Links: Box Score
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.— A late goal once again dictated the fate of the Merrimack women's ice hockey team in their weekend closer against Boston College on Saturday. Despite a pair of timely goals, the Warriors were edged out by the Eagles 3-2 at Lawler Rink.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack Warriors 2, Boston College Eagles 3
Records: Merrimack (5-23-1, 4-19-1 HEA) | Boston College (19-12-0, 16-8-0 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
- Much like the first period in Friday's contest, teams whirred but came up empty on the scoresheet. Shots on goal remained even throughout the opening stanza, with Merrimack earning 13 shot attempts and seven shots on goal while killing off their first penalty of the day. In the closing minute of the first, goaltender Emma Gorski worked the first of a handful of big saves for the Warriors, closing down on the Eagles one-on-one.
- Boston College struck first in the second period. Following the end of a power play, the Eagles still maintained possession deep in the Warriors defensive zone. With players pinned deep in the slot, BC was able to snap up a rebound chance for the lead.
- Merrimack would work to end the period with the score even once again. As the period wound to its final seconds, Raice Szott worked a shot through traffic. The puck kicked back out to the slot where Ally Qualley settled it and it was sent in by Madison Oelkers for her third of the year.
- After BC scored to once again take the lead, Merrimack responded 31 seconds later. In the latter stages of a power play, a Boston College clearing attempt was pulled down and held in the zone by Oelkers and Emily Oosterveld. With the settled puck, defender Teghan Inglis walked down from the point and fired the game tying goal with four minutes to play.
- In the closing minute and a half of play, the Eagles won a faceoff and worked to keep the play in the zone, finishing with a late game winner in the slot.
Notes & Numbers.
- Oelkers notched two points, continuing a three game streak of Merrimack players with two points in a game. In Friday's game against the Eagles both Maud and Kaufman had two point games, while Kiki Roust had two assists at Providence on Feb. 8.
- With her goal today, Inglis is now one shy of tying the leader in Hockey East for goals by a defenseman in the league.
- Defender Julia MacLean led all skaters with seven blocked shots in the contest, now sitting six behind the Hockey East lead.
- Oelkers and Maud both had double digit faceoff wins on the day, with Oelkers taking 16 of her draws, with Maud winning ten 10 in the dot.
- The Warriors recognized Courtney Maud, Gabby Jones, Kiki Roust and Julia MacLean for senior day. The four have played a combined 464 games in the blue and gold.
- Goaltenders: Emma Gorski (34 saves) | Abigail Levy (17 saves)
- Power Plays: MC 2-4 | BC 1-6
- Shots on Goal: MC 7, BC 9 | MC 4, BC 14 | MC 8, BC 14 | MC 29, BC 33
- Faceoffs: 39 MC | 23 BC Blocks: 18 MC | 13 BC
Up Next
Merrimack will have a quick turnaround on home ice, taking on Providence College on Tuesday, Feb. 15 in a makeup of the previously scheduled Jan. 14 contest with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
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