"Bowdoin shoots, she scores!"
Wait a minute. Did you say Jen Bowdoin, Harvard goalie?
It's pretty rare to see a goalie score at any level of hockey competition, but it has been known to happen. What's even more rare is to see a goalie tend goal one game and play forward the next.
Well, that's what Bowdoin did Monday in Harvard's 8-0 rout of Boston University in the Beanpot consolation game at Northeastern.
"I haven't skated out in a long time," Bowdoin said. "That's probably the first goal I've scored in four or five years."
Why the sudden change in job description for the sophomore goalie? Simply put, Boston University is not a good hockey team, and Harvard could afford to have some fun.
"B.U. is a club team, so we knew that it was going to be one-sided," freshman forward Kyle Walsh (one goal) said. "We took it as an opportunity to try out some plays that we've been working on in practice."
The Crimson (9-13-1, 3-8-1 ECAC), which had scored only one goal in its three previous contests, simply dominated the weaker Terriers, jumping out to an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the first 35 seconds of play.
Co-captain Holly Leitzes began the drubbing just 24 seconds into the first period, as she beat B.U. goalie Laura Kellogg for the first of many Crimson goals on the day.
Just nine seconds later, Jen Landry scored the second Harvard goal, with the assist going to Leitzes.
When all was said and done, eight different Crimson women had found the back of the net, five in the first period alone. Leitzes, Alice DuBois and Casi Walker each had a goal and two assists en route to the dominating victory.
Even the ghost of A.J. Mleczko (no, she's not dead, just injured) got involved in the scoring punch. Junior defenseman Colleen Malek, returning from injury, wore Mleczko's number 21 and recorded an assist in Bowdoin's first collegiate goal.
That's the kind of day it was for Harvard.
And with Bowdoin tearing it up out on the ice, reserve goalie Whitney Smith tossed a combined shutout in net with Lauren Harris. Harris, a freshman who practices with the team, saw her first collegiate action last night and was perfect in net in the third period.
"It was really exciting," said Harris. "It was an amazing experience."
Harris faced only one shot in the third, two fewer than Smith faced in the first two periods.
There was absolutely nothing B.U. could do to stop the offensive onslaught of Harvard, or to mount an attack of their own. The Crimson women were stronger, faster and more talented, and certainly proved from the outset that they were the better team.
There was never any doubt who would come out on top.
"We stopped shooting after the first period," Walsh said. "It would have been pretty low-class to run up the score."
Even so, the Crimson managed to pick up three goals in addition to the five it racked up in the first period.
Sometimes it's hard not to score.
The Harvard women are on the road this weekend against Colby and New Hampshire.
In the championship match of the Beanpot, Northeastern defeated Boston College 4-3 in overtime. First Period Har--Leitzes 3 (Calagione) 00:24. Har--Landry 1 (Leitzes) 00:35. Har--Walker 3 (Dubois, Gerometta) 9:54. Har--Walsh 6 (Frump) 15:05. Har--Dubois 7 (Walker, Gerometta) 16:10. Second Period Har--Bowdoin 1 (Leiztes, Malek) 1:14. Har--Ganzenmuller 2 (Dawson) 19:35. Third Period Har--Calagione 6 (Walker, Dubois) 3:15. Saves: B.U.--Kellogg 16-11-0 27, Pearson 0-0- 11 11; Har--Smith 1-2-0 3, Harris 0-0-1 1. Power Play: B.U.--0/1; Har--0/4. Attendance: 117
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