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Harvard's Power Play Wins Men's Hockey Game, 4-3
December 10, 2011 | Men's Ice Hockey
PRINCETON, N.J. (12/10/11) - The special teams were on display today at a nearly sold out crowd at Baker Rink on Saturday, Dec. 10, but it was Harvard that would earn the 4-3 win over Princeton in men's hockey. The Tigers won the first game of this years' series, 4-3 in Cambridge back in November.
Highlighting the game for the Tigers was senior Marc Hagel setting a program record scoring twice within 12 seconds, the fastest consecutive goals scored by the same player. His two goals within 12 seconds ranks 17th all time in the NCAA.*
Harvard boasts the top power-play unit in the country, and tonight it would score three times. Hagel's two goals would tie the game in the second session, the first on the power play. The Crimson would take back the lead, and wouldn't give it up, 1:44 into the third with a man-advantage goal.
Penalty trouble put Princeton in an early hole, as Harvard scored a 5x3 goal just 1:48 into the game. Junior Michael Sdao was called for boarding eight seconds into the game and less than two minutes later sophomore Jack Berger received the same infraction, setting up Harvard's 5x3 opportunity. Alex Fallstrom poked the puck off the boards to Alex Killorn and Killorn found Patrick McNally for the score.
The Tigers had a flurry of chances in the final three minutes and dominated the second half of the first intermission, outshooting Harvard 9-2, while the Crimson had a 5-2 edge in shots in the first half.
Harvard converted on Princeton's third straight boarding call in the second period. Luke Greiner shot from the left of goalie Sean Bonar, who made the save. The puck popped out to the right where Marshall Everson put away the rebound at 9:18.
Junior Will MacDonald, freshman Tucker Brockett and sophomore Andrew Ammon had great chances to put Princeton on the scoreboard in the final three minutes of the period. Hagel would finally break through goalie Steve Michalek in the final minute.
Hagel would score his second and third goals of the year just 12 seconds apart. The first was a power-play goal at 19:04. Sdao ripped a shot from the point that Berger put between his legs in the slot and Hagel was on the doorstep to light the lamp. He scored his second with help again from Berger and sophomore Jeremy Goodwin. Berger sent the puck up the boards to Goodwin who rocketed a shot from the right point and Hagel buried it to tie the game, 2-2 at 19:16.
The Crimson took back the lead with their third power-play goal less than two minutes into the final frame, with a carry over penalty on Sdao. Eric Kroshus, brother of freshman Tom Kroshus scored from inside the right circle after getting the puck from Danny Biega. The pair teamed up again at 6:59 that would expand Harvard's lead to 4-2.
Freshman Kevin Mills scored his first career goal at 7:40 in the third when he knocked in his own rebound amid a slew of players down on the ice in front of him. Sdao and junior Eric Meland earned assists on the goal.
Goodwin had a chance to tie it up about two minutes later when he rocketed a shot that went off of Michalek to Hagel who was all alone on the left side with an open net. His shot however would end up being blocked by a sprinting Crimson defender.
Princeton pulled Bonar for the extra attacker with 1:36 remaining but couldn't set much up, getting just one shot on frame. Harvard iced the puck down the length of the ice and the crowd held its collective breathe as it hit the right post and skirted into the corner with two seconds left on the clock.
Bonar finished the night with 22 saves and Michalek stopped 31, as Princeton outshot Harvard 34-26.
Harvard was 3 for 5 on the power play and Princeton was 1 for 2.
Harvard improves to 4-3-3 and 3-3-2 in the ECAC. Princeton falls to 4-8-2 overall and 3-6-1 in league play. The Tigers will play at travel partner Quinnipiac, tomorrow, Dec. 11 at noon.
* The NCAA records began in 1947-48. Fastest goals prior to that season are unavailable.