2013-14 Year in Review, Part V: Boston College Women’s Hockey

2013-14 Boston College Women’s Hockey: The Tournaments

The Eagles opened their 2014 Hockey East Tournament with a blowout 8-1 win over New Hampshire to advance to the semifinals in Hyannis. There, they would beat back a pesky challenge from Vermont to win, 3-1, in search of a conference championship.

There, they met the Boston University Terriers, and blew a 2-1 lead in the third period to lose the game and the trophy to their rivals from down Commonwealth Avenue. In spite of the bitter defeat, Boston College still seemed likely to advance into the 2014 NCAA Tournament — unlike the men’s championship, the women’s only has eight teams, and it begins at regional sites. Losing to the Terriers all but assured that Boston College women’s hockey would be traveling for the regional finals.

That’s exactly what happened, as the Eagles drew the Clarkson Golden Knights in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Boston College traveled deep into St. Lawrence County, New York to face the opposition in Potsdam. Sadly, all the driving was for naught, as the Eagles picked a bad time for their first two-game losing streak: Boston College women’s hockey was defeated by Clarkson, 3-1, and a season full of promise was over.

As it turns out, the Eagles lost to the eventual champs, as Clarkson went on to Hamden, Connecticut to claim their first ever NCAA title.

2013-14 Boston College Women’s Hockey: Wrap-up

Despite the season being snuffed out quickly, this 2013-14 Boston College women’s hockey team had an exceptional year. From the goalie, Corinne Boyles, to the skaters, like Skarupa, Andie Anastos, Taylor Wasylk, and all the rest, this group had one hell of a year.

Boyles was brilliant all season long, with a 1.67 goals-against average which was in the top ten nationally. Like the men, the ladies also cranked out goals, finishing the year with the fourth-most prolific offense in Division I with 3.49 goals per game. Part of that was because the Eagles generated a lot of pressure and therefore shots on goal: by year’s end, over 37 games, Boston College ttoaled almost 300 more shots on-goal than their combined opposition (to be precise, the Eagles averaged about 7.7 shots on-goal per game more than the other team).

That alone can’t tell the story of how this team dominated for long stretches of the season. Boston College won 27 games, nearly ran the table in the Hockey East regular season, and won all but two home games without one of their best players (Carpenter). The ending was not fitting, but this team had a great year, and one they can build from in the future.