Pictured: Kessler stopped 21 shots and held Colgate
scoreless on six power plays.
Photo courtesy: Gil Talbot Photography
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The No. 6 Harvard
women’s ice hockey team cruised to a 5-1 victory over Colgate
Saturday evening at Bright Hockey Center. Senior goaltender
Christina Kessler earned her 64th career victory, moving her to
first on Harvard’s all-time wins list, passing Ali Boe
’06. Kessler made 21 saves on the day as the Crimson improved
to 9-4-4 overall and 7-4-2 in ECAC Hockey action.
For the second straight game, Harvard opened a 2-0 lead in the
first period, as Liza Ryabkina put Harvard up, 1-0, at 15:28. Randi
Griffin, playing the puck near the right side of the crease, looked
toward the blue line and slid a pass to Kathryn Farni. Farni turned
and moved the puck to Ryabkina, who took a quick shot on goal.
Colgate goaltender Lisa Plenderleith made a save, but the shot
created a long rebound, which Ryabkina grabbed. The Harvard forward
circled around the net before wristing a shot that went under
Plendeleith’s arm, lighting the lamp. Only 29 seconds later,
Harvard, only seven ticks on the clock into a power play, grabbed a
two-goal advantage, as Coskren fired a shot into the goal at 15:57,
after receiving assists by Cori Bassett and Kate Buesser.
The Crimson tacked on a third goal at the 8:12 mark of the second
period on a tally by Buesser, her seventh goal of the season.
Kelsey Romatoski pushed ahead a pass from the neutral zone, finding
the stick of Jillian Dempsey. The rookie forward carried the puck
down the left boards before sending a pass in front of the Colgate
goal. Buesser, skating down the right side, tipped the pass through
Plenderleith, making it a 3-0 contest.
Harvard, which outshot Colgate (7-14-3, 3-6-3), 35-22, for the
game, notched a pair of insurance goals in the third stanza.
Katharine Chute increased the Crimson’s lead to four goals as
she stuffed the puck into the net just 40 seconds into the final
period. Buesser and Dempsey each tallied their second assists of
the game on the play. Bassett capped off the scoring for the home
team with 12:36 remaining in the contest. The goal was the senior
captain’s third of the season and second in as many days.
Harvard will host Union and Rensselaer at Bright Hockey Center
Jan. 22-23.
No. 6 Harvard Rolls Past Colgate, 5-1; Kessler Becomes Harvards All-Time Wins Leader with 64th Victory
Jan 16, 2010
PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP, ACADEMIC INTEGRATION AND COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE