Looking back to 1971; Women edge BC in a thriller

 Looking back Nov. 22

On this date in 1971, defending national champion Terriers played a pre-season exhibition against the U.S. Olympic Team at Boston Garden and earned a 4-4 tie when junior defenseman Ric Jordan (photo) blasted home a 55-foot shot midway through the third period.

The exhibition game was part of a fundraising night for the US Olympic team and it also featured top U.S. figure skaters. Originally, Boston College had been tabbed to face the Olympic team.   

According to the book Striking Silver: The Untold Story of America’s Forgotten Hockey Team:

A week before the “Olympic Garden Party was to occur, several members of the BC team got the flu, requiring them to spend time in the school’s infirmary. Boston College called the Olympic team and informed them that the Eagles probably wouldn’t make a fair representation for the evening and then suggested that they call NCAA champion and Commonwealth Avenue nemesis Boston University. BU coach Jack Kelley informed his group at practice of the development, and the Terriers were thrilled at the opportunity to challenge the impending U.S. Olympic team.”

BU, which trailed 2-0 early in the second period, rallied to even the score on goals by senior Paul Giandomenico and junior Ron Anderson. Giandomenico’s unassisted goal early in the third gave BU it’s only lead, which Team USA would erase with a pair of goals before Jordan’s game-tying tally. The Terriers’ two junior goalies, Dan Brady and Tim Regan, split the netminding duties and Regan’s performance would lead to an invitation to join the Olympic Team that would eventually win a Silver Medal in Sapporo.

The previous August, Regan, who was looking forward to helping BU defend its NCAA title, had turned down an invitation to try out for the U.S. Olympic team. He was concerned that “if I left school, I wouldn’t be able to maintain my scholarship.” 

Following the exhibition game at Boston Garden, U.S. Coach Murray Williamson contacted Regan to congratulate him on the game and asked him to join Team USA.

“I was shocked,” recalled Regan. “I was 21 years old and I told him I’d have to check with the University and my uncle, who was the Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.”

After receiving blessings from his uncle and his school, Regan wanted a guarantee that, if he joined the team, he would go to Sapporo. Williamson obliged, and Regan joined the team one day after Christmas.

“I was able to take part in something that an awful lot of kids only dream about, and that’s all they are able to do—dream. For me, it happened.”

Regan would play 10 exhibition games with the national team and went to Sapporo with the U.S. squad. Then Brady twisted a knee and a phone call to Japan from Kelley changed everything. But that's a story for another day.

●  Striking Silver excerpt

Women's Team

In the first meeting of the season between Commonwealth Avenue rivals, Terriers edged BC, 5-4, on senior Courtney Correia's tie-breaking goal, late in the third period. For BU, it was the fifth win in the last six match-ups with the Eagles.

With the win, BU sits in second place in the Hockey East standings, behind Northeastern.

Terriers opened a two-goal lead in the opening period on a  power-play slapshot by Nadia Mattivi and Emma Wuthrich's conversion of a Julia Shaunessy shot. The Eagles countered with a pair to knot the game at 2-2 after one period.

BU went back in front late in the middle period when Wuthrich won a loose puck battle and slid the puck to Shaunessy at the bottom of the right circle. She quickly dished to a wide-open Parker Mackenna at the goalmouth for the senior's fifth goal.

In a wild third period that featured a combined 25 shots, BC pulled even in the opening minute. At 4:10 Shaunessy sent Christina Vote away on a 2-on-1 rush and the freshman connected from the left circle for her fourth tally of the season.

BC answered again while on a two-man-advantage with Kelly Browne's goal at the eight minute mark before BU would produce the game-winner.

With just under four minutes remaining, junior Julia Nearis carried the puck across the BC blue line and dropped a pass for Correia. The senior center skated to the circle, faked a shot, cut to the slot and whipped a shot past Abigail Levy for her team-leading eighth goal.

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What a goal by Court to give us the late lead against BC! pic.twitter.com/A7fXiQYFcQ

— x - BU Women's Hockey (@TerrierWHockey) November 21, 2021

Terriers outshot BC 45-36 with freshman goalie Callie Shanahan making her first start in the Comm. Ave. rivalry. Shaunessy assisted on BU's first four goals, one short of the program record.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

● Video Highlights

● Post-game: 
Coach Brian Durocher, Shaunessy  

Shaunessy's four-assist effort in the win against BC earned her Hockey East's Defender of the Week.