Final Score: Boston University 3, Vermont 3
BURLINGTON, Vt. –
Taylor Willard scored two power play goals to lead Vermont in a 3-3 tie with Boston University Saturday afternoon in Hockey East action from Gutterson Fieldhouse.
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
CatamounTV Highlights The Terriers opened the scoring 1:02 into the first period. Rebecca Leslie caused a Vermont turnover at the Boston University blue line and took the puck in transition. She made a move and skated past a Vermont defender before wiring a wrist shot past
Madison Litchfield for her sixth goal of the season.
Vermont responded midway through the first period with an even strength goal at the 10:28 mark.
Alyssa Gorecki won a puck battle along the boards and passed back to
Katherine Pate who fired a low shot towards Boston University's Erin O'Neil. In the slot
Mackenzie MacNeil redirected Pate's shot past O'Neil for her fifth goal of the season.
Shortly after tying the game the Catamounts earned their first power play opportunity of the afternoon. From the point
Daria O'Neill fired a shot that was blocked in front of the net by Kayla Tutino. Willard gathered the puck after the block, and passed it back-and-forth with O'Neill before firing a wrist shot that beat Erin O'Neil through traffic for her fifth goal of the season with 7:49 left in the first period.
The Terriers equalized late in the first period on a fortuitous bounce in front of the net. Alexis Woloschuk fired a shot on net that Litchfield padded aside but as a Vermont defender attempted to clear the puck it deflected off the Terriers' Samantha Sutherland and in. Sutherland's fifth goal of the season was also assisted by Sammy Davis.
Just 34 seconds into the second period the Terriers regained the lead with a power play goal. Sarah Lefort looked to center a pass in front of Litchfield and it bounced off a couple of skates in front before Victoria Bach pounced on the loose puck and put it home for her team-leading 14
th goal of the season.
Vermont answered back with another power play tally, the Catamounts fourth in the last two games.
Dayna Colang cycled the puck behind the net to Gorecki who passed to Willard at the point. Willard faked a shot, getting her defender to go down, before skating to the side and firing a wrist shot past O'Neil with 2:22 left in the second frame. With the assist Colang extended her point streak to six games.
In the third period and ensuing overtime period both goaltenders were outstanding for their respective teams. Litchfield made 10 of her 32 saves in the third period and overtime to improve her record to 2-1-2 in her last five starts. O'Neil made 24 saves on the afternoon, including three in overtime.
"I'm proud of our team for how much we've improved this season, and especially in the last 10 games or so," said head coach
Jim Plumer. "It was very evident today. We got some spectacular performances from
Taylor Willard and
Madison Litchfield to lead our team, but this point came from a great team effort at both ends of the ice. I'm excited to get back at it tomorrow."
The Catamounts return to action tomorrow as they host Boston University at 2 p.m. Vermont will continue the ongoing effort to support the University of Vermont Cancer Center and cancer research by wearing special pink jerseys as part of the Hockey East Skating Strides program.
The team's game-worn pink jerseys are being auctioned off now at
auction.uvmathletics.com with bids for the women's jerseys starting at $85 per jersey. Money raised through the auction will support the University of Vermont Cancer Center. The auction closes at noon on Tuesday. All "Rally Against Cancer" games this year are presented by Otter Creek Awnings and Vermont Custom Closets.
After the game on the Catamounts will host their annual Postgame Skate with the Cats. Fans can bring their own skates and a helmet to skate with the women's hockey team for 15 minutes following the game.
