Men's Hockey Makes Statement in North Country, Halting Two Streaking Contenders

The most difficult assignments of the fall semester always arise in December. Sometimes they’re papers. Often they’re exams. Other times they’re hockey games.

Yet, when pinned against two opponents riding month-long unbeaten streaks this weekend in upstate New York, the eighth-ranked Harvard icemen answered the bell. And they delivered two punishing blows.

After trailing No. 19 St. Lawrence (9-5-4, 6-1-2 ECAC) early on Friday, the Crimson (8-2-1, 4-1-1) lit the lamp four consecutive times en route to a 4-2 victory that snapped a Saints’ nine-game unbeaten streak. Then after falling behind 2-1 to Clarkson (9-6-3, 5-2-1) the next night, Harvard rinsed and repeated. Another string of four straight goals put the Crimson on the path to a 7-3 win, this time bringing an eight-game unbeaten run to a halt and capping Harvard's first North Country sweep in 14 years.

HARVARD 7, CLARKSON 3

As part of its four-goal rally, the Crimson blanked the hosts, 3-0, in the second period. Junior Seb Lloyd’s tip-in minutes into the middle frame pulled Harvard even at two. Then freshman Nathan Krusko went five-hole on the doorstep at 8:36 to give the Crimson its first lead of the night from the power play.

The Harvard man advantage finished 2-for-5, with senior Tyler Moy responsible for the other conversion—a first-period strike that beat Clarkson goaltender Jake Kielly short-side from below the left faceoff circle. Moy also netted what proved to be the game-winner late in the second period off a two-on-one with linemate Sean Malone, putting Harvard up 4-2 heading into the second intermission.

Sophomore Ryan Donato, shown in action last month, scored twice in the third period on Saturday, giving him seven goals on the season. By Thomas W. Franck

Sophomore Ryan Donato got in on the action in the final frame, slapping a shot through Kielly’s five-hole from the left faceoff circle at 5:33. The Golden Knights did get one back with 12:32 remaining and threatened to pull closer on a 6-on-4 in the game’s final moments, but Donato tacked on the first of two shorthanded empty-netters that sailed the length of the ice and sealed the deal. Malone netted the second.

Clarkson had jumped out to a promising start, however, nearly squeaking a puck over the line amid a scramble in front of goal during the first minute of action. The officials never got a good enough look—neither in real time nor via replay—to call a goal, but the Golden Knights would strike first about six minutes later anyway.

Senior Troy Josephs’s difficult-angle breakthrough near the goal line gave Clarkson an early edge before Moy’s power-play goal two minutes later at 9:05 tied the game at one. But in the spirit of quick responses, the hosts went right back in front at 10:08 when senior A.J. Fossen batted a bouncing puck out of the air and through the pads of junior Merrick Madsen.

“I liked our early part of the game,” Clarkson coach Casey Jones said. “It was just one of those nights where we didn’t sustain who we have to be and how we have to play for 60 minutes, and they took advantage of it. We turned pucks over in critical areas of the ice, and they can make you pay.”

Harvard’s takeover during the final two periods featured a 28-14 advantage in the shots on goal department, and more importantly, a 6-1 edge on the scoreboard for the visitors.

Co-captain Alexander Kerfoot and freshman defenseman Adam Fox each registered a pair of helpers, marking their third consecutive games with multiple points.

Freshman defenseman Adam Fox (18) and co-captain Alexander Kerfoot, shown interacting during warm-ups earlier this season, combined for 11 points this weekend in Harvard's two wins. By Jake Meagher

HARVARD 4, ST. LAWRENCE 2

Kerfoot lit up the scoresheet even more so on Friday, playing the role of scorer or distributor on each of the Crimson’s four tallies. The co-captain scored Harvard’s first two goals, then assisted on its next two to produce his second consecutive four-point performance and the third of his career.

“It’s no secret to the coaching staff and the guys in that locker room that Alexander Kerfoot’s a hell of a player,” Harvard coach Ted Donato ’91 said. “He’s certainly been there for us every night.”

The New Jersey Devils prospect scored in each of the first two periods. With the Crimson down 1-0 but up a man late in the first, Kerfoot knocked down an attempted Saints’ clear, moved in on goal, and lasered a shot over the glove of junior netminder Kyle Hayton from point-blank range. Then 5:42 into period two, the co-captain finished off a 2-on-1 with sophomore Lewis Zerter-Gossage to put Harvard up, 2-1.

Making the second play happen was Fox, who recognized that St. Lawrence was in the middle of a line change and fired the puck the length of the ice to Zerter-Gossage to create the chance. Fox finished with a career-high three helpers, picking up a secondary assist on Kerfoot’s first goal and the primary dish on the eventual game-winner.

That score would belong to Moy, who picked up his first power-play goal of the weekend from the top of the left faceoff circle, where he beat Hayton with a glove-side one-timer. Senior Luke Esposito added the fourth Harvard goal off a perfect feed from slot to goalpost courtesy of Kerfoot.

Harvard coach Ted Donato '91 said he thought Merrick Madsen (23 saves), shown in action last month, was excellent Friday night against St. Lawrence. By Thomas W. Franck

Ted Donato said Friday’s performance was probably the “best team game” his side has played all year, and he went on to call the play of his goaltender excellent. Madsen only had to make 22 saves, but a few of them were particularly key, including a glove save on Joe Sullivan midway through the third after the junior broke free on a shorthanded breakaway with the Saints down 3-1.

Meanwhile Hayton, who had posted a .961 save percentage over St. Lawrence’s nine-game unbeaten streak, hardly had a shot of stopping any of the Crimson’s four scores.

“We got our butts handed to us tonight,” St. Lawrence coach Mark Morris said. “So we’ve got to find a way to regroup.”

—Staff writer Jake Meagher can be reached at jake.meagher@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @MeagherTHC.