Call it Commonwealth Avenue’s other rivalry.
The men’s hockey meetings between Boston College and Boston University are famous for their intensity, among both players and fans. They fill the arenas, and are talked about for weeks beforehand.
The hype and crowds aren’t nearly the same, but the women’s hockey games between the schools are just as competitive on the ice.
Visiting BC claimed the the first 2009-10 meeting last night, 2-1.
“Our hardest games are always our games against BU, but they’re normally my favorite just because we’re such big rivals,” Eagles forward Mary Restuccia said earlier this season.
“Those are the games that get more physical and people say more behind each other’s backs, but I think those are the most fun games because they’re the toughest games. If you can win one of those games it’s the best feeling in the world.”
BC freshman Ashley Motherwell broke a 1-1 tie in the third period last night. The game — played in front of a relatively sparse crowd at BU’s Walter Brown Arena — couldn’t have been mistaken for the men’s version, but the intense spirit of the rivalry was evident by the end.
BC went 2-1-1 against BU last year, including a win in the Hockey East semifinals.
The teams are scheduled to meet three times in the regular season.
