The Eagles currently sit in first place in the Hockey East
BOSTON — Coach Katie Crowley and the Boston College women’s hockey have one thought in mind ahead of the 45th Dunkin’ Women’s Beanpot: Redemption.
“Oh, definitely,” Boston College senior captain Gaby Roy told NESN.com when asked if the Eagles are seeking revenge after losing in the Beanpot final each of the last two seasons.
When asked the same question, Crowley responded with a smirk: “Yeah, maybe a little bit.”
The Eagles, who last won the Women’s Beanpot in Feb. 2018, have lost by one goal in each of the last two title matches. Their most recent heartbreak came against defending champion Northeastern in a 3-2 overtime thriller. BC lost to Harvard in 2022 during a 5-4 high-scoring affair.
The 2023-24 edition of the Eagles doesn’t feature a player who has won what’s been referred to as the “Battle for Boston.” That’s not lost on the group either.
“We have a really special group this year,” BC junior captain Abby Newhook told NESN.com. “Things have been going really well for us so far. And we all really work together. I think it just, we have a great team this year. So to win the Beanpot would be super special, not only for us, but for Boston College in general.”
The Eagles, who were 12-7-1 entering their weekend contest against the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, sit in first place in the Hockey East standings. BC won each of its first three games after returning from winter break. They’ve performed very well on home ice (6-1-1) and have scored 64 goals in 21 games.
Crowley said she thinks the Eagles’ offense is showing signs that it can be “very dangerous.”
“I think we’ve put ourselves in a good situation and a good position so far, and we’re excited,” said Crowley, who is in her 16th year at the helm of the program. “We feel confident, we like our team a lot. And I think our team is really starting to gel.”
The Eagles open their 2024 Beanpot run against Boston University at Harvard on Tuesday. BC beat BU 5-3 in mid-November, the only head-to-head matchup of the campaign. Another win over the Terriers would mean the Eagles advance to their third straight Beanpot final, this time which will be held at TD Garden for the first time in tournament history.
It would be the perfect spot for the Eagles to redeem themselves.