ORONO, Maine - Sophomore forward Haley Skarupa scored three goals and added an assist and co-captain Corinne Boyles stopped 24 shots to lead No. 7 Boston College to a 4-1 victory over Maine at Alfond Arena Sunday afternoon. With the victory, BC secures the Hockey East regular season championship for the first time in program history.
Skarupa broke a scoreless tie at 4:13 of the third period with her 20th goal of the season. Andie Anastos took the initial shot from the slot that Maine goaltender Meghann Treacy stopped with her pads, but Skarupa scooped up the rebound and threw the puck into the back of the net to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Danielle Doherty doubled the lead just 3:20 later, putting Boston College up 2-0. After a scrum in front of the net, Doherty was able to pick up the disc and slide it past Treacy's pads from just in front of the crease for her third goal of the season.
Less than a minute later, Skarupa scored her second goal of the game when she skated down the left side of the ice, cut towards the net along the goal line and lifted a shot over Treacy's left leg for her 21st tally of the season. Kristyn Capizzano and Kaliya Johnson notched the assists on the play.
Maine finally answered at 10:34 of the third stanza when Brittney Huneke picked up the rebound in front of the net off Kelsey MacSorley's shot and flipped a backhander from the right side of the goal into the net to make the score 3-1. The goal marked Huneke's second of the season.
The Black Bears had two opportunities to cut the BC lead to one, but were unable to find the back of the net on either occasion. MacSorley ripped a shot from the top of the right faceoff dot that Boyles never saw because her view was blocked, but the puck sailed just wide of the open top left corner of the net. With less than eight minutes remaining in the third period, Hailey Browne fired a shot from the slot, trying to beat Boyles five-hole, but the BC netminder slid into position and redirected the puck to the boards.
Skarupa concluded the scoring at 13:51 of the third period when she netted her third goal of the game, and 22nd of the season.
Boyles stopped 22 shots and improves to 18-5-2. Treacy made 24 saves and falls to 3-16-3.
BC went 0-for-1 on the power play while Maine was 0-for-2 on the man advantage.
Boston College (23-5-3, 16-2-1) will conclude the regular season with a home-and-home series with Boston University on Feb. 22-23.
Notes: Haley Skarupa scored her second hat trick of the season (10-11-13 vs. St. Lawrence).