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The University of Maine women’s hockey team (10-14-4 overall, 3-8-2 Hockey East) earned a split over the weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive, defeating Boston College (12-15-3, overall, 2-8-3 Hockey East) 4-0 and losing to Providence College (21-6-6 overall, 13-1-1 Hockey East) 2-1.
Sunday’s action saw the Black Bears get on the board first when sophomore forward Tristan Desmet scored at 12:04 of the first period. Desmet’s shot trickled off Friars’ goaltender Jana Bugden’s glove and over the goal line.
Maine’s lead didn’t last long as Providence tied the game a little over a minute later when Jenn Butsch scored with assists coming from Meredith Roth and Kelli Halicisak.
Providence got the game-winning goal in the second period when Hilary Greaves beat Black Bear goaltender Lara Smart on a breakaway at 5:49. Greaves scored off a long outlet pass from Ashley Payton and Gretchen Gottwald.
In the game, the Friars outshot Maine 32-15. Smart made 30 saves in the loss, while Providence’s Jana Budgen made stopped 14 for the victory.
With the victory the Friars completed the season sweep of the Black Bears and also claimed the first ever Women’s Hockey East regular season title.
“They’re [Providence] better than us, but we showed up to play and I am so happy with our effort,” UMaine head coach Rick Filighera said.
Saturday’s action saw junior forward Karen Droog score two goals in the shutout over Boston College.
Droog got her first goal just 2:50 into the game as she beat BC goalie Lisa Davis on a breakaway. Junior defenseman Naomi Smethurst and senior forward Nicole Munro assisted Droog on the goal.
With 16 seconds remaining in the first period, senior captain Jarin Sjogren scored to make it 2-0 heading into the first intermission.
Sophomore forward Andrea Steranko found the back of the net at 11:21 of the second period to make the game 3-0 for the Black Bears. Sophomore forward Rebecca Culver and sophomore defenseman Laura Maddin assisted on the goal.
Droog scored her second goal of the game on an empty net with less than a minute remaining in the third period to end the game.
Senior goalie Dawn Froats made 12 saves for her seventh win and third shutout of the season. Davis made 17 saves for Boston College.
“We thoroughly dominated them,” Filighera said. “We gave up 12 shots on goal. We had a lot of chances.”
The Black Bears will need to win at least one of their last two regular season games against the University of Connecticut if they want to make the playoffs.
“Like I said a few weeks ago, it’s up to the players now,” Filighera said. “It’s a matter of next weekend, they got to show up and be ready to go and I expect them to do so. They have been ready the last five games.”
Bangor Daily News