Terriers Terrorize Men's Hockey, 5-3

It was neither what they wanted nor what they expected, but the result last night at Bright Hockey Center was not one which made Harvard heads hang too low.

After all, it not's every team that can beat No. 2 Boston University. A 5-3 loss is by many people's standards a moral victory. B.U.  5 HARVARD  3

"It would have been nice to win and the score was pretty close, so it just shows that anything can happen," said sophomore defenseman Matt Scorsune. "It's not really a 'take what you can get situation' because you always like to win, but you have to take the positives from the loss I guess."

The most promising moment for the Crimson (1-4-1, 1-2-1 ECAC) came a mere 2:16 into the contest when it took a 1-0 lead. Stunning the large Terrier contingency on hand was freshman Harry Schwefel who whipped a shot from right in front of the net off the tip of his stick past B.U. goaltender Michel Larocque.

The score stayed that way for another eight minutes, but as many expected, the Terriers stormed back and throughout the ensuing 13 minutes of play, netted four unanswered tallies.

Team leading point getter, defenseman Tom Poti, got the Terriers (7-1, 5-1 Hockey East) on the board first when he stickhandled through the Crimson defense and laid a beautiful pass off to teammate Mike Sylvia on the right post for the equalizer.

But after heading into the lockerroom deadlocked at one goal apiece, Harvard probably wished it didn't return to the ice for B.U. struck just 34 seconds into the second period.

Two-time Hobey Baker finalist Chris Drury took advantage of a Terrier power play with an easy tip in just to the right of Harvard goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo (34 saves) to give B.U. the lead for good.

But a Jeff Kealty goal at the 9:14 mark not only increased his team's lead to 3-1, but it also set the Terriers up for what would prove to be the proverbial back breaker.

Two Harvard penalties offered B.U. a five-on-three advantage which the Terriers welcomed with open arms. It took Drury only 47 seconds to capitalize and notch his second goal of the contest.

"When you're in the penalty box that many times and you give them that many opportunities, they are going to make you pay for them," said Harvard Coach Ron Tomassoni, whose team served 10 minutes of penalties in the second period alone. "But that was certainly a key point in the game when they got that fourth goal. It just kind of deflated us--it was a big momentum changer."

Harvard never really did get back into the game although a late second period power-play goal by Scorsune did offer some solace.

"Our power play has really been working this year compared to last," Scorsune said. "We just have to keep on working and hopefully that can help us in the future."

The third period saw much of the same as it was marred by penalties and a scattering of two power-play goals which solidified the score at 5-3.

"We played well in spurts tonight," Tomassoni said. "I don't think that we played poorly in any way, but we didn't play well enough to win obviously."

Harvard is currently on a three-game losing streak, but after consecutive losses to Hockey East powers Boston College and B.U.--both Top Ten teams--it should find some comfort in that the fact that it now heads back to league play when it takes on Brown this Saturday.

"We've got to get over that hump somehow," Tomassoni said. "They are an excellent hockey team and we had an opportunity to turn a corner here and we didn't, so now we have to get that win on Saturday."

This time, however, a win is imperative for moral victories mean very little in the ECAC standings. B.U., 5-3

at Bright Hockey Center B.U.  1  3  1  --  1 Harvard  1  1  1  --  3

First Period

Har--Schwefel (Sproule, Storey) 2:16.

BU--Sylvia (Poti) 11:28.

Second Period

BU--Drury (Sylvia, Kelleher) 00:34. (PPG)

BU--Kealty (Hanson, Quebec) 9:14.

BU--Drury (Degerman, Kelleher) 15:21. (5 vs.3)

Har--Scorsune (Storey, S. Moore) 17:20. (5 vs.3)

Third Period

BU--Degerman (Drury, Sylvia) 4:13. (PPG)

Har--Higdon (Bala, Scorsune) 19:29. (PPG)

Saves: BU--Larocque 6-4-7 17; Har--Prestifilippo 10-12-12 34.

Power Play: BU--3/10; Har--2/7.

Attendance: 2,849

"It would have been nice to win and the score was pretty close, so it just shows that anything can happen," said sophomore defenseman Matt Scorsune. "It's not really a 'take what you can get situation' because you always like to win, but you have to take the positives from the loss I guess."

The most promising moment for the Crimson (1-4-1, 1-2-1 ECAC) came a mere 2:16 into the contest when it took a 1-0 lead. Stunning the large Terrier contingency on hand was freshman Harry Schwefel who whipped a shot from right in front of the net off the tip of his stick past B.U. goaltender Michel Larocque.

The score stayed that way for another eight minutes, but as many expected, the Terriers stormed back and throughout the ensuing 13 minutes of play, netted four unanswered tallies.

Team leading point getter, defenseman Tom Poti, got the Terriers (7-1, 5-1 Hockey East) on the board first when he stickhandled through the Crimson defense and laid a beautiful pass off to teammate Mike Sylvia on the right post for the equalizer.

But after heading into the lockerroom deadlocked at one goal apiece, Harvard probably wished it didn't return to the ice for B.U. struck just 34 seconds into the second period.

Two-time Hobey Baker finalist Chris Drury took advantage of a Terrier power play with an easy tip in just to the right of Harvard goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo (34 saves) to give B.U. the lead for good.

But a Jeff Kealty goal at the 9:14 mark not only increased his team's lead to 3-1, but it also set the Terriers up for what would prove to be the proverbial back breaker.

Two Harvard penalties offered B.U. a five-on-three advantage which the Terriers welcomed with open arms. It took Drury only 47 seconds to capitalize and notch his second goal of the contest.

"When you're in the penalty box that many times and you give them that many opportunities, they are going to make you pay for them," said Harvard Coach Ron Tomassoni, whose team served 10 minutes of penalties in the second period alone. "But that was certainly a key point in the game when they got that fourth goal. It just kind of deflated us--it was a big momentum changer."

Harvard never really did get back into the game although a late second period power-play goal by Scorsune did offer some solace.

"Our power play has really been working this year compared to last," Scorsune said. "We just have to keep on working and hopefully that can help us in the future."

The third period saw much of the same as it was marred by penalties and a scattering of two power-play goals which solidified the score at 5-3.

"We played well in spurts tonight," Tomassoni said. "I don't think that we played poorly in any way, but we didn't play well enough to win obviously."

Harvard is currently on a three-game losing streak, but after consecutive losses to Hockey East powers Boston College and B.U.--both Top Ten teams--it should find some comfort in that the fact that it now heads back to league play when it takes on Brown this Saturday.

"We've got to get over that hump somehow," Tomassoni said. "They are an excellent hockey team and we had an opportunity to turn a corner here and we didn't, so now we have to get that win on Saturday."

This time, however, a win is imperative for moral victories mean very little in the ECAC standings. B.U., 5-3

at Bright Hockey Center B.U.  1  3  1  --  1 Harvard  1  1  1  --  3

First Period

Har--Schwefel (Sproule, Storey) 2:16.

BU--Sylvia (Poti) 11:28.

Second Period

BU--Drury (Sylvia, Kelleher) 00:34. (PPG)

BU--Kealty (Hanson, Quebec) 9:14.

BU--Drury (Degerman, Kelleher) 15:21. (5 vs.3)

Har--Scorsune (Storey, S. Moore) 17:20. (5 vs.3)

Third Period

BU--Degerman (Drury, Sylvia) 4:13. (PPG)

Har--Higdon (Bala, Scorsune) 19:29. (PPG)

Saves: BU--Larocque 6-4-7 17; Har--Prestifilippo 10-12-12 34.

Power Play: BU--3/10; Har--2/7.

Attendance: 2,849

at Bright Hockey Center B.U.  1  3  1  --  1 Harvard  1  1  1  --  3

First Period

Har--Schwefel (Sproule, Storey) 2:16.

BU--Sylvia (Poti) 11:28.

Second Period

BU--Drury (Sylvia, Kelleher) 00:34. (PPG)

BU--Kealty (Hanson, Quebec) 9:14.

BU--Drury (Degerman, Kelleher) 15:21. (5 vs.3)

Har--Scorsune (Storey, S. Moore) 17:20. (5 vs.3)

Third Period

BU--Degerman (Drury, Sylvia) 4:13. (PPG)

Har--Higdon (Bala, Scorsune) 19:29. (PPG)

Saves: BU--Larocque 6-4-7 17; Har--Prestifilippo 10-12-12 34.

Power Play: BU--3/10; Har--2/7.

Attendance: 2,849