SPORTS BRIEF: Harvard Skaters Past and Present Shine in All-Star Matchup

Six Harvard skaters took the ice in Hamden, Conn. Sunday afternoon and each recorded a point in an exhibition game between the ECAC All-Stars and the US Olympic women’s hockey squad.

Spurred by two goals from Caitlin Cahow ’07-’08, the Olympians dominated play in an 8-2 victory.

A pair of Crimson alums, Angela Ruggiero ’02-’04 and Julie Chu ’06-’07, connected to put the US on the board just 21 seconds into the contest. Chu fed the puck to her longtime teammate and Ruggiero sent a slapshot past RPI goaltender Sonja van der Bliek for the early lead.

After Hilary Knight tallied a goal, Cahow took a pass from Jocelyne Lamoreux and extended the Olympians’ advantage to 3-0.

Chu would assist on Cahow’s second tally in the second period, but the middle frame also showcased Harvard’s three current all-stars—co-captain Cori Bassett, senior Anna McDonald, and junior Kate Buesser.

Bassett, a defenseman, assisted on Yale forward Bray Ketchum’s goal just past the midpoint of the game. And three minutes later, Buesser dished the puck to McDonald, who beat her former Boston College teammate, Molly Schaus, to cut the deficit to 5-2.

The US added two more goals in the last period to make the final score 8-2.

Schaus made 26 saves in net for the Olympians, while the ECAC’s trio of goaltenders stopped 29 shots.

The US squad now heads back to the Midwest for its final string of tune-up games before the Winter Olympics open in Vancouver on Feb. 12. Bassett, McDonald and Buesser will return to the Crimson as the team prepares for a weekend set with Princeton and Quinnipiac.