With two commanding wins over the University of Vermont and No. 3 Dartmouth, the women's ice hockey team closed out its regular season this weekend and secured the sixth seed in the upcoming ECAC Hockey League playoffs. Next Friday, the Bears will travel to Canton, N.Y. to take on third-seeded St. Lawrence University in a best-of-three quarterfinal series.
The wins brought Bruno's record to 11-8-1 in the ECACHL and 14-13-2 overall, disappointing for the traditionally dominant team. The Bears had the ability to finish higher in the standings, said Head Coach Digit Murphy, but their full potential only became evident this weekend.
"I've been waiting for this team to show up all year," Murphy said. "We proved this weekend that if we show up and execute our game plan, we win. We proved that last week against St. Lawrence, too."
Bruno dominated the ice on Friday night against a weak Vermont team, winning the game 3-0 while out-shooting the visiting Catamounts 31-5. The final score would have been higher if not for the stellar play of Vermont's decorated goaltender Kami Cote. Cote is a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given yearly to the best player in women's college hockey.
But Cote's 28 saves were not enough to stop the Bears' offense. The first goal came halfway through the second period with a Vermont player in the penalty box. Jessica Link '05 scored her 14th goal of the season after a mad scramble in front of the net, with assists by Margaret Ramsay '06 and Amy McLaughlin '05.
Brown doubled its lead three minutes later when Hayley Moore '08 got control of the puck and fired it in top-shelf. Moore clinched the win with another goal late in the third period, bringing her season total to 11.
Dartmouth (23-5-0, 16-4-0 ECACHL) had been the team to beat in the ECACHL, and the Bears succeeded on Saturday where many other teams had failed. After losing first place in the league to Harvard the night before, the Big Green did not have its best team on the ice. Points leader and Kazmaier Award finalist Cherie Piper was recovering from an injury and sat out the game entirely, and Katie Weatherston, first on the team with 33 goals, only skated a couple of shifts.
The big Dartmouth team was a challenge for the Bears, but Brown responded well to the physicality and skated around them to a 3-1 win. The Bears played with energy and obvious excitement, especially on the part of the seniors, who were likely playing their last game at Meehan Auditorium.
"We were pretty excited because Dartmouth was ranked, and it was Senior Night," said co-captain Katie Guay '05. "It was the first time we swept both games in a long time, and it was a good win going into the playoffs."
Lindsey Glennon '06 put the opening goal behind Dartmouth's Kate Lane at 3:20 of the first period. Glennon, who usually plays defense, was on a forward line this weekend with Link and Keaton Zucker '06 in the place of the injured Krissy McManus '05. Five minutes later, defenseman Ashlee Drover '06 scored her first goal of the season on one of five power plays that Brown had in the period.
The second period was marked by an injury - Dartmouth's Caroline Ethier left the ice with a hurt leg - but there was no scoring. McLaughlin padded the Brown lead to three early in the third when a rebound went into the net off of her skate.
With about 10 minutes left in the game, Dartmouth's Cheryl Muranko scored on a shorthanded goal, but that would be the Big Green's only tally. Bruno's defense fiercely staved off Dartmouth's attempt at a comeback, and O'Hara Shipe '08 was solid in net, making 28 stops.
After the game, a ceremony celebrated the college careers of Link, McManus, McLaughlin, Guay and Kerry Nugent '05, the graduating seniors. Guay was presented with the annual Panda Award for her commitment to the team.
The Bears will have a week to prepare for the ECACHL quarterfinals, which start on March 4 at St. Lawrence.
