W. Hockey Relies on Third Line

After a tentative start and ten scoreless minutes to open last night’s Beanpot opening-round collision with Northeastern, it was Harvard’s unheralded third line that got it on track.

This is an unusual source of offense for the Crimson, which normally relies on its potent first line for much of the scoring punch.

On this night, though, the unit found its rhythm, with sophomore Katie Johnston setting up junior Jennifer Raimondi for Harvard’s first two goals and also assisting on the center’s short-handed hat-trick tally in the second period.

The unexpected burst nearly doubled Raimondi’s season goal total (and Johnston’s assist total) from four to seven, and raised expectations for the unit––which includes freshman Adrienne Bernakevitch––going forward.

“Today was just a whole line effort all the way through,” Raimondi said. “Today is a step in the right direction.”

SITTING ON THE BEANPOT

Harvard, the six-time defending champion in the local Beanpot Tournament, has clearly established its dominance in the event in recent years. But things were not always this way.

Last night’s opening round victim Northeastern once reigned supreme, winning 14 overall titles and eight in a row from 1984-1991. The Huskies eliminated the Crimson from the tournament three years in a row during their 1996-1998 three-peat, including a narrow 5-4 in the 1998 championship game.

From that point on, the balance of power in the Cup changed decisively. Harvard hasn’t lost in the event since that 1998 final, and exacted its revenge over Northeastern by sending them packing in overtime in each of the four following years.

“Northeastern has been a hockey powerhouse,” Stone said. “It won’t be long before they turn it around. We’ve been very fortunate the last few years that things are going well for us. It goes in waves.”

The struggling Huskies are still in the trough, freshly evidenced by last night’s 9-1 drubbing, the most lopsided result in the history of the meeting. The significance of the Boston rivalry is not lost on the team’s tri-captain Nicole Corriero.

“You don’t appreciate it as much until you’ve spent the time in Boston,” Corriero said. “You realize the significance the Beanpot has in the hockey world.”

KAZMAIER AWARD HOPEFULS

Crimson standouts Corriero and Julie Chu were named Monday to the list of ten finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award to be unveiled at the NCAA Frozen Four on March 26. Both of Harvard’s candidates for this prestigious honor––named for the late Princeton defender––made the most recent cut, before the field is narrowed to three on March 14.

“It’s completely deserved,” Stone said. “They’re such different players and it’s great for them to be recognized nationally for their strengths and for their leadership. I’m really happy that they play for us.”

Harvard has traditionally excelled in the brief history of the award, now in its eighth year, with its players winning four of the first seven. Angela Ruggiero ’02-’04 became the first defenseman to take home the prize last year, after Jennifer Botterill ’02-’03 was the first two-time winner the year before that. A.J. Mleczko ’97-’99 was the second-even recipient of the award in her senior campaign.

This time around, Corriero and Chu appear on a list loaded with the biggest names in women’s college hockey. Chu is one of four Olympians among the index of stars, and the four top scorers in the nation, Corriero included, are all present as well.

“It’s a great honor,” Corriero said. “When I think about my career at Harvard, this year has just been a fairy tale. I’ve been so blessed by great teammates and great line-mates who have really brought out my game, and I owe a lot of this recognition to them.”

Corriero, also a finalist last year, ranks fourth in the country with 2.52 points per game, and first in goals per game (1.76) and power-play goals (14).

Chu, who has scored in all 18 games she has played in, seventh in points per game (2.17) and second in assists per game (1.83).

AROUND THE NCAA

Following its upset win over Dartmouth Saturday, the Crimson moved up one spot this week to No. 5 in the national rankings. The Big Green, for its part, dropped one notch down to No. 3.

Perhaps more importantly, in the most recently released set of Pairwise Rankings, (a formula that imitates the method used by the NCAA Selection Committee in determining the bracket for the Frozen Eight,) Harvard jumped to No. 5 from the tenuous eighth position.

—Staff writer Jonathan Lehman can be reached at jlehman@fas.harvard.edu.