By Marisa Ingemi
BU News Service
The Boston University women’s hockey team advanced to the Hockey East semi finals on Sunday when it defeated the University of Vermont in game three, 6-1, from Walter Brown Arena. Senior Kayla Tutino scored her 182nd point of her career to break the program’s all time record, while Rebecca Leslie scored twice in the victory.
The first game of the series on Friday night was dominated by the Terriers as goaltender Erin O’Neil picked up her second shutout of the season with a 3-0 blanking of the Catamounts. Tutino and Leslie each scored in the game, and sophomore defenseman Lillian Ribeirhina-Braga scored the game winner with less than a minute left in the first period.
In game two, Vermont was able to have its way with the Terriers as it picked up a 4-2 win. Vermont led 3-0 late in the third period but the Terriers scored two straight shorthanded goals in the period of a little over a minute to make it 3-2. However, the Catamounts scored an empty netter to make it a 4-2 final and force the third game of the series.
On Sunday afternoon it was a dominant performance from BU as the Terriers defeated Vermont 6-1. Leslie scored twice and freshman Mary Grace Kelly scored the second goal of her career. O’Neil almost had the shutout but Vermont scored with a little over five minutes remaining.
A 2-0 lead early for BU gave the Terriers a chance to relax as Vermont didn’t get a shot on the board until less than 13 minutes remained in the first period. With a 20-5 shot advantage after one period, it was clear that it would be the Terriers’ day.
In the opening five minutes of the second period Sarah Lefort found the back of the net before Leslie scored her first goal a minute later. Leslie scored again to open it up to a 5-0 lead, and Kelley’s goal would be the sixth.
BU will travel to Merrimack’s Lawler Arena next week in North Andover, Massachusetts, for the Hockey East semi-finals where it will face Northeastern University. BU has defeated the Huskies in the past two conference semi finals, and more recently, split with them last weekend in the last games of the regular season.
