Kessler, Pucci Earn Weekly ECAC Hockey Awards

Pictured: Christina Kessler ranks fifth in the country with a 1.51 goals-against average.
Photo courtesy: Gil Talbot Photography

Complete ECAC Hockey Release (pdf)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior goaltender Christina Kessler has been named the ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week, while freshman defender Josephine Pucci was tabbed ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

In Harvard’s 3-2 win over Dartmouth Nov. 25, Pucci, a native of Pearl River, N.Y., netted a power-play goal in the second period to break a 1-1 tie and later earned the primary assist on the game-winning tally by Liza Ryabkina with 3:25 remaining in the third. Pucci, who stands tied for third on the Crimson with seven points on two goals and five assists, ranks second among the nation’s defenders with 0.70 points per game. She is also 16th in scoring among all rookies.

Kessler, who hails from Oakville, Ont., stopped 27 shots, including 13 in the second period, to help the Crimson defeat the Big Green last week. A preseason all-conference choice, Kessler ranks fourth in the nation with a .940 save percentage (233 of 248) and fifth with a 1.51 goals-against average. Kessler and Harvard have held opponents scoreless with an extra attacker to 18 chances over the last five games. She owns a 6-3-1 (.650) overall record this season, giving her a 61-16-4 (.778) record in net during her career. With two more wins, Kessler will tie Ali Boe ’06 for first on Harvard’s all-time wins list.

No. 9 Harvard will host No. 2 Minnesota for two games at Bright Hockey Center Dec. 4-5.