By Peter Shanley
The Harvard University Crimson and the Boston College Eagles faced-off in the second round of the 53rd annual Boston Beanpot Monday at the FleetCenter in a game that proved all those doubters wrong – consolation games are meaningful.
The second-ranked Eagles beat the ninth-ranked Crimson, 4-1, in a game that not only had playoff implications but also delivered a blow to BC’s defensive prowess when freshman goaltender Cory Schneider went down with a knee injury.
“There were a great deal of ramifications to this game, everyone knew what was at stake,” said Boston College senior forward Ned Havern, whose team improved to 19-4-5 overall and 12-1-5 in the Hockey East. “It was a huge game for us, as well as them.”
Havern sparked a three-goal second period for the Eagles with a power play goal halfway through. BC went on to outshoot the Crimson 42-24 and was 2-for-4 on the power play.
“I don’t always agree with looking at a shot total to describe who is winning or losing a game, but certainly when it is that wide of a margin, there has to be some reason for it,” said Harvard coach Ted Donato, whose team dropped to 15-7-2 overall and 12-4-1 in the ECAC. “They outplayed us for the majority of the game.”
Even though Harvard applied pressure throughout the first period, controlling the puck in Eagles territory, it was BC coming away with ample scoring opportunities.
Halfway through the first, Eagles junior forward Chris Collins brought the puck along the left boards, skated towards the net and shot for the five-hole, but was blocked by senior goalie Dov Grumet-Morris, who covered up the rebound.
BC began the second period with a power play because of Noah Welch’s hook at the closing moments of the first, and the Eagles did not fail to capitalize.
Grumet-Morris, declining to use his Harvard intellect, skated away from the net with the puck still in Crimson territory and had to make a diving save seconds later. Havern was there to get the rebound and score the first goal of the game.
Three minutes later, freshman forward Dan Bertram (one goal, one assist) took a rebound off the glass and blasted it through the right side to give BC the 2-0 lead.
The Eagles exploited another power play opportunity with five minutes left in the period. Junior forward Stephen Gionta (one goal, one assist) deflected a shot by senior defender Greg Lauze into the net to give the Eagles the 3-0 advantage.
With less than three minutes remaining in the second period, Schneider made a save but buckled under afterwards and had to be helped off. BC coach Jerry York said after the game it was a sprained knee and he expects Schneider to be out three to four weeks.
Senior goaltender Matti Kaltiainen played the rest of the game for the injured Schneider.
“Matti came in off the bench like Keith Foulke for the Red Sox and did a very good job for us,” York said.
The Crimson’s defensive efforts were futile in the second period along with their offense, which mustered only three shots.
“They were able to impose their will more than we were able to do the things we tried to do,” Donato said.
The Crimson finally found a cure for their scoring drought 6:50 into the third period on a power play goal. Junior forward Charlie Johnson passed to junior defender Tom Walsh, who then fired a shot that ricocheted off the post, hit Kaltiainen off the back and slid into the net, putting Harvard on the board, 3-1.
Harvard played its most aggressive hockey at the end of the game, finishing the third period outshooting the Eagles 14-9, and had several scoring opportunities but was unable to capitalize.
BC junior defender Peter Harrold (one goal, one assist) added the empty netter to make it 4-1.
“It’s a significant win for us,” York said. “We’ll see Harvard somewhere later.”
