The Boston University women’s ice hockey team celebrates their overtime game-winning goal against Harvard in the Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot semifinal at Matthews Arena on January 14. BU now advances to their 10th Beanpot championship game, where they will face Northeastern at TD Garden on January 21. Photo by Matt Woolverton/BU Athletics

Women's Beanpot

Terriers Beat Harvard 2-1 in Thrilling Overtime Finish in Women’s Beanpot Semifinal

Terriers now advance to championship game January 21 at TD Garden

All the Boston University women’s ice hockey team needed was one goal Tuesday night during the Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot semifinal. Down 1-0 to Harvard with less than a minute left in the game, the Terriers were on their last legs—until BU’s Sydney Healey (CAS’26) tied the game.

The Terriers then won in overtime when forward Lindsay Bochna (MET’25) scored a second goal, sending the BU bench into a frenzy. The Terriers’ 2-1 overtime win at Northeastern’s Matthews Arena Tuesday evening gives the team a chance to win their third Beanpot championship title (and their second as a varsity program) when they take on Northeastern at TD Garden on January 21. It will be their 10th time playing in a championship game.

“I had no doubt that we were going to score that goal, no matter who it was,” Healey said at a press conference following BU’s victory. “Going to overtime, no worries there at all, either. I knew we would win that game.”

From puck drop, the Terriers’ defense stifled Harvard, keeping the Crimson uncomfortable and forcing bad passes. BU prevented Harvard from taking a shot until over halfway into the first period. 

Not many pucks got through to goaltender Callie Shanahan (CAS’25), but she saved all four shots she faced in the frame. 

On the offensive end, BU had a few early opportunities. The best came during a power play at 2:04 when the Crimson’s Angelica Megdanis took a tripping penalty. However, the Terriers couldn’t convert. 

Harvard had a power play chance of its own when BU’s Julia Shaunessy (CAS’24, GRS’25) was sent to the penalty box for interference at 18:27 of the first period. The Crimson generated a few opportunities but left empty-handed.

Despite BU’s strong play on both ends of the ice, the period ended tied at zero.

The Terriers dominated time of possession during the second period with the puck rarely leaving Harvard’s third of the ice. 

BU had another power play at 3:59 of the second period when Harvard’s Maria Pape took a holding penalty. BU’s Lola Reid (CAS’28) and Bochna each had a good look, but Harvard goaltender Ainsley Tuffy held firm in the net.

BU captain Tamara Giaquinto (CAS’25) had the puck alone in the slot with time waning in the period, but Tuffy made the high-pressure stop.

The Crimson had one shot the entire period, while the Terriers put up 12. Yet, the scoreboard remained at a scoreless deadlock entering the third period.

It looked to be much of the same in the third until Harvard broke through at 1:42. Forward Gabi Davidson Adams sat patiently with the puck behind the BU net. She then fluttered a pass to linemate Megdanis standing at the doorstep of the crease—and the Crimson earned a momentous 1-0 lead on just the team’s sixth shot.

“Once again, the group took over the environment, and there was a lot of problem-solving we were doing as coaches,” head coach Tara Watchorn (CAS’12) said at the press conference. “Whenever we’re down, the message is always…how do we control what we can control, go out there, try to score.”

The Terriers picked up the tempo in the remainder of the third period. Hope began to run low with just over three minutes remaining. BU then pulled Shanahan in favor of an extra skater.

With less than a minute on the clock, BU won a face-off in the offensive zone. The puck found Shaunessy at the top of the left circle. She sent a pass to Riley Walsh (CAS’26), who then found Healey in front of the net. Then, Healey flicked the puck into the net at 19:05 to send the semifinal to overtime. 

Shaunessy, who leads BU in points, tacked on two more assists by the end of the game.

The Terriers once again dominated possession in overtime. By the end of the game, BU had outshot Harvard 41-10. However, nearly every opportunity was shut down by Tuffy.

Then, 3:43 into overtime, Bochna skated along the left side of the ice and past a defender. She was all alone, crashing in towards the net when she placed the puck into the top of the net to give the Terriers the 2-1 semifinal victory. 

“Coming here, I feel like [the Beanpot is] all everyone talks about, the hype from the beginning of the year until now,” said Bochna, who is playing in her first Beanpot, during the press conference. “I’m just feeding off of everyone else’s energy. I’m so excited to be able to be there next week with my whole team.”

The Terriers will face off against Northeastern in the Women’s Beanpot championship on Tuesday, January 21, at 7:30 pm at TD Garden. Both the women’s championship and consolation games will be streamed on NESN. Purchase tickets for the women’s tournament’s second round (consolation and championship) here. Follow the BU women’s team @TerrierWHockey on X.

The Men’s Beanpot tournament will be played Monday, February 3, and Monday, February 10. The Boston University men’s ice hockey team will face Harvard in the opening round at 5 pm. All Men’s Beanpot games will be played at TD Garden.