Women's Hockey Finds Itself Down, but Definitely Not Out

If someone were to ask for a one-word description for the 2014-2015 Harvard women’s hockey team, there would likely be a common adjective: surprising.

While Crimson coach Katey Stone and her team–one filled with talented and experienced players–would likely insist that they knew last season’s exploits were feats Harvard had the potential to achieve from the start, it seemed hard to believe during certain points of the season.

After taking a 10-2 pounding against then-No. 2/2 Boston College at Chestnut Hill, few would have picked the Crimson to come out victorious in a rematch between the two teams for the 2015 Beanpot. But that’s exactly what Harvard did.

Playing in the confines of the Bright-Landry Hockey Center, the Harvard players crowned themselves Queens of Boston, pulling off an unexpected 3-2 victory.

The win sparked a stretch of games that saw the Crimson claim the ECAC Playoff crown and make a run through the NCAA tournament–which included another one-goal triumph over the Eagles–before falling short of the national title in a 4-1 virtual road loss to top-ranked Minnesota.

Going into this season, any Crimson success was not going to startle fans. Despite losing a senior class that included Olympians Lyndsey Fry and Josephine Pucci—as well as co-captain Sami Reber, among others—Harvard had key players such as senior Miye D’Oench, junior Sydney Daniels, and co-captains Michelle Picard and Emerance Maschmeyer coming back along with a solid cast of young talent. The media certainly seemed to think highly of the Crimson, as the team started the season ranked No. 5/4.

With just four games left before the start of playoff season, there has to be a degree of disappointment with the way Harvard’s season has turned out. The Crimson are unranked and sit fifth in the ECAC, outside of the top-four requirement needed to get home ice for the ECAC playoffs.

After losing a tight 2-0 game to top-ranked BC at home, I couldn’t help but think that last week’s game–a rematch against BC in the semifinals of the 2016 Beanpot–could be the spark that would turn the season around. Maybe another upset win over an undefeated top-ranked Eagles squad would start another magical run.

BC 5, Harvard 0. That was the score after the first frame of an 8-0 loss. As my co-writer and I came back from Walter Brown Arena, it seemed to us that barring an ECAC Playoff title—which would likely include beating a Quinnipiac squad the Crimson lost to twice—Harvard’s chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament were slim.

Despite a solid weekend which saw the Crimson pick up a win and a tie against Yale and Brown, respectively, the opening period of the Beanpot Consolation game against Boston University on Tuesday seemed like a continuation of the BC game.

Less than five minutes in, BU had put two past Maschmeyer. While D’Oench responded less than half a minute later, Harvard ultimately went to the locker room down 3-1 after 20 minutes. It seemed like the Crimson would be tacking on another loss.

And then, something surprising happened.

Harvard, helped by some luck when Maschmeyer barely managed to cover a shot and prevent a BU goal, came roaring back. The first line, led by Daniels, came to life and sent three goals into the net in the last 6:12 of the game after junior Brianna Mastel had pulled one back in the second frame.

Harvard 5, BU 3. Despite the bleak start, the Crimson managed to turn it around.

While many might not consider a Beanpot Consolation match to be of much importance, this is exactly the spark Harvard needs. With its back against the wall, the Crimson found a way to fight back, something the Harvard has struggled to do all season.

The Crimson sits only one point behind fourth-place Colgate in the ECAC standings and despite playing its last four ECAC games on the road it has a fighting chance at netting a fourth place finish. Harvard’s last four games come against Colgate and three teams located at the bottom half of conference standings.

There’s plenty of hockey left to play for Harvard, and if the team manages to control home ice and host the ECAC quarterfinals at Bright-Landry, the door is wide open for the Crimson.

While Harvard will likely be playing on the road from the ECAC semifinals onward were it to make it that far, all it takes is a spark at the right time. If Tuesday’s game is any indication of where where the Crimson finds itself at this point in the season, not only will this team refuse to go down without a fight, but another pleasant surprise might be waiting Stone’s team.

—Staff writer Julio Fierro can be reached at julio.fierro@thecrimson.com.