Box Score
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The No. 7 Harvard women's hockey team shut out the Big Red for the second day in row to win the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series. Cornell continued to create numerous scoring opportunities, but the Crimson's goaltender held firm to defeat the Big Red, 4-0. Freshman Amanda Mazzotta made 27 saves in her team's final game of the season. The Big Red ends its 2008-09 campaign with a 12-14-5 overall record.
The Big Red outshot Harvard, 8-3, in the first period, but the game was scoreless after 20 minutes of play.
The Crimson went on the power play early in the second and took advantage of the opportunity to take a 1-0 lead at 2:50. Sarah Vaillancourt slid the puck to Anna McDonald in the slot, and with a wrist shot, she sent the puck past Mazzotta. The Big Red goaltender made 13 saves in the period.
The Crimson lengthened its lead to two at 2:29 in the third period. Vaillancourt and Katharine Chute created a two-on-one scoring opportunity skating down the ice into the Big Red zone. Vaillancourt passed off to Chute who flipped it past Mazzotta on the right side of the net.
The Big Red came on strong midway through the period with a power play opportunity. The Cornell offense riddled Kessler with shots, but the Big Red could not get the puck past the Crimson netminder.
Liza Ryabkina sealed Harvard's win with two goals to end the third period, including one during a five-on-three advantage.
Kessler made 26 saves in the win for Harvard.
Melanie Jue and freshman Catherine White led the Big Red with five shots each.
Liza Ryabkina netted two goals in the third period and Christina Kessler made 26 saves for her second shutout in two days to guide the seventh-ranked Harvard women's hockey team to a 4-0 victory over Cornell in Game 2 of the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series. Sarah Vaillancourt handed out three assists, while Anna McDonald and Katharine Chute also tallied goals for the Crimson.
With the win, Harvard advances to the conference semifinals where it will serve as host for the remaining two rounds of the 26th ECAC Hockey women's tournament. The Crimson will play a yet to be determined opponent in the semifinal round March 7 at 1 or 4 p.m.
Harvard had a few other quality scoring chances later in the second, including one off a rebound shot by Vaillancourt. The senior forward slapped the puck from the left circle, but Mazzotta could not control it. Katharine Chute picked up a long rebound and attempted another shot, which Mazzotta kicked aside. In the final minutes of the period, Vaillancourt and Kate Buesser had a 2-on-1 chance, but Vaillancourt's pass to Buesser from the right side bounced off her teammate's stick and went wide of the net.
Through two periods of action, the Crimson held an 18-12 lead in shots and controlled faceoffs, 25-18.
The Crimson tallied its first of three goals in the third period on a score by Chute at 2:29. Vaillancourt earned the primary assist after weaving through the defense and dumping a perfect pass to Chute, who was camped out at the left side of the crease. Chute lifted the puck over Mazzotta, giving Harvard a 2-0 lead.
Ryabkina increased the Crimson's advantage to 3-0 with 7:32 remaining in the frame, as her wrister from in front squirted through Mazzotta and trickled into the goal. Amy Uber and Randi Griffin were credited with assists on the goal.
The Big Red (12-14-5) was called for tripping and delay of game penalties at 17:01 and 17:04, giving the Crimson a 5-on-3 power play for almost a full two minutes. Harvard's offense went right to work, putting several shots on net until Ryabkina poked home a rebound in front at 17:14, capping the scoring for the contest.
Harvard led the final count in shots, 31-26, and finished the game 2-of-7 on the power play, while holding Cornell scoreless on its six chances with an extra attacker
