Huskies Over Terriers in 2OT

The Northeastern Huskies played today as the home team at Walter Brown Arena, where they hosted the (checks notes) Boston University Terriers in the Hockey East quarterfinals. This unlikely scenario found the Huskies with the last change on the ice as the home team, but I cannot confirm if the Terriers were forced to dress in the away locker room.

This was the 5th meeting between these 2 historic rivals this season, with NU holding the edge 3-1 heading into this one. But as I’ve said numerous times before, past records don’t mean squat when the playoffs start and today was no different. It took all 60 mins, plus another 22min and change of bonus hockey to settle this one, but Northeastern prevailed with a thrilling 2-1 victory.

In net for the Terriers was Mari Pietersen (6-9-3 with a 2.20GAA and a .924%SV), who was back in net after shutting out Providence earlier this week. That win put the Terriers into the quarterfinals and the 20 save shutout had to be a boost for the BU netminder. At the other end of the sheet was Lisa Jönsson (18-5-1 with a 1.70GAA and a .937%SV) who was making her first start in over a week. The Big Cat was fresh off beating UConn and I’m sure winning that goalie duel over Tia Chan had to be equally confidence boosting.

The pace was fast and the play was jumping from the opening draw. Neither team held the advantage for the first few shifts as everyone was just flying out there, but it was the Huskies that got on the board first.

With about 4mins played, a return of a familiar face had the Traveling Doghouse bellowing their approval. Éloïse Caron buried her first shot on net and all was right in the world of NU hockey once again. Caron broke out of her own end and possessed through the neutral and into the BU zone on the left wing. As she got to the LW dot she let go a wrister that beat Pietersen far side over the glove.

Snipe City your mayor is back.

Elo to the rest of Hockey East (probably)

That score held through the first period, but BU wasn’t rolling over. Jönsson had to be sharp as BU tested her throughout the opening frame.

Just about midway through the 2nd period, BU tied it back up during a power play. Oh no, it wasn’t on their own power play, they were short-handed. A contested puck at the BU blue line saw Sydney Healey break away from 2 NU defenders and she trucked into the NU zone before letting a wrister go from the LW dot. Healey got rid of the puck so fast and with such perfect placement that I think she surprised Jönsson on the short side. And she popped the water bottle too!

Once the score was tied, BU carried the play for the remainder of the period. It wasn’t as if NU was content, but BU was the clear aggressor. The teams headed into the 2nd intermission with a goal apiece and the tension was starting to build.

The first half of the third was one and done type of possessions. Neither side had long set-ups in the other’s zone and there was a lot of dumping and “kinda” chasing from both teams. As time wound down in regulation it already felt like overtime, so let’s get to it already.

In the first OT period both teams had chances, but the ‘tendies stood tall. And it wasn’t just the goalies that were making the saves, every single player was clogging the lane and sacrificing the body to keep pucks clear. Maeve Carey took an Allie Lalonde one-timer to the body from about 6ft out early in the first OT. And then at about the midway point in OT, Kristina Allard took a shot to the body to protect her own net. This is the playoffs: bruises go away but Hockey East titles live forever.

In the 2nd OT period, the Young Nailgun called game. Lily Shannon carried down the LW and found Allard streaking to the net. Allard’s shot was denied, but the puck rebounded to the right side of the slot and that’s where Emy McDermid was driving. McDermid (who I still have not seen glide) knows, since she grew up in God’s Country (aka Alberta) that.. say it with me… Good Things Happen When You Go To The Net. Ballgame.

BU challenged for a major on a collision earlier in the sequence, but the play stood as a good goal and you can’t blame the Terriers coaching staff for taking the shot. You never know.

A great-paced game that the on-ice officials let play out and that featured 2 great teams with excellent goaltending. BU’s season is done and the Huskies host UVM (somewhere) on Tuesday. You gotta love the playoffs!

Some observations:

• Ellie Mabardy was hustling all over the ice tonight. She was fighting for pucks along the wall and drew (at least) one penalty.
• Riley Walsh was hunting pucks all night. Just an absolute force on the backcheck. I really like her game.
• Mia Langlois impacted the game in all zones tonight. Million Dollas Worth of Game didn’t give up on a single puck and was battling. She also dove out and got a stick on a shot late in the first OT to deflect into the netting. I see you Langlois.

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