“It still amazes me that she’s only 17 years old and playing against some 22-, 23-year-olds in some of these college kids,’’ said Boston College coach Katie King.
“I don’t think it’s surprising, necessarily. She’s a big, strong kid who is really great with the puck.’’
King said before the season that she expected Carpenter to be a key cog in short time, and her swift success to date is right in line with the coach’s expectations.
“She’s just a great player,’’ King said. “She sees the ice really well, and she’s used that to her advantage. Especially coming in as a freshman, she’s stepped up and obviously done some good things for us, and that’s something our team has needed.’’
Carpenter’s quick acclimation helped spark the Eagles to 13-5-1 start. BC is one of the top defensive teams in the Hockey East but was in need of scoring punch, and Carpenter has certainly helped fill that void.
She and fellow freshman Emily Field (5-11-16) are the team’s top two scorers. The line, which also included junior Ashley Motherwell, has combined for more than a third of BC’s goals.
Carpenter and Field “are a good one-two punch,’’ King said. “They’re doing a great job.’’
The pair thrive on familiarity.
A Littleton resident, Field prepped at Lawrence Academy in Groton, where she was an Independent School League rival of Carpenter. But the pair also played as teammates on last year’s U18 team, though they had not taken shifts together until arriving at BC.
“Our styles fit together well,’’ Carpenter said. “We’re both pretty fast players. We compensate for each other a lot. She’s maybe a little faster. I maybe have some better hands. When we’re together, we’re pretty close to unstoppable.’’
Carpenter and Field have worked closely to navigate the challenges that first-year skaters face in the college game.
