Offense Sputters Versus ECAC Foes

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—One good thing doesn’t always lead to another.

Despite having earned a series split in hostile territory against last year’s NCAA finalist North Dakota over winter break, the No. 13 Harvard men’s hockey team sputtered on offense—especially on the power play—against an unranked Union team on Friday night at the Messa Rink.

Although the Crimson fared well on faceoffs, winning 59 percent of them, that success seemed to be the only positive note on a dismal night for the Harvard attack.

In the opening period, the Crimson fired only four shots on target and failed to get the puck on net in 51 seconds of man-advantage play.

The pattern would continue for the rest of the game, as Harvard generated just 26 shots against the Dutchmen (10-8-4, 3-3-2), registering only two shots in four power-play opportunities.

“From an X’s and O’s standpoint, I don’t feel like we need to get back to the drawing board,” Crimson coach Ted Donato ’91 said. “I think we’ve just got to execute.”

RETURNING THE FAVOR

Fortunately for Harvard, its defense was equally as stingy as Union’s, limiting the Dutchmen to 24 shots—just five in the first period—and holding them scoreless in three power-play opportunities.

Crimson goaltender John Daigneau stood strong behind his blueliners, making opportune saves and allowing only a lone goal.

Even that tally could hardly be blamed on the netminder: Union winger Augie DiMarzo sent a perfect pass cross-ice to streaking linemate T.J. Fox for a quick one-timer past the sliding Daigneau at 15:20 in the third period.

But the goaltender protected his net for the rest of the game, including a key right-skate stop of sniper Olivier Bouchard’s point-blank shot in the third minute of overtime.

“I thought Daigneau made some [big] saves,” Dutchmen coach Nate Leaman said. “That save he made on [Bouchard] in overtime, that’s a game-saver there.”

SHAKING THINGS UP

The Crimson’s lineup featured various changes, with injuries and coach’s decisions changing the look of the team.

Harvard goaltender Justin Tobe did not travel with the team, taking some time off to resolve an unspecified medical condition. As a result, freshman Mike Coskren strapped on his pads as Daigneau’s backup.

Senior forward Charlie Johnson—who was “banged up,” according to Donato—and sophomore defenseman David MacDonald, who returned Saturday against RPI, were also notably absent.

Alex Meintel, who has spent much of the season off the ice due to an ankle injury, played in his third game back and tallied Harvard’s only goal, tipping captain Peter Hafner’s shot past Union netminder Kris Mayotte’s right pad to equalize for the Crimson just 53 seconds after the Dutchmen’s late goal.

The sophomore forward skated on the fourth line with freshman Jimmy Fraser and Nick Coskren, while the physical Dave Watters, Tyler Magura, and Steve Mandes were promoted to the first line.

HOME COOKING

Though the Dutchmen aren’t the best squad in the ECAC, they do have one secret weapon: home-ice advantage.

Union has had its troubles on the road, sporting a pedestrian 4-8-0 record and having suffered blowout losses like the 8-0 slaughtering by Minnesota in last month’s Dodge Holiday Classic.

But in their own rink, the Dutchmen are among the best in the league, having won six, tied four—including the weekend’s contests against Harvard and Dartmouth—and lost none.

—Staff writer Karan Lodha can be reached at klodha@fas.harvard.edu.