CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The No. 19 Harvard men's hockey team used an explosive first period that included three goals en route to a 4-3 victory Saturday over Brown at Bright-Landry Hockey Center. With the win, Harvard completes the first round sweep of the Bears to advance to the ECAC Playoff quarterfinals where it will face-off against third-seeded Yale in New Haven, Connecticut next weekend.
The top line of Jimmy Vesey, Kyle Criscuolo and Brian Hart were catamount in leading Harvard Saturday night, as each scored in the opening period. Vesey and Criscuolo also had a pair of assists, marking the second time this season the duo has had three points apiece in a period with the first time coming in the third stanza of a 6-1 triumph at Colgate January 24. With three points on the night, Vesey now has 50 this year becoming the first player to reach at least 50 since Dominic Moore '03 (51) during the 2002-03 season.
Despite Brown scoring the first goal of the game, the first period would be dominated by the Crimson. The Bears score came at 2:23 with Mark Naclerio winning a draw back to Nick Lappin for a wrister that counted for his 13th of the season.
Harvard's top line responded in a strong way, scoring the next three tallies. Aggressive forecheck and neutral zone defensive by the Crimson's forwards were the primary source of the scoring. Criscuolo created the first goal, chasing down a Brown skater behind the Bears' net, stealing the puck and having the wherewithal to then find Vesey in front for a top shelf strike at 7:51. Just under two minutes later, Vesey took his turn causing a turnover, this time in the neutral zone, that ended with Criscuolo beating Brown goaltender Tim Ernst to shift the scoreboard in Harvard's favor.
The Crimson's third tally came late in the third period with Hart getting on the board. Linemates Criscuolo and Vesey battled for the puck along the left boards in Brown's zone, eventually pushing it to the end boards. Hart collected the puck behind the goal, attempted to go near side first before dragging the puck back around the goal and using his backhand to beat the Brown goaltender and defense.
Each side added a goal in the second frame, with the Crimson striking quickly. For the third time in this series, Colin Blackwell found paydirt, finishing a rush into the offensive zone off a nice pass from Sean Malone. Luke Esposito was credited for the second assist. Brown's Davey Middleton scored the second goal of the game for the visitors at 13:34, with Tim Lappin and Zack Pryzbek earning the assists.
Brown would close the deficit to at 11:07 of the third when Nick Lappin potted his second of the game, but the Crimson defense stood strong the rest of the way, earning the 4-3 victory.
