Notebook: Seniors Lead Harvard Past Terriers

Playing the Terriers may have just been what Harvard needed.

Last week, Northeastern defeated No. 13 BU (13-12-1, 10-7-1 Hockey East) in the Beanpot for the first time in 25 years.  Consequently, the Terriers ended up facing off against Harvard in just its fourth consolation game in the last 30 years.

Coming into Monday’s contest, the Crimson had only won one game in its last 16–the sole victory coming against BU on Jan. 9, where they came back from two 3-goal deficits to win, 6-5, in overtime.

The Harvard men’s hockey team (6-15-2, 3-12-1 ECAC) again found itself down on separate occasions, trailing 2-0 in the first period and 3-2 in the second.

But in a season characterized by  a number of lows, the Crimson was able to fight back as it did over a month ago against the same Terrier squad.

Harvard scored three goals in the second and two more in the third, capped off by senior Luke Greiner’s first career hat trick, to defeat BU, 7-4, to clinch third place for the 16th time in Beanpot history.

SENIOR RESILIENCE

This was a night for the seniors, with six of the seven Crimson goals coming off the sticks of these Beanpot veterans.

“I was happy that our senior group carried the day for us today and it was nice to see them have such a big night,” Harvard coach Ted Donato ’91 said.

It started on an inspiring play from the captain, Danny Biega, that knotted the score at two at the close of the second period.

After being dealt a crushing hit from BU junior defenseman Patrick MacGregor near the right boards, the Crimson all-American was quickly able to get back off his feet, pick up the puck by the right circle, and fire a shot low and to the right, past Terrier netminder Sean Maguire.

Though BU would retake the lead at the beginning of the third, Harvard soon responded with two quick goals by senior Marshall Everson and Greiner. Both of these goals displayed the Crimson’s strength behind the net, with strong, winning play that led to passes up in front of the Terrier goal.

“We’ve been trying to work the puck down low,” Greiner said. “We got some guys who can really play down there and hang onto it, and tonight we did a good job getting behind the net and springing some guys out front.”

Greiner added another on the power play, and Everson made it 6-3 with a rebound goal of his own; Greiner finished off the game with an empty net goal with 8.6 seconds left in the game.

CONTINUING TREND?

The last time Harvard exited the rink after playing BU, the team had just snapped a six-game winless streak and looked poised to make a strong run into the rest of the season. Monday night they exit the TD Garden having snapped a nine-game winless streak and as recent history has showed, again looked poised to make a strong run down the stretch.

BU’s loss marked the first time since 1961 and 1963 that the Terriers squad has lost two out of three years in the consolation game. Its loss in 2011 sparked a Harvard run that ended one game away from the ECAC semifinals, despite a similar disappointing start to the season.

With nine NHL draft picks on the roster and a No. 3 ranking in the ECAC preseason polls, the Crimson seemingly has the talent to move up the standing, even though it currently sits in last.

A positive sign in this Beanpot matchup was the work by freshman goalie Peter Traber. Earning his first career win, Traber shook off a soft goal in the first period to come back and make a career-high 43 saves, countering the Terriers’ 43-31 shot advantage.

As it hopes for continued strong play from its seniors and high-scoring freshmen, Harvard will look to turn its season around in the final few games remaining on its schedule.

“I think [this game will] immensely help, and it has the ability to turn the team around,” Greiner said. “It hasn’t been too great of a run the first half of the season, but that’s the great thing–everyone makes the playoffs and we can to start to pick it up and roll off this, and I think a lot of good things are going to come.”

—Staff writer David Mazza can be reached at damazza@college.harvard.edu.