Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Sarah Vaillancourt scored two goals and collected two assists, and Jenny Brine netted two goals as No. 1 Harvard advanced to the 2008 Frozen Four with a 5-1 victory over No. 8 Dartmouth before 1,497 fans at Bright Hockey Center Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Harvard head coach Katey Stone earned the 300th of her career, as she became third coach in Division I women's college hockey history to achieve that milestone.

After controlling much of the play in the first period, Harvard (32-1-0) scored in the final minute in the opening stanza.

Less than 10 seconds after a Dartmouth penalty expired, the Crimson got on the scoreboard with Brine's 18^th goal of the season at 19:27.  Kathryn Farni received the puck off a faceoff and passed it to Vaillancourt near the Dartmouth goal.  Vaillancourt turned and found Brine in the slot, who fired to give Harvard a 1-0 lead heading into the locker room.  Brine has now scored a goal in three straight games.

With all of its scoring chances in the first period, the Crimson led, 19-7, in shots during the opening 20 minutes. 

Midway through the second, Harvard extended its lead to 2-0, as Kate Buesser tallied a power-play goal at 9:34.  Sarah Wilson earned an assist after moving the puck to Buesser in front of the net.

Four minutes later, Wilson collected her second assist of the afternoon after taking a shot from the slot.  Vaillancourt found the rebound and wrested a shot from the left side for her team-leading 25th tally and 60th point.

After Harvard and Dartmouth (18-9-6) were called for matching penalties at 16:22, the Big Green responded with an even-strength goal 14 seconds later, making it a 3-1 game. Sarah Parsons skated into the Crimson zone and blasted a shot from the right circle that went past Harvard goalie Christina Kessler's glove. 

Even with the goal by the Big Green, Harvard still held a 32-16 advantage in shots.

In the third, Harvard's offense kept the pressure on Dartmouth goalkeeper Carli Clemis.  Vaillancourt notched her second goal of the game on a Crimson power play at 5:20, as Kati Vaughn and Caitlin Cahow found the junior forward with assists.

The Crimson capped the scoring with a goal at 13:26, as Brine netted her second tally of the contest.  Vaillancourt earned her fourth point of the game on the play.

For the game, Harvard converted 3-of-6 power plays, while holding Dartmouth scoreless on four chances with an extra attacker.  Kessler concluded the contest with 30 saves for her nation-best 30^th win of the year.  Clemis made 39 stops for the Big Green.

The Crimson finishes its regular season 18-0-0 at Bright Hockey Center and 27-0-0 against ECAC opponents in 2007-08.

In the semifinals of the Frozen Four, the Crimson will meet the winner of No. 4 Minnesota and No. 5 Wisconsin who play later this evening at 8 p.m. EST.  Harvard will play the winning team Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. EST in Duluth, Minn.