Cressey Scores as Relentless Tigers Fall at Harvard, 3-1

Friday, January 12

Cambridge, Mass.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

3-8-16-10,3 ECACH

Harvard

8-6-2, 7-3-1ECACH

Princeton

HARV

Cressey Scores as Relentless Tigers Fall at Harvard, 3-1

January 12, 2018 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. (1/12/18) - Princeton came up short in a 3-1 loss at Harvard on Friday night at at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center. Down 3-0, the Tigers played a tireless third period after receiving a goal from Jackson Cressey but wasn't able to get the two goals they relinquished in the second.

Princeton (6-10-3, 3-8-1 ECAC) started off with a great first shift from its top line. Alex Riche had two shots and Matthew Thom added one from the blue line. Harvard was able to slow down the Tigers and dominated possession outshooting the Tigers 2:1 in the opening period.

The Princeton defense was able to handle Harvard's Ryan Donato on his first effort as he split his defenders but a poke check kept him to the outside. The Tigers got the puck in the corner but it popped free to Ty Pelton-Byce in the slot. He got tied up and couldn't get a shot off but Donato circled back around and got the second-time chance to go with 23 seconds left in the first as Harvard (8-6-1, 7-3 ECAC) took a 1-0 lead.

Senior David Hallisey nearly tied the game but after a long video review the officials deemed the video was not conclusive enough to call it a goal. Hallisey got the puck short-handed and skated up the middle for a one-on-one with Merrimack Madsen. Madsen leaned back to glove the puck, but the question of whether his glove was over the line with the puck in it remained to be seen.

Three minutes later the wind was further taken out of Princeton's sail when Jack Badini was able to get the puck along the boards, play it up the wall to himself and scored short-handed at 5:43.

Donato grabbed his second of the game at 14:34 of the middle frame with help again from Pelton-Byce. Pelton-Byce picked off a pass and backhanded a pass to Donato just as they crossed the blue line and Donato roofed in the goal.

The second period was more even in attempts 14-13, but the Crimson added two more goals to take a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers came out with a mission and the third period and got themselves on the board in the first two minutes.

Sophomore Jackson Cressey put Princeton on the board with a power-play tally at 1:19, his fifth goal of the season and 16th point overall. It came on Princeton's strength, its speed as it Max Véronneau quickly made his way up the middle of the ice, dish off to David Hallisey who sent a cross-ice pass to Cressey as the trailer and he blew it past Madsen.

Here's that Jackson Cressey goal with Max Véronneau and Ryan Kuffner assisting pic.twitter.com/VvhCCIBRKi
— Princeton Hockey (@puhockey) January 13, 2018

Princeton freshman netminder Ryan Ferland was clean in the third period stopping all 10 shots he faced as the offense went to work on the opposite end. The Tigers were relentless as they battle to get the two goals it gave up in the second period, outshooting the Crimson 17-10.

With 31 seconds left, Princeton grabbed a 6x4 advantage with the extra attacker on for Ferland and a Harvard player in the box. The Crimson defense was able to hold on during the onslaught for the 3-1 win.

Princeton looks to rebound tomorrow when it faces Dartmouth at Thompson Arena at 7 p.m.