Men's Hockey Loses Beanpot Consolation Game to B.C.

Last night, Harvard went into the middle of the second period with a 3-1 lead over No. 6 B.C., and skated off the ice tied, 3-3, in the Beanpot consolation game.

When the Eagles came out of the locker room for the third period, they came out to win. Within 2:14, Harvard (8-11-2, 3-9-2 ECAC) found itself down 5-3, and desperate for one of the third-period rallies they have been known to produce this season.

There was no such rally this time.

Harvard and B.C. (18-9-2, 12-5 Hockey East) battled for third place in the 1999 Beanpot Tournament. This was their second meeting within the month, following the Crimson's 3-1 upset over the Eagles on January 13th. Both Harvard and B.C. were sent to the consolation game after overtime losses in the first round last Monday.

"I don't think either team wanted to be here, quite frankly," Harvard coach Ronn Tomassoni said.

But, like it or not, the teams had to play.

Harvard struck 3:25 into the game after a Craig Adams feed found freshman forward Jeff Stonehouse by the net. Stonehouse collected the pass and backhanded a shot to the top left corner of the net past B.C. goaltender Scott Clemmensen.

Harvard's defense began to tighten up, allowing B.C. past the blue line just twice in numbers-down situations.

However, when B.C. was a man down due to penalty, Eagle forward Brian Gionta made his way past the blue line and sent a slapshot through the five-hole of Harvard's sophomore netminder, Oliver Jonas.

Harvard began to step up on defense and took advantage of a faulty pass to the point. Junior Trevor Allman took control of the puck and skated hard down the ice toward the right of the net. He faked the shot and dished the puck back to junior forward Brice Conklin, who was trailing the play. Conklin then one-timed the puck past Clemmensen.

Six seconds into play in the second period, Harvard senior forward Rob Millar was sent to the penalty box along with the Eagles' Kevin Caulfield. Millar's two minutes were the first of 18 Harvard penalty minutes in the period.

Harvard delivered on a four-on-four situation at 2:15 with a goal from junior forward Scott Turco, which was assisted by senior defenseman Ben Storey. Turco's goal put the Crimson up, 3-1.

In the penalty-marred second period, B.C. began to capitalize on Harvard's penalty problems. scoring two unanswered goals heading into the third period. At 6:15, Jeff Farkas found Jonas' five-hole, then at 18:48, Tony Hutchins was able to score on a second rebound off Jonas.

The Crimson came into the third period with a lineup change, replacing Jonas with junior goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo.

[Jonas] let in a few long goals'" Tomassoni said. "You have to understand, [Prestifilippo] is our ace."

Prestifilippo was tested early and hard--B.C. came up with seven shots in two minutes. At 1:02, Gionta scored his second goal of the night. Hutchins quickly added his second at 2:14.

Down, but not out, Harvard started a comeback later in the third period. Sophomore forward Chris Bala took a loose puck up the middle of the ice, maneuvering through three B.C. players toward the right of the crease, before delivering the puck to sophomore linemate Harry Schwefel, who redirected it past Clemmensen.

With a score of 5-4, Tomassoni decided to pull Prestifilippo. B.C. took advantage of the move and scored with 1.4 seconds left.

"I was nervous until the sixth goal crossed that line," B.C. coach Jerry York said.

The Fleet Center was virtually silent for most of the game until B.U. and Northeastern fans began filling the stands for the 8 p.m. championship game.

Despite losing the game, the Crimson is directing its focus toward this weekend when it faces conference foes Yale and Princeton.