Playing an outdoor game after sunset in a fabled baseball park was the cure for what ailed the Holy Cross women’s hockey team.
The Crusaders snapped a long 14-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Boston University in the nightcap of the Frozen Fenway twinbill on Friday evening at Fenway Park. Holy Cross improved to 3-18-1 and 2-14-0 in Hockey East while the Terriers dropped to 7-13-0 and 6-10-0.
“Everyone was here to just soak it and everyone was just having fun with everything and we just played our hearts out,” said Holy Cross freshman center Alexia Moreau, who scored the game-winning goal.
“I think everyone just wanted this win to start the (new) year right.”
The players from both camps were greeted in the first period by intermittent rain and snowfall that caused limited buildup on the ice sheet. The playing conditions were vastly improved compared to the unholy mix of precipitation that plastered the opening game between Quinnipiac and Harvard.
“The conditions were equal for both teams so I don’t think it affected one team more than the other,” said BU coach Brian Durocher. “You had to play a clean game with good puck management.”
Holy Cross opened the scoring during an extended stay in the BU end at 5:35 of the first period. Crusaders’ first-line center Mary Edmonds directed the puck to defensemen Casey Borgiel, who was situated along the blue line above the high slot.
Borgiel uncorked a slap shot though a screen that eluded Terriers’ goaltender Andrea Brandli for her second of the season. Holy Cross exited the period on the power play with an 11-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Brandli held up through a short-handed onslaught in the opening minutes of the middle period. The Terriers eventually gained control of the neutral zone and brought the play to Holy Cross goalie Madison Beck.
BU tied the game 1-1 on freshman right wing Clara Yuhn’s fourth of the season. Yuhn was perched at the right post on Beck’s stick side where she redirected a pass from Sydney Healey.
The Crusaders went back up 2-1 on a brilliant effort by Darci Johal at 13:34. Johal cut through the low slot from the left circle and reversed the puck high on Brandli’s stick side for her second of the season.
“She (Johal) does big things in big moments,” said HC assistant coach Meredith Roth. “We got scored on but there was energy on the bench and to get that goal right back was really big for our team.”
Moreau scored the insurance goal on a breakaway at 17:07 of the third period. BU right wing Clare O’Leary’s goal made it 3-2 with 1:05 to play.