PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Fifth-ranked Boston University broke a 2-2 tie late in the third period and held on to defeat the Providence College women's ice hockey team, 3-2.
Providence was led by senior Ashley Cottrell (Sterling Heights, Mich.) and her two goals, one of which was her second short-handed strike of the weekend.
The decision snaps the Friars' unbeaten string at six game. The team remains 5-1-1 for the month of November.
The deciding score came after the Friars were whistled for too many skaters at 12:33 of the third period. Ten seconds later, BU junior Isabel Menard slipped the puck through the crease, where it was bumped back into the middle by teammate Tara Watchorn. Finally, the puck settled on the stick of freshman Kayla Tutino, who directed it through a maze of legs and into the back of the net.
It was the Friars who broke through initially, taking a 1-0 lead at 4:30 of the first period. Senior Laura Veharanta (La Verne, Calif.) put back-to-back shots on the BU goal. As the second rebound took her to the right of the cage, Veharanta spun and fed classmate Cottrell in front. Cottrell fired home her fifth of the season and the Friars carried a 1-0 edge into the first intermission.
The Terriers answered with a pair in the middle period. At 1:21, senior Jenn Wakefield carried the puck with speed into the Friar zone and blasted home a sharp slap shot from the high slot. It was her 10th goal of the year. Then, at 11:32, forward Tutino stood in front of the net and tipped home a slap shot from the right point. 2-1 Terriers after two.
The third period opened with more heroics from Cottrell. While on the penalty kill, the senior earned a loose puck inside her own blueline and played it softly off the boards into the neutral zone. She then won the race to the puck, creating a breakaway opportunity which culminated with a score through the goaltender's legs. It was PC's third shorthanded goal of the weekend, as Cottrell and junior Jessica Vella (Pickering, Ontario) turned the trick in a 2-0 defeat of Vermont on Saturday.
Both goaltenders were outstanding, with Providence goaltender Genevieve Lacasse (Kingston, Ontario) making 25 stops and Terrier Kerrin Sperry halting 33.
Providence returns home on Friday, November 25 for the annual Mayor's Cup contest against cross-town rival Brown. Face-off at Schneider Arena is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available by calling (401) 865 GO PC or by visiting Friars.com.