PHOTO BY RICH GAGNON, HOCKEY EAST
Boston College’s Katie Burt brings the puck into her before anyone else from Northeastern can get off a shot. Burt made the all-tournament team.
By JOSHUA KUMMINS
BOSTON — Sunday afternoon’s Women’s Hockey East Championship was tied just past the halfway mark of the third period, and Lynn’s Katie Burt made one stop that changed the tide.
Just after exiting the penalty box, Northeastern’s Andrea Renner had a breakaway down the slot, but Burt moved across the crease to her left and snatched the shot away.
It was a save that proved vital as the Eagles (27-5-5) went on to register all seven shots on goal in overtime and earn a 2-1 win over Northeastern at Walter Brown Arena.
“It’s good when you can make a save that changes the momentum of the game,” said Burt, who made eight of her 31 stops in the third period. “It really gave us an extra push, that extra motivation to go out there and play our hardest.
“One goal. That’s all we needed to win the game.”
For the second straight day, Andie Anastos delivered for the Eagles. The senior captain scored the winning goal 5:44 into overtime, sneaking a wrister through traffic and Northeastern sophomore goaltender Brittany Bugalski from the slot.
All of BC’s Hockey East titles have come since 2011, when it also defeated Northeastern. The Eagles are the No. 4 national seed for the NCAA Tournament and will host St. Lawrence in next Saturday’s national quarterfinal. The Huskies, whose roster also includes former St. Mary’s goaltender Sarah Foss, finish the season with a 22-12-3 record.
Anastos was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player as she also ended Saturday’s 4-3 semifinal win over Vermont 3:03 into a second extra session.
“It’s (a cool honor),” Anastos said. “But, everyone worked so hard and played so well for that entire game ― like Burt making great saves, breakaway saves.”
For the first time in her career, Burt was the goaltender named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team. She made 28 saves in the semifinal.
The second-seeded Huskies stormed out of the gates and took a 1-0 lead as sophomore Kasidy Anderson scored on a quick counterattack at 17:23. Burt made 12 stops in the opening period, and 11 in the second as the Eagles knotted the score on junior defender Kali Flanagan’s point shot at 2:57.
“If you think, they’re going to put pucks in behind you. You just try to stay composed, try to keep the team in it,” Burt said. “The more I can stop, the more I can give them a chance to win.”
Burt’s save on Renner kept a scoreless final regulation frame going. In the Eagles’ dominant extra frame, Burt did not face a shot.
“This year, we’ve been through so much,” said BC head coach Katie Crowley. “There’s not a group that deserves it more than this one, so I’m really excited. They played hard.”
Joshua Kummins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKummins.
