Harvard Opens with Win Over McGill

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Quebec native Sarah Vaillancourt registered three points against McGill, a school from her home province, to lead the sixth-ranked Harvard women's hockey team to a 3-2 win in exhibition play Friday night at Bright Hockey Center in the Crimson's first game action of 2007-08.

After assisting on Harvard's first goal, Vaillancourt scored the second and third to give the Crimson a three-goal lead in the second period. While Canadian national goalie Charline Labonte held Harvard at bay with 36 saves, the Martlets battled back to within a goal. Sophomore goalie Christina Kessler made five of her 19 saves in the final period to help Harvard hang on for the win.

McGill, which is ranked second nationally in Canada, got off to a quick start, recording four of the game's first five shots, but the Crimson then took over, outshooting the Marlets, 14-1, the rest of the period.

Freshman Liza Ryabkina notched her first goal in a Harvard uniform on a deflection at the 16:58 of the first. Vaillancourt passed from the top of the left circle across to the right point, where sophomore Kathryn Farni shot. Ryabkina tipped the puck into the left side of the net, past Labonte.

The Martlets were whistled for a penalty with one second showing on the clock, and the Crimson made them pay in the second period, as Vaillancourt banged the puck in with assists going to Jenny Brine and Kati Vaughn. It was the only power-play tally of the night, as Harvard finished 1 for 3 and McGill was 0 for 2.

Vaillancourt scored an impressive second goal to give the Crimson a 3-0 lead at the 10:26 of the second. She took a pass on the rush from freshman Leanna Coskren, slipped past a defender at the left circle and roofed a shot that clanged off both corners of the goal and in.

Rebecca Martindale got McGill on the board with about five minutes left in the second period, stealing a puck from a Crimson player at the left faceoff circle and sneaking a shot past Kessler. Harvard held a 14-10 edge in shots in the second.

Vanessa Davidson brought the Martlets within a goal less than nine minutes into the third period. Shauna Denis pushed the puck up the left boards. Davidson out-battled a Crimson player for it, skated in and scored. Harvard outshot McGill by a 10-6 margin in the third, and the Martlets could not break through for a tying goal.

The teams meet again Saturday at 4 p.m