of the season that our success will really depend on the 3 seniors and whether they put in career yrs or not.

I think some it has to do with chemistry (which you mentioned) and it appears that she plays will on the line with Holly Lorms and Louise Warren. This happens to be the third line, or as Coach Durocher rotates the top three lines on the depth chart, the top checking/defensive line. As such they are not been ask to score as much as in previous seasons. It's a different role, but I think Lauren is handling it well.

And she wasn't the only Terrier with good scoring opportunities against Providence. I thought this might be one of those games where the inability to finish and bury the puck in the net would cost BU the game.

Sean Pickett

P.S. Great job Jenelle, Tara and Coach Durocher. I look forward to seeing you all again on the BU bench this weekend.

[mwade]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

Congratulations to the BU women who won their 100th game this afternoon.

[Sean Pickett]

BU vs BC, Maine and Vermont (but mostly Maine)

Congratulations to Coach Durocher and the BU women’s team on his and the program’s 100th victory. Several other Terrier milestones and records were reached or broken in the game, including shutouts in a season by the team (which I did not see mentioned elsewhere).

I had hoped to get over to Conte for the BU-BC game, but life and family dictated otherwise. From what I have read it was a close game, but the Terriers scored first and Sperry once again shutout the Eagles. After an even, scoreless first period BC outshot BU, 10-4, in the second, but Jillian Kirchner was able to give the Terriers the lead. In the third BU turned it around, outshooting BC, 9-1, and was able to score an insurance goal midway through the period, then got an empty netter and another goal in the final minute.

The next day BU hosted Maine at Walter Brown and I was concerned that they might have a letdown after the big win over BC. Instead the Terriers came out flying and scored just 31 seconds into the game. The Terriers doubled the scored just over 2 and ½ minutes later and it was looking like it might be a blowout. However the Black Bears scored just 49 seconds later on a two-on-one and drew a penalty to boot. BU successfully killed the penalty and then scored 21 seconds into their first powerplay of the game. However, BU’s third penalty of the game proved costly as Maine scored to make it a 3-2 game midway through the first. With 5 goals scored in just over 11 minutes it looked instead of a rout it might turn into a barn-burner, but both teams settled down on defense and both goalies stepped up their play. It remained a one goal game for the next 22 minutes until Poulin scored on a breakaway. Mirroring the first, Holze made it 5-2 just 36 seconds into the period when she scored on a rebound.

I thought that BU played sloppy defense for the first 11 minutes of the game, but then they settled down and played much better. Offensively I think they played well from start to finish and in net Fromkin got the start. She played as well as needed and I think that she is continuing to improve as the season progresses.

Next up is a critical home-and-home with Connecticut, as the Huskies have won five straight, including four league games, and are just 4 points behind BU.

Sean

[techknowgn]

Re: Providence at BU

BU's first periods have often been weak(er) in comparison to their second and thirds. Id love to see a goal differential by period. tonight they came out strong, but just couldnt beat the UConn goalie until halfway though the 3rd.

[Sean Pickett]

Re: Providence at BU

BU's first periods have often been weak(er) in comparison to their second and thirds. Id love to see a goal differential by period. tonight they came out strong, but just couldnt beat the UConn goalie until halfway though the 3rd.

All you have to do is look at the BU stats on the Hockey East website or the BU website and do a little subtraction.

Here is the up-to-date goal totals and differentials

GOALS BY PERIOD        1   2   3  OT  Total
-------------------------------------------
Boston University...  27  32  36   0 -   95
Opponents...........  18  13  10   0 -   41
Differential........   9  19  26   0 -   54

Sean

[Sean Pickett]

UConn at BU

A solid win for the Terriers tonight. Once again they came out and played in the first, but had nothing to show for it after 20 minutes. In the second they continued their strong play, but a miscue on defense allowed the Huskies to take a 1-0 lead on a weak goal. In the third BU finally broke through Alexandra Garcia to tie the game when Catherine Ward skated around the net and put the puck in off Garcia. Marie-Philip Poulin scored the game winner midway through the period on a laser shot she lifted past Garcia.

It looked to me like UConn started out playing a defense game, counter-attacking when they had the chance. Once they took the lead they seemed to me to be willing go on the offensive more, but after BU tied it early in the third they fell back into a defense posture. Garcia played a great game, joining a growing list of goalies who have done a great job of keeping their team in the game.

Alissa Fromkin played instead of Kerrin Sperry and although she faced only 17 shots, I thought it was her best game of the season so far. I also thought it was one of the best defensive efforts by the Terriers this season, but UConn’s style of play probably helped it look so good. Offensively BU continues to play well, but too many times they missed finishing on great plays.

Saturday’s rematch should be another great game.

Sean Pickett

[Sean Pickett]

BU at UConn

Today’s game was quite different from yesterday’s. The Huskies came out with an aggressive forecheck and for the first several minutes they were able to cycle the puck ion the BU zone and get several shots on net. The Terriers were able to take control of play and were able to finish better, scoring two goals in the first. The second period was scoreless with both teams having chances and in the third BU put the game away with two more goals, before UConn scored late to deny Sperry another shutout.

The game had more flow than yesterday’s, as UConn had a much better attack and was able to control the puck in the BU zone at times and put pressure the Terrier net. BU played well defensively, still keeping the Huskies shot totals down and rarely allowing them a chance at a rebound. In net Sperry played another excellent game, and came close to another shutout. Offensively the top three lines all played well and the third line having some nice chances. Also, Lauren Cherewyk scored her first goal of the season on the powerplay to open the scoring.

It was good to see BU sweep the weekend and season series from UConn, something that they had never done before. Going back to last year’s Hockey East Championship game the Terriers have now won 4 straight against the Huskies. Next up for BU is a Thursday-Saturday home-and-home against a New Hampshire team fighting to make the playoffs.

Sean

[Rogie21]

Re: Boston University Women's Hockey

Text and video feature on freshman goalie Kerrin Sperry and her sister, Megan, a junior at BU and member of BU's competition figure skating club.

http://www.bu.edu/buniverse/view/?v=t841dUz