3 Seniors Play Last Home Game for W. Hockey

With eight seconds remaining in their final game at Bright Hockey Center, three seniors skated together.

After a whistle brought the puck down to Harvard’s zone for a faceoff, co-captain Lauren McAuliffe prepared to skate off, ending her final shift on home ice.

Instead, with a three-goal cushion, Crimson coach Katey Stone told her to go back out, sending fellow senior Mina Pell with her to join the final member of the senior triumvirate, co-captain Angela Ruggiero.

McAuliffe filled in at the circle, ready to square off one last time.

In a fitting end to a marvelous home-ice career for all three players, McAuliffe won the draw, knocking the puck to Pell on the wing. Ruggiero took control of the puck and passed it back and forth with her teammates in Harvard’s own zone as time winded down to victory, until the trio heard Bright’s buzzer sound as players one last time.

“It’s bittersweet,” Stone said. “It was great to have them all on the ice at the end of the game. They have done so much for our program, in many many different ways.”

Stone’s gesture didn’t go unappreciated.

“It’s a good way to end it. Home-ice advantage, last time playing at the Bright. To go out together is pretty nice,” McAuliffe said, as a smile lifted her head from a downward gaze used to conceal her feelings.

Still, the visibly emotional Crimson co-captain couldn’t let the sentimental side of the game get the better of her competitive edge.

“We did what we needed to do to come out with a win. That’s all that really matters,” McAuliffe said.

BULLDOGS AND TIGERS AND BEARS

In ECAC action, No. 9 Princeton’s top line—seniors Lisa Rasmussen and Gretchen Anderson and sophomore Heather Jackson—did all it could to extend its season for one more game, creating and holding a two-goal lead most of the Saturday’s contest over No. 10 Brown.

But the fifth-seeded Tigers couldn’t hold off a late Brown comeback, falling 3-2 in overtime of the second and deciding game. Bears’ junior Jessica Link—who also provided the game-tying goal—scored the game-winner at 8:56 in the extra period.

Brown will now be Harvard’s opponent in the ECAC Semifinals.

“We played them two close games [earlier this season],” Stone said. “Our kids should have no problem getting up for that one.”

Meanwhile, after shutting down Yale 3-0 Friday night, Dartmouth narrowly edged the Bulldogs 4-3 in dramatic fashion to advance to the next round.

Behind 3-2 late in the third period, the Bulldogs yanked goalie Sarah Love—who posted 45 saves in the afternoon—only to see Big Green sophomore Katie Weatherston pop the puck into the undefended net with 55 seconds left in the game.

The goal ended up being crucial after Yale’s Kelsey Johnson put one through the net at 19:51 to bring the Elis within one goal, but Dartmouth held on in the final seconds.

In the final ECAC Quarterfinals action this weekend, St. Lawrence topped Colgate in three games, winning the clincher 7-1 last night

Although game one belonged to the Saints, who peppered Rebecca Lahar in a dominating 5-1 performance, Colgate’s goalie put on a show in game two, posting 50 saves in a 1-0 shutout.

“I’m surprised that St. Lawrence lost, but we also faced [Lahar] and she was tough to figure out,” Stone said. “It just makes it interesting, and it’s going to make it more difficult for the [Frozen Four selections committee].

“I think ultimately I could care less what happens outside of our team as long as we keep doing what we’re doing and continue to advance our program to the Frozen Four,” she added.

In out-of-league action, No. 2 Minnesota bested No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth 4-2 for the WCHA Championship.

The Bulldogs toppled No. 5 Wisconsin 3-1 in the tournament semifinals, all but crushing the Badgers’ shot at a trip to the Frozen Four while throwing itself back in the running.

“I’m not surprised Wisconsin lost,” Stone said. “Duluth is a much better team in many ways. They were injured a lot of the times they played them.”

The Bulldogs had the top two scorers in the nation in junior Caroline Ouellette and senior Jenny Potter, who have 76 and 75 points, respectively.

DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT BRACKETOLOGY

U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) women’s correspondent and former Crimson editor David R. De Remer ’03 showcased his applied math and economics skills in a special column analyzing every hypothetical scenario for the teams in the hunt for a Frozen Four.

De Remer tackled the formulas similar to those used by the selections committee, such as the PairWise Rankings (PWR), but also speculated based on the less stringent rules of the women’s league relative to the men’s.

Applying his scenarios to this weekend’s action, Minnesota, Harvard and Dartmouth are all but assured to make the trip to Providence in just under two weeks.

With its loss to Minnesota, UMD’s chances of securing the fourth spot took a large hit, leaving the squad all but eliminated. St. Lawrence now stands in prime position to secure the bid to the Frozen Four, according to De Remer’s analysis.

—Staff writer John R. Hein can be reached at hein@fas.harvard.edu.