BOSTON - Paced by four different goal scorers and 11 different point producers, the No. 8 Boston University women's ice hockey team defeated Vermont, 4-2, on Friday night at Walter Brown Arena.
Senior Deziray De Sousa and redshirt senior Sammy Davis each scored in the first frame while sophomores Emma Wuthrich and Courtney Correia lit the lamp in the third period to push BU (18-6-3, 13-6-3 HEAW) past Vermont (9-13-6, 6-11-4) for the third time this season. Senior Alexandra Calderone, junior Kristina Schuler, sophomore Kaleigh Donnelly, junior Nara Elia, freshman Nadia Mattivi, junior Jesse Compher and sophomore Mackenna Parker each recorded an assist.
Sophomore Kate Stuart made 19 saves to improve to 6-1-1 on the season. Her defense played outstanding in front of her, as the Terriers blocked 13 shots on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Stuart made perhaps her best save of the night early in the first period when she denied Kristina Shanahan's backhander from point-blank range to keep the game scoreless.
- De Sousa eventually opened the scoring at 11:49 of the contest. Schuler won an offensive-zone draw back to Calderone. Blanka Skodova (18 saves) stopped Calderone's well-placed shot, but De Sousa was in perfect position for the rebound and the finish for her seventh strike of the season.
- Shanahan tied the game, 1-1, at 16:44 of the first period, but BU closed the frame with a power-play tally. Elia redirected an Abby Cook shot on target, and after Donnelly kept the play alive in front of the net, Davis knocked home a loose puck for her team-leading 12th goal of the campaign.
- The teams played a scoreless second stanza before Wuthrich gave BU a two-goal lead at the 7:27 mark of the third period. Wuthrich won a neutral-zone draw, after which Mattivi collected the puck and skated into the offensive zone. Mattivi then turned and used a nifty backhand pass to get the puck back to Wuthrich, who uncorked a wrister over Skodova's glove for her third goal of the season.
- UVM responded with a 4-on-3 goal just 1:10 later to cut its deficit to 3-2.
- Correia sealed the win with just 1:36 remaining in regulation. Compher skated into the Catamount zone and stickhandled past a defender before shooting the puck on cage. The rebound popped right to Correia as she crashed the net, and the sophomore scored her sixth goal of the season to create the 4-2 final.
GAME NOTES
- The Terriers got a goal from all four lines tonight.
- De Sousa extended her point streak to four games (3g, 2a) and has registered a point in six of her last seven contests (5g, 3a).
- Stuart has allowed just one even-strength goal in her last three starts.
- In her last seven starts, Stuart has posted a 1.39 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage.
- Davis leads the Terriers in goals (12), assists (18) and points (30).
UP NEXT
- The Terriers will host the opening round of the 42nd annual Women's Beanpot on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
- BU will face Boston College at 8 p.m.
- The first game will feature Northeastern and Harvard at 5 p.m.
