Chestnut Hill, Mass. - Before two minutes of game time had elapsed, senior forward Andrea Green delivered her first goal of the season and the No. 5/6 Boston College women's ice hockey team never looked back, as the Eagles (3-1-1, 1-0-1 Hockey East) shutout Quinnipiac (1-5-0, 0-0-0 ECAC), 5-0, on Friday afternoon in Kelley Rink.
Junior goaltender Corinne Boyles made 11 saves to pick up her second straight shutout and the third of her career. Quinnipiac keeper Victoria Vigilanti stopped 30 chances, as the Maroon and Gold decisively controlled the puck for a 35-11 shot advantage.
Green's goal, came at 18:11 in the first period, and was the just the second first-period goal of the season for BC. The score, which proved to be a game-winner, was worked up the ice by freshman Emily Field and junior Kristina Brown. Brown skated through the neutral zone and made a hard pass to the captain streaking towards the far post for the goal.
The Bobcats took only one shot on goal in the initial stanza, but it came on a breakaway by Nicole Kosta in the final minute. Boyles intelligent closed down the angle and made a glove save to maintain the Eagles lead, 1-0, heading into the intermission.
The scoreboard remained unchanged until junior forward Ashley Motherwell found the back of the net at 5:41 in the second. A holding penalty awarded BC a power play, so when freshman defender Emily Pfalzer sent the puck from the top of the point to fellow back-liner Blake Bolden in the top of the slot, the St. Charles, Ill., native received a pass in front of the net and sounded the horn for the two-goal advantage. The score was the first of season for Motherwell.
Boston College continued to possess the puck and hammer Vigilanti for the remainder of the second period. The Eagles had out shot the Bobcats 25-3, heading into the final frame.
Nearly three minutes into the third period, junior Caitlin Walsh netted her first goal of the year. The Franklin, Mass., received the puck from senior defenseman Allison Szlosek as she blazed through the neutral zone, broke past the Quinnipiac defense and beat Vigilanti high to pick up her eighth career goal at 17:07 in the third.
BC was whistle for checking a few minutes later. The Eagles killed five penalties, but on this occasion senior forward Danielle Welch intercepted a puck deep in the defensive zone, skated through the Bobcats down the right side and cued the lights at 13:45 in the third. The short-handed goal was BC's third of the season and the first of the captain's career.
As that penalty expired, Quinnipiac was blown for a checking call of its own. With the power play on, Welch and Bolden found Field in the left zone for the fifth and final goal of the day. Bolden's second assist of the afternoon moved her career point total to 38, the seventh most ever by an Eagles defenseman.
Boston College will host No. 10/10 Dartmouth on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. Admission is free, but those unable to attend are invited to watch the live stream or follow along via GameTracker.