Harvard Takes 3-2 Decision

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A first-round conference tournament bye doesn't always measure up as an advantage. Tonight was a prime example of that as No. 3 seed Yale erased a two-goal deficit before falling 3-2 to No. 6 Harvard in game one of an ECAC Quarterfinal Series at Ingalls Rink.

The Crimson had a 30-21 advantage in shots but barely survived a home-team rally by scoring with under three minutes left to snap a 10-game unbeaten string for the Elis (17-8-5) against their arch rivals. It was also the first win for Harvard against the Blue in four tries this season.

Game two is 7 p.m. Saturday night with a trip to Lake Placid for the ECAC semifinals on the line.

The game-winner was the result of a bad bounce over a Yale defenseman's stick that turned into a 2-on-1 and a one-timer by Jimmy Vesey, whose team put 10 shots on goal in every period.

"It looked like a bad bounce," said Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach. "They got a break there. But I don't think we played well enough to earn a break."

It's not something you can quantify, but the game appeared to be the most physical – bodies hitting bodies and after-the-whistle grappling – of the four previous meetings this season. The contact, however, did not make it a penalty-filled game. There were only three power plays and the Blue got the only advantage tally.

Harvard's 20-13 advantage in shots over the first two periods produced a 2-0 lead heading into the final minute of the second frame.

The Bulldogs finally broke through with 59 seconds left when Cody Learned jumped on a puck in the slot and hit the back of the net to make it 2-1. Rob O'Gara started the scoring play with a crossing lead pass to Carson Cooper in the left circle. Cooper's shot hit a defender and skipped out to Learned who snapped it back for his eighth of the year.

Yale came out buzzing in the third and drew a holding call with an early chance to even things. The Elis took advantage of that opportunity with a Nate Repensky slap shot from the left point. O'Gara, who took a pass from Frankie DiChiara, earned his second assist of the night by skating into the left circle and then dropping off a pass to the rookie blueliner looking for his second tally of the season. Repensky's low shot went inside the near post at 1:53.

The Elis pulled Lyon for an extra attacker after Harvard took the lead again and Yale put some quality shots on target, coming close on a few.

"I don't know if it was the week off and not having a game last week, but now we have a game under our belt and have to come out ready tomorrow night," said Allain. "We have to win tomorrow night. I think you'll see a different Yale team."

BULLDOG BITES

Yale ran the same lineup as the regular-season finale… Harvard's last win over Yale was in a 2012 conference quarterfinal series at Boston… Tickets are available for game two and can be picked up when the ticket office opens up at Ingalls Rink at 5:30... This was Yale's first loss to a nationally ranked (No. 18) team this year... It also ended Yale's six-game unbeaten streak.

Filed by Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director

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