Dempsey Knots Game in Final Minutes; No. 5 Harvard Ties Princeton, 3-3

Pictured: Freshman Jillian Dempsey tied the game with 3:29 remaining in the third period.
Photo courtesy: Gil Talbot Photography

PRINCETON, N.J. -- The fifth-ranked Harvard women’s hockey team came back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 tie at Princeton Friday afternoon at Baker Rink. Anna McDonald, Kelsey Romatoski and Jillian Dempsey each netted goals for the Crimson, while Laura Bellamy stopped 13 shots in her first career start, helping Harvard move to 8-3-3 overall and 6-3-1 in ECAC Hockey (3-2-1 Ivy League).

Princeton (8-9-3, 6-4-3, 3-2-1) netted the game’s first two goals, coming on a shot by Paula Romanchuk at 5:27 of the first period, followed by a power-play tally off the stick of Corey Stearns at 8:17 of the opening frame. The Crimson battled back midway through the first, as Ashley Wheeler found McDonald for the senior’s fourth goal of the season, as McDonald lit the lamp at 11:45. Through one period of action, Harvard held the edge in shots on goal, 9-6, and in faceoff victories, 9-7, but trailed on the scoreboard, 2-1.

Early in the second, Kate Buesser teamed up with Romatoski for the freshman’s first career goal, which tied the game, 2-2, at 3:58. Harvard successfully killed off back-to-back penalties at 13:54 and 15:38, and had an opportunity to grab a 3-2 lead, but a quality shot by Buesser was saved at 16:27. After winning a faceoff in the Harvard zone, Romanchuk found the back of the net for the second time on the day, as she placed a shot past Bellamy at 17:00, putting Princeton back on top, 3-2.

The Crimson earned its fourth power play of the game at 15:39, as Princeton was whistled for a high sticking infraction. Less than a minute into the extra-attacker opportunity, Dempsey blasted a shot that beat Princeton goaltender Cassie Seguin at 16:31, knotting the game. Buesser collected her second assist on Dempsey’s goal, while Coskren was also credited with an assist. After the first 60 minutes, the Crimson outshot the Tigers, 24-16, and each squad had mustered a power-play goal. Harvard managed the lone shot on goal in overtime, as the teams could not score in the extra session.

Harvard remains on the road and will visit Quinnipiac Saturday at 4 p.m.