League Leaders Clash Saturday in Storrs
November 15, 2006 | Women's Hockey
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Nov. 15, 2006
#10 Boston College Eagles (8-1-1, 4-1-0 HE) vs. University of Connecticut (9-3-0, 6-0-0 HE)
Saturday, November 18, 2006
vs. Connecticut Huskies
1:00 p.m.
Freitas Ice Forum, Storrs, Conn.
DROPPING THE PUCK
Boston College looks for its second five-game unbeaten streak of the season going into a Hockey East tilt against the UConn Huskies this weekend. The Eagles played just one game last week, a Thursday night 3-2 win over Brown in Chestnut Hill that featured a sluggish Eagles squad. After going up 2-0 in the first 20 minutes, Boston College allowed a Bears rally to knot the score at 2-2 after the second stanza. Last year's leader in game-winning tallies, junior co-captain Deb Spillane, scored the gamewinner less than a minute into the final period to pull out the victory for the Eagles.
BC vs. THE HUSKIES
The last two meetings between the Eagles and the Huskies were both in Storrs and both resulted in a Boston College victory. Despite UConn's 9-4-3 advantage in the all-time series, Boston College has won the last three decisions, sweeping last year's series. These teams first met on October 28, 2001 in a UConn win, and it took the Eagles five more times to finally put a win up against the Huskies. The first Boston College defeat of UConn came on February 16, 2003, 3-2, under head coach Tom Babson. Current head coach Tom Mutch is 3-6-1 against the Huskies.
UCONN'S LAST TIME OUT
The Huskies remained perfect in league action last weekend with wins over Boston University and Northeastern. A day after shutting out the Terriers, 2-0, UConn found itself down by two goals entering the final frame against the Huntington Huskies. UConn's Natalie Vibert and Leslie Hurlburt each notched a goal less than two minutes apart to tie the game in the third period. In overtime, UConn finished off the come-from-behind win. Just seven seconds into the sudden death stanza, Hurlburt scored her second goal for the gamewinner. Sophomore netminder Brittany Wilson made 23 stops in goal for the Connecticut team.
YOUNG GUNS
The freshman and sophomore classes are making quite the impact for the Eagles this season. Those two classes have tallied 78 of Boston College's 93 points this season (84%) and 36 of 41 goals (88%). Freshman Kelli Stack (3-9--12) and sophomore Becky Zavisza (6-7--13) are leading the charge. Below is the scoring break-down for each class.
Goals Assists Points Freshmen 24 24 48 Sophomores 12 18 30 Juniors 4 8 12 Seniors 1 2 3 Team 41 52 93LEAVE IT TO KEEVER
Freshman forward Megan Keever's first six games with the Eagles weren't particularly eventful, but she has changed that quickly. After tallying one point in six games, Keever has recorded nine points in her last four games, including two gamewinners and two power-play goals. In fact, she has registered multiple points in each of the last four games. During the same stretch, Keever was named Rookie of the Week and runner-up for USCHO Offensive Player of the Week to linemate Becky Zavisza.
HOCKEY IN THE HALL
Erin Magee, `99, made history as the first women's hockey player at Boston College to be inducted into the school's Hall of Fame on November 12 at the 37th Induction Banquet. She ranks first all-time in goals (116), assists (82) and points (198). Her 64 points as a freshman and 55 as a sophomore are the two highest single-season marks in program history. "She was the real deal," said former BC head coach Tom O'Malley who recruited and coached Magee.
HARVEST BABIES
Three Eagles celebrate their birthdays during the month of November. Sophomore Shannon Webster celebrated November 13, while Stephanie Olchowski and Brie Baskin will each turn a year older on November 25 and 27 respectively. All three girls turn 20 years-old this month.
THE NATIONAL SCENE
USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll Women's College Hockey Poll Team (first place votes) Team (first place votes) 1. Wisconsin (19) 1. Wisconsin (15) 2. Mercyhurst College 2. Mercyhurst College 3. New Hampshire 3. New Hampshire 4. Minnesota 4. Minnesota 5. St. Lawrence 5. St. Lawrence 6. Minnesota-Duluth 6. Dartmouth 7. Harvard 7. Minnesota-Duluth 8. Dartmouth 8. Harvard 9. Princeton 9. Princeton 10. Boston College 10. Boston CollegeUNDER-22 SELECTS
This summer, three Eagles were invited to participate in the U.S. National Women's Hockey Festival, which served as a try-out for the U.S. Under-22 Select Team. Defenseman Maggie Taverna, and forwards Deb Spillane and Becky Zavisza traveled to Lake Placid, N.Y. for the festival, and Taverna and Spillane were selected to play in the Under-22 series against the Canadian team August 24-27. The Americans were edged, 2-1, by the Canadians in the series.
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING...
The Eagles had their best season in program history last year, and with it came lots of firsts. On February 14, 2006, Boston College won its first-ever Beanpot trophy by defeating Harvard, 2-0, in the title game. Next, the Eagles picked up their first win in a Hockey East tournament game since joining the conference in 2002 when they beat Providence in the semifinals, 3-1. When Boston College moved on to play New Hampshire the next night, it marked the first conference title game for the Eagles. The girls from The Heights finished off their season by hitting the 20- win mark, a feat which none of the previous Boston College teams accomplished.
COACH'S CORNER
Head coach Tom Mutch has compiled a 44-52-12 (.407) record at the Heights in his three-plus seasons since joining the Eagle staff in 2003. He has also earned Hockey East's Co-Coach of the Year Award and been selected to the All-Star game coaching staff. Prior to Boston College, Mutch coached the University of Nebraska-Omaha men's team, the Omaha Lancers Hockey Club, and his alma mater, the Northeastern men's hockey program. In 1996, Mutch accepted a position as the U.S. Women's National and Olympic Hockey team assistant. During his tenure there, Team USA captured the 1998 Olympic gold medal with a 6-0 record, and the silver medal in the 1997 World Championship in Ontario.
