Corriero Tops Goal List With Hat Trick

With her hat trick on Saturday evening, junior winger Nicole Corriero regained the nation’s goal-scoring lead and continued to distinguish herself as one of the nation’s deadliest offensive threats.

“She’s not afraid to shoot,” said Harvard coach Katey Stone. “She’ll shoot anywhere, anytime she can.”

Though Minnesota-Duluth’s Jenny Potter matches Corriero’s 31 goals, the Crimson forward has played in three fewer games (28) than Potter (31) and averages 1.24 goals per game, tops in the nation.

“Corriero has always put up the points. She has always put up the numbers,” said St. Lawrence coach Paul Flanagan. “You just don’t see her and then all of a sudden bang, she’s got her arms up—she’s scored again.  She’s just a real smart playmaker, and has got a nose for the net.”

Even after the show Ruggiero and Chu put on the night before, Corriero didn’t fail to impress the opposing side.

“They’ve got some real great players with Ruggiero and Chu, but a kid like that, with over 50 points...” Flanagan said. “We’d love to have someone with that many points. We’d love to have a line with that many points.”

For Corriero, each goal is a statement to the college hockey world.

“I think since being nominated for the Patty Kazmaier [Memorial] Award, I’ve been trying to put a lot of pressure on myself to prove to people that I deserve to be on that list with all that great players” she said.

Potter is also one of 10 finalists for the Kazmaier Award.

ABS OF STEEL

Corriero’s third goal did not come on as emphatic a play as she might have liked. Co-Captain Angela Ruggiero launched a rocket from the point that actually deflected off Corriero’s side into the inside left post of the goal.

“I just remember driving into the net and sliding in, and then I felt something hit my side and then everybody started celebrating,” Corriero said.

BUSINESS AS USUAL

With a goal and an assist in each game this weekend, Ruggiero extended her point-scored streak to 23 straight games. She has scored in every game she has played in this season and all but two for the Crimson. She missed the first pair of games this year against Union to play for the U.S. National Team in the Four Nation’s Cup.

AROUND THE HORN

This weekend’s results improve Harvard’s claim to be the nation’s top team. Sweeping St. Lawrence places the Crimson atop the ECAC.

Meanwhile, No. 1 Minnesota tied Ohio State 1-1 in overtime Friday night, while No. 3 Dartmouth fell to No. 8 Princeton 5-2 on Saturday.

Minnesota’s 6-0 win over Ohio State Saturday marked the return of U.S. national team member and Kazmaier Award finalist Natalie Darwitz. The Golden Gopher missed 10 games after suffering a torn ligament in her arm against Minnesota-Duluth Jan. 10, an injury doctors originally thought would keep her out for the remainder of the season.

—Staff writer John R. Hein can be reached at hein@fas.harvard.edu.