Harvard Back on Track with Win Against Union

Photo by DSPics.com

Final	1	2	3	Final
Union (12-12-1, 5-8-0 ECAC)	0	1	0	1
Harvard (5-11-4, 5-6-4 ECAC)	1	1	1	3

Scoring Summary
1st - 13:10	Doug Rogers (Harvard)
2nd - 07:42	PP - Pier-Olivier Michaud (Harvard)
2nd - 09:15	PP - Matt Cook (Union)
3rd - 19:17	EN - Steve Rolecek (Harvard)

Union	Harvard
G: Matt Cook - 1 A: 2 Players (#10, #25 - 1) Sh: 3 Players (#9, #20, #29 - 4) Sv: Corey Milan - 22	G: 3 Players (#15, #19, #39 - 1) A: Alex Biega - 2 Sh: Alex Biega - 4 Sv: Matt Hoyle - 29

TEAM STATISTICS	Union	Harvard
Power Plays	1 for 6	1 for 6
Shorthanded Goals	0	0
Penalties (min)	6 (12)	6 (12)
Shots on Goal	30	25
Face Offs Won	26	25

full stats

Boxscore

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-Junior Doug Rogers notched a goal and an assist and freshman Matt Hoyle made 29 saves to lead the Harvard men's hockey team to a 3-1 win in ECAC Hockey action Friday night at Bright Hockey Center.

Junior Alex Biega assisted on goals by Rogers and sophomore Pier-Olivier Michaud as the Crimson (5-11-4, 5-6-4 ECAC Hockey) picked up a pair of key league points, ended a 13-game winless streak and picked up some winning momentum heading into the 57th annual Beanpot tournament, which gets underway Monday in Boston. Senior Steve Rolecek sealed the win with an empty-net tally.

Matt Cook scored for the Dutchmen (12-12-1, 5-8-0), who got 22 saves from Corey Milan. Union held a 30-25 edge in shots as each team was 1 for 6 on the power play.

Harvard got off to a good start, with early chances on a giveaway to senior Nick Coskren in front and on a pass to set up sophomore Matt McCollem behind the defense. Both players got off quick shots that went just wide, but the Crimson's pressure eventually paid off.

Neither team scored on one first-period power play each, but the Crimson got three shots on the man advantage and scored shortly after it ended. Junior Alex Biega intercepted a Union clearing attempt on the right boards, made a move past a defender and passed to Rogers waiting on the left post. Rogers could not collect the puck cleanly and shoot. He tried once to poke in the puck with one hand before burying his own rebound.

Senior captain Jimmy Fraser rung a shot off the post shortly after Harvard grabbed the lead, but the Crimson took just a 1-0 advantage to the first intermission after outshooting the Dutchmen, 11-8, for the period.

The teams traded near misses early in the second period, before trading power-play goals later. Stephane Boileau nearly beat Hoyle on the rush, but the Crimson rookie got the shaft of his stick on the puck at the last instant. On a power play at the other end, sophomore Michael Biega's shot from the right circle hit someone in front before clanging off the crossbar.

The Crimson doubled its lead at 7:42 of the second. Alex Biega got the puck from Rogers on the left point and sent a low shot toward the net, where it was redirected past Milan by Michaud. The assists gave Biega (0-4-4) and Rogers (4-2-6) a combined 10 points in the last two games. They lead the team with 14 and 13 points, respectively, on the season.

The margin did not stay at two goals for long, as Matt Cook scored on a high wrist shot from the right after a pass across the low slot by Luke Cain. Boileau also assisted on the play. Neither team broke through the rest of the frame, and Union held a 13-9 shots advantage.

Harvard survived a pair of Union power plays in the third period and got some chances of its own but could only translate them into five shots on goal. Hoyle, meanwhile, stopped nine shots by the Dutchmen to make the one-goal lead hold up until the final minute.

With an offensive-zone draw and 52.7 seconds showing on the clock, Union coach Nate Leaman pulled Milan for an extra skater. Fraser, however, won the draw, and Coskren skated in to pick up the puck. He carried it to the left boards in front of the Union blue line and pushed it ahead to Rolecek. The puck appeared to slip out of Rolecek's reach, but the senior dove and swiped it into the net from near the left faceoff dot.

The Crimson kicks off the Beanpot Monday at 5 p.m. against No. 2 Boston University at TD Banknorth Garden. Harvard is seeking its 11th tournament title and second straight championship-game appearance.