Richter, Late Goals Send Crimson Past No. 16 Saints

Box score

CANTON, N.Y. -- Sophomore Kyle Richter made a career-high 42 saves to keep the Harvard men's hockey team in the lead for two periods, and the Crimson offense took over with four goals in the final 10 minutes for a 6-1 win against 16th-ranked St. Lawrence Saturday night at Appleton Arena.

Defensemen Jack Christian and David MacDonald scored the first goals of their careers, and Christian added an empty netter. Doug Rogers, Paul Dufault and Jon Pelle each notched a goal and an assist for the Crimson (1-1, 1-1 ECAC Hockey), and Mike Taylor set up two goals by causing turnovers in the offensive zone. Rogers also won 14 of his 18 faceoffs.

Harvard took the lead nearly five minutes into the game on Christian's first goal. Freshman Matt McCollem started the play and picked up his first career point by chipping the puck up the right-side boards to Dufault. The senior carried the puck into the zone and centered to a trailing Christian, who one-timed a hard, low shot past SLU goalie Alex Petizian.

The teams exchanged power plays in the second half of the opening period. After Harvard used several blocked shots to kill most of a penalty, the rest of the SLU power play was cancelled out by a good play by Jimmy Fraser. The Crimson junior poked the puck away from Jared Ross at the point, and the Saints defenseman held him up to prevent a breakaway. Petizian kept the score at 1-0 on the ensuing Harvard power play, stopping a great chance by Alex Biega diving to the right post.

Solid penalty killing, great goaltending and a timely piece of forechecking built the Crimson lead to 2-0 in the second period. Harvard was whistled for a penalty late in the first period and three more early in the second, but Richter made several spectacular stops, the best coming when he dove to his right to get his paddle in front of a seemingly open net.

Rogers then netted his first goal of the season at the 13:32 mark. Taylor intercepted a pass in the Saints zone and got the puck to classmate Pelle, who found Rogers in the slot. Rogers deked, and Petizian looked to have his forehand shot stopped, but the puck trickled over the goal line.

Richter stopped 19 SLU shots in the second period alone, taking a total of 32 into the final period. He would finish with one more than his previous career best, set against Michigan Tech in the 2006 Great Lakes Invitational. Petizian made 17 saves.

Harvard killed another penalty that spanned the second intermission to improve to 10 for 10 on the season, but the Saints  (3-5, 0-3) took advantage of another penalty for the first blemish on the Crimson's penalty-killing record. Brock McBride took a pass from Kevin DeVergilio and shot low past Richter. Jeremiah Cunningham also picked up an assist.

The Crimson got a power play of its own and could not convert, but then picked up its physical play with consecutive big hits by freshman Michael Del Mauro, MacDonald and Rogers near the Harvard blue line. Harvard picked up the offense next.

Sophomore Alex Biega nearly added a goal to the lead when he ripped a slapshot from the red line that went by Petizian and hit the crossbar. Brother Michael Biega then helped get one to actually get in, putting a shot on goal that led to Dufault's rebound tally at 10:50.

Pelle sealed the win with a beautiful shot. Taylor once again got things started by causing a turnover in the SLU zone. He deflected the puck to Pelle in the high slot, and Pelle turned and drove a slapper into the top corner for a 4-1 lead. Christian added his second goal on an empty net, scoring from his own zone after a Rogers faceoff win. MacDonald finished the scoring with a low slapper from the point past Petizian.

St. Lawrence finished 1 for 7 on the power play, while Harvard was 0 for 3. The Saints finished with a 43-23 edge in shots.