Harvard Drops Heartbreaker to Cornell, 5-4

Almost.

Harvard nearly defeated Cornell last night at Watson Rink, but at 3:56 of sudden death overtime, the Big Red's Bob Peace found himself on a breakaway that resulted in a 5-4 Cornell victory.

It was a game of "could-have-beens" for Harvard as the squad jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second period, only to see Cornell capitalize for three unanswered goals before the close of the stanza. The fourth Big Red tally came with just two seconds remaining on the clock.

Cornell started it off early in the first period, as Dave Peace converted a two on one situation for a score, with the game less than 30 seconds old. But any thoughts of a Cornell rout were quickly dispelled as Harvard began to take away the play from the Big Red.

Frustration

But the Crimson icemen had trouble getting off the good shots and were frustrated until 18:09, when Bob Goodenow's lap shot buzzed past a somewhat bewildered Steve Kelleher. The score came on Harvard's second power play opportunity, with Doug Marrett sitting in the bin.

It was a relatively penalty-free contest, despite the scrappy play of Cornell. Each team was assessed three penalties, Cornell taking the first three in the first and second stanzas, and Harvard taking the next three, two of which came in the second period and cost Harvard a goal.

The first period ended with Cornell looking at the wrong end of a 2-1 count, as Randy Roth picked up a rebound lying conveniently in front and shot it home.

Don't Wave Hankies Yet

Harvard increased the lead in the second. Goals by Jim McMahon and a Goodenow put the Crimson up by there. McMahon put one in the net at 2:10, and Goodenow converted on Harvard's third power play chance at 8:07. The fans were ready to wave the white hankies, but suddenly the breaks went the other way, and Cornell tied it in the last five minutes of the second period.

Unfortunately for the Crimson, two of the three penalties called on the team overlapped by 18 seconds, forcing the defense to play nearly four straight minutes being a man down. With only 30 seconds left in the second penalty, Bob Murray poked the rebound past Murray.

Bill Weber, one of the pair of twins playing for Cornell, pulled his team within one at 16:43, despite a close offsides call that many of the fans, but not the linesman, felt should have been called. Bob Peace then tied it up at 19:58 on a deflection that Murray had no chance on, as it ricocheted into the corner of the net.

The third period was one of frustration for Harvard, as numerous chances slipped by the boards. Kelleher was forced to make 15 saves while Murray virtually breezed through the period having to stop only two shots from entering the net.

Close But No Cigar

Leigh Hogan and Jim Thomas almost converted a two-no-one with Harvard shorthanded, but Hogan couldn't quite find the handle on the puck as he charged into the crease. The fourth line of Kevin Burke, Paul Haley and Phelps also had its chances, showing a lot of hustle, but just couldn't buy a goal.

But that's the way it seemed to go all evening, Harvard just could not seem to put it in. Cornell, despite being outplayed all but the last five minutes of the second period, got the breaks when it needed them most.

The overtime followed the same pattern, as the Crimson had four chances, while Cornell's only shot on net during the OT was the one that went in. Peace made a good move on Murray, who had little chance on it.

The final shots on net showed that Kelleher stopped 35 while Murray saved 20. The Crimson had their chances.

Almost