BOSTON - Junior Natasza Tarnowski tallied her ninth goal of the season, but the No. 8 Boston University women's ice hockey team suffered a 2-1 setback to Providence on Saturday afternoon at Walter Brown Arena.
BU (19-7-8, 15-6-6 WHEA) honored seniors Connor Galway, Mary Grace Kelley and Reagan Rust prior to the game. The trio helped BU win 75 games and the program's first Beanpot title since 1981.
Rust and junior Abby Cook assisted on Tarnowski's first-period strike. Providence (22-10-2, 16-9-2 WHEA) scored both its goals in the second stanza and held off a furious Terrier rally. BU thought it tied the game with 6:39 remaining in regulation, but after video review the call on the ice was overturned.
Sophomore Corinne Schroeder made 27 saves in the Terriers' first loss since Jan. 5. BU had entered Saturday's game on a 14-game unbeaten streak (11-0-3).
BU is the No. 3 seed in the Hockey East playoffs and will host New Hampshire in a best-of-three quarterfinal series that will begin Friday night at Walter Brown Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Tarnowski opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 7:33 into the proceedings. Cook and Rust passed the puck back and forth at the top of the zone before Rust uncorked a perfect pass to Tarnowski at the right post. The junior tri-captain one-timed the puck past Madison Myers (25 saves) to give BU a 1-0 lead.
- Christina Putigna evened the score with a power-play goal of her own at 2:34 of the second stanza. Providence then scored the game-winner at 12:05 of the frame when Whitney Dove's shot from the right point got through traffic and past Schroeder.
- The Terriers had three power-play attempts in the third period, including one immediately following the overturned goal, but Myers stopped all six shots she faced on the penalty kill in the final frame.
- Schroeder kept the Terriers in the game with a terrific save on Maureen Murphy, the Friars' leading goal scorer, with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. Murphy stole the puck at the BU blue line and skated away on a shorthanded breakaway, but Schroeder stood tall and made the save to keep the deficit at 2-1.
- BU pulled Schroeder for an extra attacker with 1:00 to play and generated several chances, but the Terriers were unable to find an equalizer. Cook had the best chance when she hit the post with 15 seconds remaining in the contest.
GAME NOTES
- Cook recorded an assist in both games this weekend.
- This was the first time BU was held to one goal or fewer since a 1-0 loss to Maine on Jan. 5.
- Four different Terriers lit the lamp and nine BU skaters collected at least one point this weekend.
NEXT UP: NEW HAMPSHIRE
- The Terriers will welcome New Hampshire to Walter Brown Arena on Friday, March 1, in game one of a best-of-three quarterfinal series.
- Puck drop on Friday is set for 7 p.m.
