BC Over NU in OT

The Northeastern Huskies welcomed in the Boston College Eagles for their last “home game” of the season today at Bentley College. This was the 4th matchup between the teams with Northeastern holding a 3-0 edge in the season series so far and I’m sure BC was relishing another shot at the Huskies. As it turned out, the 4th time’s the charm for the Eagles as they got the OT win 1-0 this afternoon.

In net for the Huskies was the Big Cat, Lisa Jönsson with a 17-4-1 in her sophomore season where she’s 3-0 against the Eagles including a Beanpot victory. The Stockholm native is rocking a 1.72GAA and a .934%SV. At the other end of Beaver Street stood Grace Campbell in the Eagles’ net. The senior netminder from Maryland was making her 31st start of the season (not a typo) with a 2.86GAA and a .923%SV.

The pace was good to start this one off but both sides struggled to get long setups in each other’s zones. Some special team play skewed the zone times, but most of the action took place between the blue lines. The best bid of the opening frame came shorthanded when Ava Thomas broke in clean on Jönsson but was unable to beat the NU netminder at the right post. This is what is called foreshadowing.

In the second it was more of the same, neither team could solve the other’s goalie as both sides had some grade-A chances. The zone time slightly favored the Huskies but it was much closer than the first.

Campbell was dialed all night (sorry but BC doesn’t give any love to the goalie on socials so no video clips available), but a few sequences stood out to me. With about 6min played, Campbell had a great poke-check on Emy McDermid down low to keep NU off the board. Then with about 5min left in the period, Campbell tracked the puck on a low to high feed and stoned Stryker Zablocki on a one-timer from the bottom of the LW circle. An absolute filthy save and a great poke.

Editors Note: BC finally gave some love to Campbell on socials.

Not to be outdone, Jönsson had to be sharp throughout the period as BC was getting some looks. A turnover (and what probably should have been an interference call that caused the turnover) in the NU zone led to this sequence, but the Big Cat was ready.

The sides opened up the 3rd in what had turned into a goalie duel. Lots of pace, and lots of chances, but no solutions when it came to goal-scoring.

Madelyn Murphy had the defensive play of the game about 8mins into the 3rd when she kept the puck out of the BC net. A low to high pass ended up with the puck spinning in the blue paint behind Campbell. Murphy swatted the puck out of harms and kept this game knotted at gooses. Great hand/eye and stick work from the local freshman.

The game picked up as the period progressed as both sides were driving the net. The best chance of the 3rd for the Huskies was a bid by Morgan Jackson, who broke in on a breakaway but Campbell had the poke-check going again and thwarted the bid to keep the game scoreless. BC followed that sequence with a shot off the post at the other end of the rink. Back and forth action for your Sunday afternoon.

The horn blew for regulation with neither team on the scoreboard so the fans in attendance got to enjoy some bonus hockey.

In the extra time, both sides had chances but it was Stripes that got involved. I mean c’mon. Allie Lalonde gets called for the slash when the BC player drops the stick, but that’s an easy both sides call. Just like the matching penalties in the second period when Zablocki and Olivia Maffeo got matching minors, this was another spot to call the same.

But, that was not the case as the Eagles got the 4:3 power play for about 12 seconds before Thomas got her game winning cookie. BC won the face-off in the NU zone and after a defected shot ended up at the RW circle, Thomas skated down to her right and put the shot back across the grain far-side for the win. Snipe city.

BC hosts UNH and BU next weekend at Conte Forum while the Huskies hit the road for matchups with UConn and then Providence to round out the regular season.

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