BOSTON UNIVERSITY UPENDS NORTHEASTERN, 4-2
Erin Seman and Cara Hendry each post goal and assist for BU

BOSTON - The Boston University women’s ice hockey team opened its regular-season series against Northeastern with a 4-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Walter Brown Arena. Senior co-captain Cara Hendry scored the game-winning goal at 6:14 of the third period, before sophomore Nicki Wiart added an empty-net goal at 18:51 to give the Terriers (13-7-2, 5-5-1 HE) the 4-2 win. Freshman goaltender Melissa Haber picked up her sixth win on the year, making 25 saves. With the loss, Northeastern falls to 3-17-1 overall and 2-10-1 in conference play this season.

The Terriers jumped ahead early in the game, as freshman Jonnie Bloemers scored at 1:06 of the opening period. Junior Julie Poulin passed the puck to Bloemers, who slipped the puck past Husky goaltender Stacey Scott amidst traffic in front of the goal for the 1-0 lead.

Although Northeastern edged BU in shots, 10-8, in the first period, the Terriers kept the puck out of their defensive zone and killed off two penalties. At 11:33, while on their first power play of the game, sophomore Erin Seman netted her team-leading 11th goal of the season to give the Terriers the two-goal lead. Poulin passed the puck to Hendry who quickly released it across to crease to a waiting Seman. The power-play goal extended a hot streak for BU, who has scored ten of its last 18 goals with the player advantage.

Northeastern came out of the locker room a revitalized team, generating scoring opportunities and giving its defense a break. At 7:33, the aggressive play paid off as Cassie Sperry beat Haber to cut BU’s lead in half. Ali Bielawski assisted on the goal.

The Huskies nearly tied the game around the eleven-minute mark when Nikki Petrich gained possession of the puck during a turnover and fired a point-blank shot at Haber from the slot. Haber rejected the shot and kept BU up 2-1 at the conclusion of the middle period.

Taking a penalty proved dangerous in the third period for the Huskies, as Hendry scored at 6:14 on the power play to give her team the 3-1 lead. NU’s Amy Goodney was called for hooking at 5:28, giving the Terriers two minutes of five-on-four hockey. The home team only needed 46 seconds however, as Seman and freshman Sarah Appleton teamed up to get the puck to Hendry, who converted. Hendry has registered at least one point in 11 of her last 12 games.

Northeastern kept the game close with a goal from Chelsey Jones at 8:41. Jones grabbed the puck during a turnover in the neutral zone and beat Haber to change the score to 3-2.

Shortly after the goal, sophomore Gina Kearns was called for hooking at 9:42, giving NU the player-advantage as the game neared the midway point of the final period. Despite missing sophomore defenseman Amanda Shaw, who left the game in the second period with a game misconduct, the Terriers killed of the penalty. BU has now killed off 30 straight penalties.

The Huskies pulled their goaltender at 17:43 for the extra attacker. However, at 18:51, sophomore Nicki Wiart cleared the puck out of the Terrier zone and hit the empty net, giving her team the 4-2 lead and ultimate win.

Haber made 25 saves in the game, and earned her first career back-to-back wins. The Toronto, Ont., native was the goaltender of record in Thursday’s 3-2 win over UConn. Haber earned first star of the game honors for her efforts, while Hendry earned third star.

In all, BU went 2-for-6 on the power play and outshot the Huskies 33-27. The win puts the Terriers at .500 in league play and just three points behind the fourth-place Providence Friars.

The Terriers will hang up their game jerseys until Friday evening when cross-town rival Boston College visits Walter Brown Arena at 7 p.m. The two teams faced off earlier this year, as the Eagles handed BU a 5-2 loss.