BC Bulletin

Sammy Taber's Overtime Winner Salvages Weekend for Boston College Women’s Hockey

Coaching adjustments and four goals by defensewomen prove crucial as Boston College picks up an overtime win and a pair of points against Maine.
Chris Vogel|
Boston College celebrate after Sammy Taber scores an overtime goal against Maine.
Boston College celebrate after Sammy Taber scores an overtime goal against Maine. | bceagles.com

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - After a pair of disappointing losses at home, Boston College head coach Katie Crowley opted to make a change in net for the first time all season. For the first since the final regular season game last season, Grace Campbell was not in net for Boston College as her consecutive start streak of 29 games came to an end. Instead, the Eagles turned to junior Bailey Callaway who had only faced a dozen shots across a pair of relief appearances so far this season. Despite Campbell largely not being at fault for recent losses, an inability to limit shots on net and overall poor play in front of the netminder necessitated an adjustment to get the rest of the team back on track. The move seemed to get the message across and energized the Eagles early as they jumped out to an early lead before finding a way to win in overtime. 

For the second time this weekend Olivia Maffeo opened the scoring to give Boston College an early 1-0 lead. Just under three minutes into the first period, Maffeo collected a pass from Emma Conner at the right side of the blue line and perfectly placed her shot over the right shoulder of Kiia Lahtinen. 

Midway through the first period Jade Arnone was whistled for a slash, sending Maine to the powerplay for the first time this weekend. On the power play, Kendall Sundby found Ava Stevenson off to the left of Callaway. Stevenson sent the puck across the crease to Mackenzie Podewell who was all alone at the opposite post and tapped home the equalizer.

After conceding the powerplay equalizer, it would take the Eagles just 11 seconds to pull back in front 2-1. After Emma Conner won a faceoff back to Cailin Flynn, the senior quickly slid the puck over to Madelyn Murphy who made her way through the neutral zone. Soon after crossing the center red line, Murphy fired a shot towards the net and placed it just between a slow to react Lahtinen and inside the opposite post to regain the lead.

Entering the afternoon, only two of the six defensewomen on the starting pairings had posted a goal this season. Included in the scoring slump was the Eagles’ captain Jade Arnone who was demoted to the third pairing after recent struggles, including an own goal in the series opener. The change seemed to wake Arnone up, who finally got on the scoresheet as she collected a feed from Kate Ham before sending it home to give Boston College a 3-1 lead at the first intermission and ending Lahtinen’s afternoon as she was replaced with Madisyn Ryan after saving just three of the first six shots she faced.

Maine’s powerplay struck once again in the second period to close the gap with Isabelle Michaud scoring her seventh of the season. As Maine worked the puck around the offensive zone, Cailin Flynn deflected a pass right to a waiting Ava Stevenson next to the post. Stevenson’s initial shot was denied but the rebound hopped right out in front for Michaud to put away and make it 3-2.  

The scoring streak by Boston College defensewomen continued in the second period, as Olivia Maffeo collected her second of the game and third of the weekend. After Ava Thomas collected a pass from Sammy Taber below the goal line, the freshman standout sent the puck towards the puck where Maffeo snuck it inside the near post to extend BC"s lead 4-2.  

With under six minutes remaining, Maine stayed perfect on the powerplay to cut the deficit back to one 4-3. The Black Bears controlled the zone for the majority of the women-up opportunity before an errant deflection by a senior defensewomen found its way into the Boston College net for the second time in the weekend series, with Cailin Flynn being the victim this time.

Three minutes later, Maine pulled level 4-4 to earn a point and secure the weekend series. Ali Altman sent a pass from near the blue line to Lulu Rucinski, with the freshman throwing a soft backhander towards the net. The shot was pushed aside to Lily Fetch in front of an open half of the net. The junior tapped it in for her fifth of the season to force overtime.

Despite a disappointing third period collapse, Boston College continued to battle in overtime. Early in the extra frame, Lauren Glaser attempted to squeeze up the side boards in front of the Boston College bench, before Mackenzie Podewell took her down and was called for a holding to send the Eagles to a 4-on-3 advantage. On the powerplay, Madelyn Murphy came inches away from ending it as she rung iron on a backhanded attempt. The rebound trickled between Maffeo and Thomas, coming right to Taber who slotted home the game winner for BC to win 5-4.

Boston College improves to 12-15-1 and picks up a pair of Hockey East points to pull within three points of Holy Cross for third place. The Eagles travel to Worcester to take on Holy Cross Friday afternoon before a trip to face UConn the following day. Despite falling to 10-16-3, the overtime point was enough to pull the Black Bears into a tie for sixth with New Hampshire.

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Chris Vogel
CHRIS VOGEL

Chris Vogel has spent the last five years in sports media; including as a play-by-play broadcaster for ACC Network Extra and Hockey East on ESPN. He’s a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and in his final year as a graduate student at Boston College, where he serves as the radio voice of Boston College Women’s Hockey on WZBC 90.3; the flagship radio network of Boston College Women’s Athletics. He’s the host of the “All Things Hockey” podcast, and cover women’s college hockey for College Hockey On SI.

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