Harvard’s a class act
Seniors lead way to final
Senior night came three weeks early for Harvard.
Four members of the Class of 2017 accounted for all the scoring and had a combined seven points in the Crimson’s 4-3 victory against Northeastern in the opening game of the Beanpot at the Garden.
Harvard (16-5-2), ranked No. 4 in the nation, advanced to the title game for the first since 2008 and has an opportunity to end a 23-year drought in the 65th edition of the tournament.
“This senior class has some really good hockey players and great kids, but they never really had the chance,” coach Ted Donato said. “I don’t think you really experience the Beanpot until you have a chance to play in the finals. I think it is an important step for our group and I know our senior leadership was on display as it has been on display all year. This is a tough tournament with great teams.”
Special teams played a big role for both camps in their first encounter of the season. Northeastern (11-12-5) scored a pair of power-play goals and leads the nation with 43. Harvard had a power-play goal and a shorthanded tally, both of which occurred in the decisive third period.
“Obviously this is a great win for us, but we want to go one step further and win the championship,” Crimson captain Alexander Kerfoot (goal, assist) said. “We are real excited for next week and we’ll be ready.”
With 10 seconds to go on a third-period power play, Harvard converted to snap a 1-1 tie. Freshman Nathan Krusco controlled the puck along the boards and got it to senior Luke Esposito on the outer edge of the right circle. Esposito spied Clay Anderson alone in the high slot and sent along a pass that the senior defenseman one-timed through the pads of Huskies goalie Ryan Ruck (25 saves) at 7:39.
The lead grew to two at 9:58. Senior Tyler Moy found a gap in a pileup at the NU goal mouth to shoot through, and the Crimson had to feel good about their chances — the team record is 8-0-1 this season when he scores a goal.
Esposito came up with the shorthanded goal late in a Huskies man-advantage to make it a 4-1 game at 12:18. Kerfoot led a break into the offensive zone and fired a wrist shot that bounced off Ruck’s chest protector. Esposito collected the rebound and scored on the forehand.
“Some of our best players are on the penalty kill, which is something you see more and more at the highest levels of college hockey,” Esposito said. “Whenever we have the chance we like to get up on the play and push them back, whether it’s just disrupting them or getting a scoring chance.”
NU wouldn’t go away quietly. Senior Zach AstonReese (three assists) got the puck in the lower-right circle and centered it to the low slot, where Nolan Stevens, who missed the previous 21 games with an upper-body injury, redirected it by Harvard goalie Merrick Madsen (27 saves) at 13:31.
With Ruck off for an extra attacker at 18:27, Adam Gaudette brought the Huskies to within one on his second goal of the game. Gaudette poked the puck through a scrum in Madsen’s crease and the referee’s goal call held up to video review.
From there, Madsen and the Crimson were able to hang on for the win.
“We battled back,” Gaudette said, “but we couldn’t get that fourth one — and it is so disappointing.”