Top-10 Battle On Deck Friday against Friars

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The second-ranked Boston College women's hockey team will face a stiff test on Friday afternoon when they welcome No. 9 Providence to Kelley Rink. Friday's faceoff is set for 2 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN3, which is available on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.

This will be the first meeting between the teams this season, and the first in which both teams are ranked since late January 2011, when BC was ranked eighth and the Friars ninth. Providence is BC's second ranked opponent of the year, following the season-opening series against then-No. 4 Minnesota Duluth.

Boston College (6-0-1, 3-0-1 HEA) trails the all-time series between the two teams, 31-36-3, although they have had the edge in recent years. Since the launch of the women's Hockey East league in 2002-03, BC leads the series 26-18-3. Boston College had a 15-game winning streak against PC that spanned five seasons before Providence (6-2-2, 3-0-0 HEA) earned a 4-1 win at Schneider Arena last February to snap the run. Overall, BC is 21-2-0 in the last 23 meetings.

Friday's game features Hockey East's top two scoring teams in conference action. Providence comes in averaging 4.67 goals and BC follows right behind at 4.25 goals per game in league play. Defensively the two teams are ranked third and fourth in the league, with BC allowing 2.25 goals per game and Providence 2.33.

Offensively, junior forward Christina Putigna leads the Friars with 14 points from five goals and nine assists. The upperclassman-heavy leading scorers also include junior forward Cassidy MacPherson (2-7—9), senior forward Brooke Boquist (5-2—7) and junior defenseman Kate Friesen (1-6—7). In goal, junior Madison Myers has started all 10 games, posting a .926 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA. Myers was Hockey East's October Goaltender of the Month.

For BC, the team's second line has been leading the way of late, posting 47 of the team's 85 points. Sophomore forward Caitrin Lonergan has 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) to rank second nationally in points, and she centers a pair of freshmen – Daryl Watts (10 goals, 11 assists) and Willow Corson (2 goals, 6 assists). Watts was this week's Hockey East Rookie of the Week, and then later earned both national and conference player and rookie of the month honors for October.

Junior captain Makenna Newkirk comes into Friday's game sitting on 99 career points. Her next point will be the 100th point of her career, and will make her the 17th player in program history to reach the century mark.

Katie Burt, this week's Hockey East player of the week, comes into the game with a 6-0-1 record and a 2.12 GAA and a .925 save percentage.

Following Friday's game, the Eagles will hit the road to face Syracuse on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m. at the Tennity Ice Pavilion in Syracuse.

Top-10 Battle On Deck Friday against Friars

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Katie Burt

Willow Corson

Caitrin Lonergan

Makenna Newkirk

Daryl Watts