CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Senior forward Melissa Bizzari scored the game-winning overtime goal and Taylor Wasylk scored her second short-handed goal of the season to lift No. 6 Boston College to a 2-1 victory over Providence College at Kelley Rink on Sunday afternoon.
Wasylk gave BC a 1-0 lead with a short-handed goal in the second period when she took a pass from Haley Skarupa and lifted a wrist shot from the left circle into the net, beating Providence goaltender Sarah Bryant glove side.
Providence evened the score at 1-1 at 18:42 of the middle stanza with a goal from Molly Illikainen. Brittney Thunstrom passed the puck from the boards behind the net to Illikainen in the slot, who snuck the puck under the pads of BC goaltender Corinne Boyles for the goal.
After a scoreless third period in which BC outshot Providence 15-5, Bizzari ended the game with an overtime goal, a wrist shot from the bottom of the circle into the top shelf. The goal marked Bizzari's second of the season.
The Eagles led 6-3 in shots on goal in a defense-dominated first period. Boston College's best opportunity in the first came at 15:56 when Andie Anastos was able to sneak behind the defense but had her backhanded breakaway bid on the penalty kill denied by a kick save from PC goaltender Sarah Bryant.
The Friars had the majority of the chances in the second period, and outshot the Eagles 9-2. BC was able to kill off two penalties in the period, but could not keep Providence off the scoreboard. Janine Weber had a great opportunity for the Friars at 16:20 of the middle stanza, but Boyles made an amazing kick save with her pads on the wrister from just outside the crease to temporarily preserve the lead.
BC dominated the third frame, tripling PC's shots on goal, but was unable to find the back of the net. A late penalty on Providence's Corinne Buie for hitting from behind carried into the overtime period, but PC was able to kill it off before BC scored the game-winner.
Boyles topped 16 shots and improves to 5-2-0. Bryant stopped 22 shots and falls to 4-4-0 in defeat.
Both teams were scoreless on the power play. The Eagles were 0-3 and the Friars were 0-4.
Boston College (7-2-0, 3-1-0) will be back in action on November 8, when they take on the Catamounts in Vermont.
Game Notes: The short-handed goal by Taylor Wasylk was her second of the season, and the fifth for the Eagles. Haley Skarupa, who assisted on the play, also has two SHG's. This game marked the first overtime contest of the season for the Eagles.