Boston University
Providence
Terriers, Friars Set for Home-and-Home Series
January 20, 2017 | Women's Ice Hockey
| Women's Ice Hockey (12-8-4, 7-7-3 WHEA) at/vs. Providence (12-11-1, 7-6-1 WHEA) | |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | Saturday (Jan. 21) - 2 p.m. | Sunday (Jan. 22) - 3 p.m. |
| Venue | Schneider Arena - Providence, R.I. | Walter Brown Arena - Boston, Mass. |
| Watch | Saturday ($$) | Sunday (free) |
| Game Notes | BU |
| Live Stats | Saturday | Sunday |
| @BUGameDay | @BUwhockey | |
The Boston University women's ice hockey team will begin a home-and-home series with Providence on Saturday in Rhode Island (2 p.m.) before the teams return to Walter Brown Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The team will host its annual Skating Strides Against Breast Cancer game as part of the Hockey East's fundraising initiative to raise awareness around breast cancer. All ticket sales will be donated to breast cancer organizations across New England through the Friends of Mel Foundation.
Pink paper pucks will be sold at the door for $1 and Hockey East will provide branded merchandise for purchase as well.
BU (12-8-4, 7-7-3 WHEA) and Providence (12-11-1, 7-6-1 WHEA) met all the way back in September in the season opener for both squads. Thanks to a Samantha Sutherland hat trick, the Terriers defeated the Friars, 5-2. It was the 10th straight win for BU and improved the Terriers' record to 16-1-0 in their last 17 tilts against Providence, a stretch that dates back to the 2011-12 season. BU is 21-3-2 against PC since a two-game skid during the 2008-9 campaign.The Terriers have secured three ties so far in 2017, but points are at a premium as the Hockey East regular season nears its conclusion. BU has just seven league games remaining on the schedule entering this weekend and is currently tied for third with Vermont at 17 points, three behind second-place Northeastern and nine back of first-place Boston College. Providence is tied for fifth with New Hampshire at 15 points - BU still has two tilts each against those squads. The top four teams in the conference will host best-of-three quarterfinal series in the final weekend of February, with the championship weekend to be held at Walter Brown Arena.
Graduate student Mary Parker potted her 18th goal of the season on Sunday. She is tied for second in the nation and second in Hockey East in goals, one behind Northeastern's McKenna Brand. Parker also had two assists on Saturday and enters the weekend with a three-game point streak. She became the first Terrier to reach the 30-point plateau this season and is tied for 10th in the NCAA and tied for first in Hockey East in that category.
While the Terriers' offense has been held in check to start the second semester, BU has been much stingier on defense over the start of the second semester. The Terriers have allowed just 1.75 goals per game since the start of the new year, which ranks third in Hockey East and tied for 10th in the NCAA. BU has been especially stingy within league play, as the Terriers have held their last seven Hockey East opponents to just 1.43 goals per game, second among league teams over their last seven conference contests.
Providence won four of their last five games, including a two-game sweep of UConn this past weekend. Senior Cassidy Carels leads Providence in both points (24) and goals (14). She is one of six Friars with at least 10 assists this season. Junior Brooke Boquist is second in goals (13) and points (23) while sophomore Christina Putigna is first in assists (12) and third in points (19).
Sophomore goaltender Madison Myers has played in 15 games this year, including the season-opener at BU, and is 6-8-1 with a .902 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average. Myers has split time with freshman Clare Minnerath over the last two weeks, with Minnerath going 2-0-0 in two starts, posting a 1.71 GAA and .922 save percentage with one shutout.
Following the series with Providence, BU will head to Merrimack next Saturday (Jan. 28) at 7 p.m. It will be the Terriers' final game before the 39th annual Women's Beanpot begins on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Northeastern. The Terriers will face Boston College in the opening round.
