Eagles Women’s Hockey Set for Showdown With No 8 Connecticut

Boston College hosts a top-ten Huskies squad Friday night before heading to Storrs on Saturday as the Eagles look to maintain their place atop Hockey East.

Sammy Taber breaks forward in a matchup with UConn during a matchup at Conte Forum | John Sexton

There are matchups and stretches of the season teams circle on the calendar when the schedule is released each year and the next two weeks certainly qualify for Boston College. The Eagles will face the only two teams to receive first place votes in the preseason Hockey East poll over the upcoming stretch with the first two being against preseason favorite UConn. The Battle of Comm. Ave. looms next week, but Boston College knows they cannot be caught looking ahead with two crucial games on tap this weekend.

Series History

Boston College leads the all-time series 48-27-12. The two sides met in both the 2023 and 2024 Hockey East Tournament with the Eagles winning the quarterfinals on a Katie Pine overtime goal in 2023 and the Huskies getting their revenge a year later as Kathryn Stockdale scored an overtime winner of her own which sent UConn to the Hockey East championship game.

Scouting the Huskies

The Huskies have relied heavily on a top line that accounts for almost half of the team’s goals (11 of 23). Kyla Josifovic paces UConn in goals and is second in assists with five a piece while lines-mates Megan Woodworth is second with four goals and Brooke Campbell is tied for third in both categories with a pair of goals and four assists.

KYLA JOSIFOVIC WINS IT IN OVERTIME‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/NgseSNIGCg

— UConn Women's Hockey (@UConnWHOC) November 1, 2025

Connecticut being overly reliant on a single line should give Boston College an advantage in the first game of the series due to having the last change, letting Katie Crowley match her best defenders against the Huskies top line. Look to see the veteran second line led by Emma Connors to be on the ice often as well as defensewomen Olivia Maffeo and Calin Flynn, who make up the top three on the team in blocked shots, along with Connors. 

In net, Connecticut has leaned heavily on Tia Chenn with the reigning Hockey East Goaltender of the Year starting in nine of the Huskies’ ten games. The grad student has stopped 95.2% of the shots she’s faced and conceded just over a goal and a half per game. Opponents have only scored more than two goals against the Huskies twice all season, but both instances came within the last three games.

Keys to the Weekend

Don’t allow Julia Pellerin to have a “revenge” weekend.

The former Boston College standout decided to hit the portal and stay in the conference for her junior season. She’s occupied the right wing spot on the second line and a big weekend could give UConn the scoring depth it has lacked this season. Boston College needs to not let last season’s leading goal scorer put a few behind former teammate Grace Campbell or it could be a long weekend for the Eagles.

Game Highlights - Behind 2 goals and an assist from Julia Pellerin, 3-seed @BC_WHockey holds off a valiant effort from 6-seed @MaineWHockey for a 4-3 victory in the @hockey_east quarterfinals

BC qualifies for its 3rd-straight semifinal, and will head to 2-seed BU Wednesday night pic.twitter.com/rOy8yaISPw

— Eric Gallanty (@ericgallanty) March 2, 2025

Limit the shots Grace Campbell faces. 

The Huskies average 31.5 shots per game and can pile on the pressure in a hurry, something Boston College has struggled to stop so far. Grace Campbell has faced the second most shots of any goaltender in the NCAA, 359 over ten games.  Facing almost 36 shots per game has taken a toll, being partially responsible for her save percentage cratering to a career low .911. If the Eagles can’t settle in defensively at some point soon, they run a real risk of seeing their senior netminder be rundown before the midpoint of the season, something Boston College can not afford.

Stay out of the penalty box.

UConn has been one of the most efficient power-play units in the country, converting just north of 21% of its opportunities. That mark is good enough for 12th in the country and second in Hockey East. Boston College has conceded 41 power-play opportunities in the first ten games, the ninth most in the country and most in Hockey East. If the Huskies go to the power-play four or more times per game, they will make Boston College pay.

Eagle Returning Home

Freshman forward Maude Nieman will return to her home state this Saturday, getting the opportunity to play in front of her friends and family in The Constitution State. Playing in Connecticut has been a rare opportunity for Nieman as she left home for the St Paul’s School in New Hampshire where she played all four years of her high school career.

How to Watch: Boston College Women’s Hockey vs. UConn:

Who: Boston College Eagles and UConn Huskies

When: Friday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. ET ; Saturday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m ET

Where: Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Friday); Toscano Family Ice Forum, Storrs, CT. (Saturday)

TV: ESPN+

Radio: WZBC

Last Outing, Boston College: The Eagles salvaged something of the weekend up in New Hampshire with shootout victory on Saturday after dropping the series opener by one.

Last Outing, UConn: The Huskies swept Holy Cross in a home-and-home, winning both games by one. Kyla Josifovic's overtime winner in Friday’s contest proved to be the highlight of the weekend.