Union Hands Men's Hockey First Loss, 4-2

The Union men’s hockey team dominated the second period to hand Harvard its first loss of the season in a comeback win at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center on Saturday night. The Crimson (2-1-1, 1-1-1 ECAC) saw a two-goal lead quickly evaporate in the middle frame to fall, 4-2.

Union (3-2-2, 2-0-0 ECAC) wasted no time finding an extra gear after the first intermission, scoring its first of three goals in the middle frame 23 seconds into the second period.

“I think we were still at the Boston Red Sox parade, still celebrating,” Union coach Rick Bennett said of his squad’s play in the first period. “The boys woke up, and the leadership kind of carried us through tonight.

Junior Daniel Ciampini provided the Dutchmen’s first two goals of the night in the first four minutes of the second period, and senior Daniel Carr scored the game-winner with five and a half minutes left in the period to set a Union record for Division I goals scored.

Senior Matt Hatch added an empty netter with 25 seconds left in regulation to seal the deal for the Dutchmen.

Union outshot Harvard 22-4 in the second and 47-22 overall. Crimson junior Steve Michalek made 43 saves.

“To me tonight, the scoreboard was indicative of the play,” said Harvard coach Ted Donato ‘91. “[Union] carried the play, they had the better of the chances, and we had a real tough time winning battles. I think they played hungrier and a little more committed to what they were trying to do.”

After a shutout of Rensselaer on Friday and 20 minutes of play against the Dutchmen, it looked like Harvard was well on its way to its first pair of wins on consecutive days since the 2012 ECAC playoffs.

A little extra hand-eye coordination gave Harvard an early lead. Sophomore Greg Gozzo batted his own rebound out of the air and into the Union goal as he barreled past the crease.

The play was reviewed to confirm that Gozzo did not play the puck with a high stick, and the goal stood. It was Gozzo’s second of the year.

Ryan McGregor put the Crimson up two with his first career NCAA goal. The fourth-line center from Switzerland won a faceoff to himself in the Union zone before spinning around and firing a quick shot past Stevens.

The tables turned early in the second as Ciampini hooked around the Crimson goal to stuff the puck behind Michalek. Ciampini tied things up less than four minutes later, burying a rebound off a shorthanded breakaway by linemate Max Novak.

Union’s game-winner seemed almost inevitable as the Dutchmen outplayed the Crimson throughout the second period. Carr delivered it with a one-timer at the top of Harvard’s right wing faceoff circle on the power play.

The Crimson saw a couple opportunities to tie in a more even final frame.

With less than seven minutes left, freshman forward Phil Zielonka could not corral the puck at the Union crease off a 2-on-1 break with classmate Luke Esposito. The Crimson also pressed hard in the final minutes with an extra attacker, but the Dutchmen’s Hatch broke away for the final score with 25 seconds left in regulation.

“[Michalek] played well enough to give us a chance to tie it with one shot,” Donato said. “But in general, it would have been stealing a point because we got outplayed and we got away from our game.”

Harvard looked sharp at times but undisciplined at others. A hooking penalty from freshman Brian Hart abbreviated a two-minute five-on-three opportunity for the Crimson in the first. Harvard’s power play has yet to click and is now minus-one on the year.

“If we were able to get our power play going and maybe make something of some of those early power play chances, maybe we could have found a way to put [Union] in a hole,” Donato noted.

Michalek displayed more consistency in net than he did at RPI on Tuesday. The junior stood on his head at times, but Union’s persistence won the day.

“It’s disappointing,” Michalek said. “We had a big win the night before, and we wanted to carry the momentum. We should be a lot better next weekend.”

Harvard will complete its home stand next weekend against St. Lawrence and Clarkson.

"It's a pretty short season, so every game is a battle," Michalek said. "We have to stay more level-headed and play our game the whole 60 minutes.”

-Staff writer Michael D. Ledecky can be reached at michael.ledecky@thecrimson.com