Re: 2015-2016 Division I Women's Hockey Scores & Results
Some thoughts on last night's BC win... BC the better team obviously, but I think Harvard should not be written off.
First, they came off a difficult Q/Princeton weekend. BC had motivation and were rested after an off weekend. If you watched the Harvard weekend, that top line got tons of time, especially the game against Q with TV time outs that let coach Stone shorten her lines. I think that top line was overplayed and just didn't have the gas for this game, but indeed were still good.
Secondly, if you watched the first period, while BC did make life difficult for Harvard, the Crimson did have scoring opportunities that they didn't convert and some not reflected in the shot count. From the Eagles perspective, they must have been surprised that 4 of those goals got in the net. The goals:
1. One goal a strange bouncing puck from long range that should have been stopped.
2. Another was a flubbed tie-up by Masch that got loose somehow and banged in. Just trap the puck Masch!
3. Another goal where Carpenter was allowed to skate behind two defensemen who were busy looking at the shooter at the point - she banged home the rebound.
4. A shot from the point that Masch didn't track.
5. The fifth goal was after a significant attack by the Crimson in the Eagles end, and in transition, a beautifully converted 3 on 2 (which every student of hockey should watch).
I think once Harvard was down 5-0 and Masch was pulled, it was white flag time.
This reminds me of the BU-Q game where BU lost 6-1. BU had to travel to Vermont for the weekend, and then with one day of rest, had to get back on the bus to CT for a game against Q at 11 AM on a Tuesday. I think a "normal" game would have been closer.
The point? BC is better than Harvard, but not by that score. Those thinking Harvard is in the midst of total collapse are likely wrong. The Crimson will still be a dangerous team in the ECAC playoffs.