Men's Hockey Falls In ECAC Opening Round Despite Decided Shot Advantage

Friday, March 8

Cambridge, Mass.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

10-16-4, 8-12-3

Harvard

7-17-6, 7-10-6

Princeton

Harvard

Photo by: Erica Denhoff

Men's Hockey Falls In ECAC Opening Round Despite Decided Shot Advantage

March 08, 2024 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

When it's a one-game, do-or-die Opening Round the last thing you want to run into is the proverbial "hot goaltender" but unfortunately Princeton did just that in a 1-0 loss to Harvard in the ECAC Playoffs.

The Tigers more than doubled up the Crimson in terms of shots on goal, 38-17, and had a total shot advantage of 68-35 in the game. In the third period, Princeton poured it on with a 32-10 shot margin and a 16-5 edge in shots on goal.

In the end, Aku Koskenvuo stopped them all as the Tigers were shut out for the first time all season.

The Crimson struck first via an Ian Moore goal with 6:42 remaining in the first period. The Crimson won a faceoff clean in the Princeton defensive zone and the puck quickly was slid over to Moore at the left point for a slapshot that snuck inside the far post.

The Tigers had a prime chance to tie the game before the end of the first frame when Nick Seitz was slashed while clean on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot with 1:17 remaining in the period. His attempt was no good, however, as he tried to pick the right corner and was wide.

Neither team scored in the second period despite the Tigers outshooting the Crimson, 10-4, in the period.

The same held true in the third as Princeton hunted valiantly for the equalizer. A decided zone tine advantage had the Crimson on their heels the entire period, but Koskenvuo stood tall while under siege on a Princeton power play midway through the period and again over the final 2:32 after the Tigers pulled their goalie.