The UConn women’s ice hockey team will face conference rival Boston College on Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8.
This season, the Huskies have been wildly successful, posting a 7-2-1 overall record and 2-0 conference record.
Last weekend, the Huskies faced Big East opponent Holy Cross in a two-game series. UConn walked away with a 4-3 win on Saturday and a 3-2 victory on Sunday. Forward senior Kyla Josifovic was a key part of the action, notching an assist and the game-winning goal in Friday’s overtime victory. So far, Josifovic’s senior season has been largely successful, as she leads the team in five goals and five assists.
Several underclassmen also had a career weekend, with freshman defender True Thompson netting her first career goal to open Friday’s scoring against the Crusaders. Friday also saw freshman goaltender Taylor Belchetz earn her first career start for the Huskies, making 23 saves and her first collegiate win.
Boston College, though No. 1 in the conference, hasn’t had the same success as the Huskies. The Eagles own a 4-5-1 overall record and a 3-1-1 conference record. Most notably, Boston College fell to Minnesota 1-7 and 0-11 in a September weekend series. The Minnesota Gophers rank No. 2 overall with 64 goals, whereas the Golden Eagles rank No. 24 with 24 goals on the season.
Against UConn, the Eagles will face a formidable threat in goal as UConn’s Tia Chan, the 2024-25 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year, is a key asset. This season, Chan has posted a .952 save percentage and earned an impressive 280 saves in nine games. Freshman goaltender Belchetz has also had an impressive year, owning a save percentage of .885 and saving 23 goals across three contests.
In the Eagles’ net, senior Grace Campbell will pose a challenge as she holds a .901 save percentage, making 290 saves in nine games. Last season, Campbell led Hockey East in overall saves and conference saves (663) and notched five game shutouts.
Boston College will also be led by freshman forward Ava Thomas. This season, she leads the team with six goals and eight assists. Prior to BC, Thomas was a two-time member of the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. Senior Kate Ham also leads the BC attack, netting four goals and three assists this season.
The weekend meetings will be a valuable conference matchup for the opponents as they aim to climb the Big East ladder.
Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Chestnut Hill, Mass., on Friday and 3 p.m. in Storrs on Saturday. Viewers can stream both events on ESPN+.