Box Score Pictured: The Crimson tied the game with only 1:26 remaining
in regulation on a goal by Josephine Pucci.
Photo courtesy: Kevin Burns Photography
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Christina Kessler made a
career-high 37 saves and Josephine Pucci scored the first goal of
her collegiate career, but the eighth-ranked Harvard women's
hockey team dropped an overtime decision to No. 9 Princeton, 2-1,
Saturday afternoon before 451 fans at Bright Hockey Center.
With the Crimson trailing 1-0 with 1:26 remaining in regulation,
Harvard won a faceoff in the Princeton zone and Leanna Coskren
moved the puck to Cori Bassett. Bassett found Pucci wide open at
the top of the point, and the freshman defender took a hard slap
shot that was still rising when it beat Princeton goaltender Rachel
Weber, hitting the back of the net and tying the game.
In overtime, Princeton's Landry stole the puck at the Harvard
blue line and skated in for a breakaway. Landry's shot hit
the back of the net for the game-winning tally, coming with only 31
seconds to play in the extra session.
Princeton opened the scoring power-play goal just 3:56 into the
action in the first period. Laura Martindale and Danielle DiCesare
swung the puck around the zone, before Martindale took a slap shot
from the left point. Landry tipped home the rebound past Kessler,
giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Harvard (2-3,
2-3 ECAC Hockey, 0-2 Ivy League) and Kessler withstood a barrage of
shots, as the Tigers fired 16 shots on net in the frame, all of
which were turned aside by the senior netminder.
Princeton (5-2-1, 4-1-1, 3-1) held the final count in shots, 39-26,
but Harvard fired four of the five shots in the overtime period.
The Tigers also won 40 of 71 faceoffs, while holding Harvard
scoreless on five Crimson power plays. Harvard will host Quinnipiac
Sunday at 1 p.m.