BU Women’s Hockey Falls to Harvard 4-1 in Beanpot Semifinal
One of 45 saves by Kate Stuart (CAS’22) during the Women’s Beanpot Tournament at Matthews Arena on February 1.
BU Women’s Hockey Falls to Harvard 4-1 in Beanpot Semifinal
Goaltender Kate Stuart makes valiant effort with career-high 45 saves
Terrier goaltender Kate Stuart made a career-high 45 saves in her Beanpot debut to keep BU alive against No. 6 Harvard, but the Crimson surged past BU with three late goals to take the win, 4-1.
Anne Bloomer scored Harvard’s game-winner with 10:39 left in the game and the Crimson added two more goals later in the frame, earning entry to the Beanpot title game next Tuesday.
“We did our best to make a game of it,” head coach Brian Durocher (Wheelock’78) said at a press conference following the loss. “We got some real good goaltending from Kate Stuart.”
Stuart (CAS’22) was the star of a scoreless first period, making 18 saves, followed by 10 in the second period and 17 in the third, stopping more than 40 shots for the fifth time in her four-year career and the second time in the last month as BU’s first-choice goaltender.
The Crimson broke the ice 1:14 into the second period when Taze Thompson picked up the puck on the rush by Brooke Jovanovich and found a hole low to put Harvard on top.
The Terriers responded well, coming close on shots by Julia Shaunessy (CAS’24) and Nadia Mattivi (CAS’23) before finally breaking through with 3:53 left in the second. Firing one of BU’s 11 shots in the middle frame, Lacey Martin (CAS’24) tried a tight-angle shot and the puck fell to Haylee Blinkhorn (CAS’23), who teed up for Martin again to score an uncontested goal in her first Beanpot game.
“I think the kids got grounded in the second period,” Durocher said. “It was a pretty even second period, and then maybe we let things slip away a bit in the third.”
The Harvard skaters flexed their muscles in the final 11 minutes of the game, with a trio of scores to seal the win. Bloomer beat Stuart on the break off a clever pass from Becca Gilmore, and then again on a solo move six minutes later finished off Stuart’s left post and in. Della Rovere added a fourth tally with an individual effort 79 seconds later. Senior netminder Becky Dutton made 21 saves in the game.
“You have to kick the can in frustration and say, ‘Look, this one’s over’,” Durocher said following the loss. “We had to stick together tonight and we have to stick together as we go forward, because there’re other championships to play for later in the year.”
The 43rd Annual Women’s Beanpot Tournament: the Terriers play in the consolation game on Tuesday, February 8, at 4 pm, against Northeastern, who lost to Boston College in the February 1 second semifinal game. Harvard will take on Boston College in next Tuesday’s championship game at 7:30 pm. Purchase tickets online. All women’s Beanpot games are played at Northeastern University’s Matthews Arena, and will be broadcast live on NESN, NESN+ or collegesportslive.com.
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