LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Jimmy Vesey scored twice, including a goal just 30 seconds into the game, as Harvard defeated Quinnipiac 5-2 on Friday in the ECAC Hockey semifinals.
The Crimson will return to the championship game for the first time since 2006.
[scg_html_ecac2015]A quick start was the key to the Crimson’s victory, as they potted three goals in the first period to lead 3-0 after 20 minutes.
Harvard coach Ted Donato said his team’s speed fueled the solid start, something that was magnified on the Olympic-sized ice.
“We were eager to utilize our speed early on to our advantage,” he said. “Quinnipiac came on hard after, but we stuck with it.”
Vesey started the scoring for Harvard just 30 seconds into the contest with a wraparound deflection goal.
“Alex [Kerfoot] cycled to Kyle [Criscuolo] and the puck found my stick after,” said Vesey. “I was lucky that my shot hit a stick and ramped up and in.”
Colin Blackwell broke through for Harvard’s power play at the 14:55 mark of the first. His slap shot from the point went untouched from the point to beat Michael Garteig to increase the Crimson lead to 2-0.
Tyler Moy scored on a breakaway 33 seconds later. The Quinnipiac defenders left too much space in the neutral zone and Clay Anderson connected with Moy on a breakout pass. Moy skated in and went backhand to forehand before firing the puck past Garteig’s outstretched arm.
With a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes, Vesey and the Crimson knew they could not let up on the talented Bobcats.
[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000B5HxO282j2A” g_name=”20150320-Harvard-Quinnipiac-Eisenberg” f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_bbar=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”500″ height=”375″ bgcolor=”#AAAAAA” bgtrans=”t” btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” trans=”xfade” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_fullscreen=”f” f_constrain=”f” twoup=”f” f_topbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_htmllinks=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”f” f_show_watermark=”f” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” wmds=”llQ6QNgpeC.p1Ucz7U.f22Fbo5BPRuXHL4BJ1cF6zUYz7BwtEuifm9JjkzcJ5vctu8GFig–” ]”We talked after the first period as a group, and said we didn’t want to sit back,” Vesey said. “I don’t necessarily think we did; Quinnipiac just capitalized on a few mistakes.”
Those few mistakes that the Bobcats capitalized on left the game at a 3-2 score after 40 minutes. A two-on-one, short-handed bid by Quinnipiac became a three-on-one as Travis St. Denis was the trailer who capitalized on the opportunity to spoil the shutout for Steve Michalek at the 9:05 mark of the second.
Soren Jonzzon’s one-timer from the left circle with five minutes remaining in the second brought the Bobcats within one of the Crimson with one period left in regulation.
When asked about what he said to spur his team in the first intermission, Bobcats coach Rand Pecknold responded with a wry smile: “I cant really say that to the media.”
While the second period was an improvement for Quinnipiac, the third did not see the trend continue. Two empty-net goals sealed the win for Harvard with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game, but an interesting element in the third was Tim Clifton’s hit on Blackwell, who recently returned to the Crimson lineup.
Clifton received a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct for the hit, but Pecknold was of other opinions. Pecknold refused to comment on the hit and the officiating, but said he felt it was only a two-minute penalty.
For Donato, his first concern was Blackwell’s health. “Its a fine line as a coach with Colin,” he said. “His injury is unique, but he’s such a difference-maker. I think our entire bench breathed a sigh of relief when he got on his feet.”
Quinnipiac has to wait to see whether it will get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
“Obviously, we wanted to bring a championship to the school, but the things I learned over four years at school are immeasurable,” Bobcats senior captain Matthew Peca said.
While Quinnipiac’s season may be over, Harvard will face the winner of Colgate and St. Lawrence in Saturday’s championship game, with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament on the line.
