Tie Against Clarkson Keeps Harvard Rooted in Fourth

There’s an old adage that goes, “a tie is like kissing your sister.” For the Harvard men’s hockey team, which earned a draw against Clarkson (9-16-7, 7-9-4 ECAC) Saturday, tying was more desirable than one might expect.

After facing a two-goal deficit in the second period and being one score behind in the third, the Crimson (7-14-6, 7-7-6) surged back and snuck away with a 3-3 tie against the Golden Knights. The point against Clarkson, in conjunction with the point earned against No. 20 St. Lawrence on Friday, gives Harvard sole possession of sixth place in the ECAC standings and a shot at earning a first-round bye in the ECAC playoffs.

“Judging how the games went, we’re pretty content with the result,” junior Doug Rogers said. “We showed this weekend we can come back when behind, which is crucial going into the playoffs.”

In the first period, Clarkson came out of the gates quickly. Just 4:29 into the contest, Golden Knight Matt Beca slotted the puck past sophomore goaltender Ryan Carroll. Clarkson controlled the first period, outshooting the Crimson 12-6.

Three minutes into the second frame, Harvard was whistled for boarding. The Golden Knights took advantage when Shea Guthrie deflected a shot into the net to give his team a two-goal cushion.

The power-play goal broke the Crimson’s streak of 20 straight penalty kills.

“I feel pretty comfortable [when we’re a man down],” Carroll said. “The guys in front of me know what they’re doing. Everyone has confidence that we’re going to kill the penalty.”

In the middle of the second frame, Harvard started its comeback. Skating four-on-four, sophomore Mike Biega ripped a shot, but was thwarted by Clarkson goaltender Richie LaVeau. Junior Doug Rogers, in the right place at the right time, drilled home the rebound to cut the deficit to one. Rogers’s three weekend goals vaulted him into first place on the Crimson with 19 points this season.

With 2:03 left in the period, freshman Alex Killorn notched the game-tying goal on a power play. Using senior Nick Coskren’s screen, the first-year snapped a shot past the skate of a distracted LaVeau.

Harvard kept up the pressure in the third, but was the victim of a counterattack early in the period. After a series of Crimson attempts on goal, the Golden Knights gained control of the puck and quickly skated across the ice. Beca found space and sent the puck towards goal, but was denied by Carroll. Beca went after the rebound and struck it home to give Clarkson a 3-2 advantage.

Harvard answered eight minutes later with a counterattack of its own. The rush began when junior Alex Biega dropped to the ice to block a Golden Knight pass. After the Crimson secured possession and made a couple of quick passes, freshman Daniel Moriarty centered the puck to sophomore defenseman Chris Huxley. Huxley wristed a shot past LaVeau to even the score.

Despite several chances, neither team could register the game-winner at the end of regulation or in overtime.

After the game, Clarkson assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle expressed to an ECAC hockey reporter that he was disappointed with the result. Houle felt the Golden Knights outplayed Harvard at full strength.

“I could see where he’s coming from,” Rogers said. “In the first period they definitely controlled the play. [But] the momentum really shifted and I thought we took over the second half more so than they did.”

On Friday, the Crimson struggled on special teams, going 0-5 when up a man. But Harvard was perfect with a man-advantage on Saturday, scoring two power-play goals.

“After the St. Lawrence game, we watched some video and addressed some of the things we need to do better, such as moving the puck more,” Rogers said. “We came out against Clarkson and did that. We identified where their penalty kill broke down and went at them.”

Although Clarkson ranks below the Crimson in the league standings, the tie seems to be a confidence booster. Harvard has struggled mightily on the road this year, compiling a record of 0-11-5. The Crimson values all points it can muster away from home.

“I just think we have to realize that you have to play a simpler game on the road in order to win,” Rogers said. “I think we made strides toward that this weekend.”

The tie puts Harvard two points behind Dartmouth and St. Lawrence for fourth-place in the ECAC.

This weekend, the Crimson will face seventh-place Quinnipiac and second-place Princeton at home, where the team is 7-1-1 in league play. Harvard is unbeaten in its last four home contests.

“I think the team is just coming together and is working on the same page,” Carroll said. “It’s crucial for us to win both games this weekend.”

Two wins could give the Crimson a bye in the first round of the playoffs, which start in two weeks.

—Staff writer Jake I. Fisher can be reached at jifisher@fas.harvard.edu.