STORRS, Conn. - Junior Sydney Healey popped in a rebound at the crease 4:43 into overtime to lift the Boston University women's hockey team to its sixth Hockey East title on Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 triumph over Northeastern at UConn's Toscano Family Ice Forum.
With the win, the Terriers matched the Huskies for the most women's titles in Hockey East history as they hoisted the Joe Bertagna Trophy for the first time since 2015. In its run to the championship, BU came back to win all three Hockey East tournament games in overtime.
Graduate Tamara Giaquinto gave BU an early 1-0 lead in the first before the Huskies tied the game and later took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal in the second. Junior Clara Yuhn provided the equalizer five minutes into the third to send the game to overtime.
Senior Callie Shanahan recorded 25 saves in goal, including six in the early stages of overtime, to help the Terriers improve to 24-11-2 while securing the program's seventh NCAA tournament bid.
Healey claimed tournament MVP honors and was joined on the all-tournament team by Shanahan, Giaquinto and junior Riley Walsh.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Giaquinto opened the scoring for the Terriers when passes from juniors Lilli Welcke and Luisa Welcke found her at the right circle at 4:54 in the first.
- The Terriers went on the penalty kill due to a hooking call with 10:26 to go in the first and were successful.
- Northeastern then evened the score 1-1 with 7:01 to play in the opening frame.
- BU was called for tripping at 16:50 and fended off the Huskies through their power play.
- After even play on both ends of the ice through 15:51 in the second, BU was called for hooking.
- Northeastern took a 2-1 lead with 18 seconds left on the power play.
- Just 40 seconds into the third frame, BU went on the power play due to a Northeastern hooking call.
- BU did not find the back of the net with the extra skater advantage.
- At the 5:00 mark, Yuhn's shot from the right circle went off the far post and in with assists from senior Christina Vote and junior Maeve Kelly to make it a 2-2 contest.
- The Terriers went to the box for tripping and the Huskies went to the box for embellishment at the 7:55 mark, creating 4-on-4 play on the ice.
- BU received another tripping call with 19 seconds left on the prior penalties.
- The Terriers successfully got back to full strength and controlled play for the remainder of regulation.
- The Huskies were the aggressor in the early moments of overtime but Shanahan was up to the task.
- The winning goal came after the Terriers executed a quick re-entry after letting the puck leave the NU zone as Kelly passed over to Lilli Welcke, who charged up the right side and put a shot on goal that NU's Lisa Jönsson saved before Healey crashed the net and punched the puck over her shoulder to seal the title.
GAME NOTES
- The Terriers are now 6-1 all-time in the Hockey East title game.
- BU's 24 wins on the season are the program's most since 2020.
- BU held a 32-27 shot advantage with Jönsson making 29 saves.
- The Huskies were 1-for-5 on the power play while the Terriers came up empty on their lone chance with a player advantage.
- Kelly assisted on both the game-tying and game-winning goals while Lilli Welcke also had two helpers.
- Giaquinto had a team-best four blocked shots.
UP NEXT
BU will learn its NCAA tournament draw on Sunday (March 9) during the NCAA selection show at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN+.
