CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The RV/RV Harvard women's hockey team (18-13-1, 15-6-1 ECAC Hockey) played nearly two full regulation hockey games this afternoon, emerging victorious in the third overtime frame to secure a spot in the ECAC Hockey Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2015. The Crimson topped Yale (17-15-0, 13-9-0 ECAC Hockey) by a score of 4-3 after the teams traded goals for nearly 105 minutes of hockey. 

Becca Gilmore was responsible for the game-winning goal and led all players with 10 shots on target. In all, six different players put their names on the scoresheet including Gilmore, Kristin Della Rovere, Brooke Jovanovich, Kat Hughes, Maryna Macdonald and Keely Moy. Through more than 102 minutes of play, Lindsay Reed stopped 45 shots and improved her record this season to 10-8-1. Additionally, Reed registered her 1500th career save during today's contest. Her career total now stands at 1524 as she stares down the program record of 2538. 

Despite a scoreless first period, the Crimson set a quick pace, putting 16 shots on goal in the opening frame. Kristin Della Rovere broke the silence at 3:03 of the second when she tucked the puck in the corner of the net for a 1-0 Harvard lead. Yale responded with a score at 13:35, beating Reed stick-side from inside the left circle. 

Things got interesting in the third, the teams posting four special-teams goals throughout the period. Kristin Della Rovere gave Harvard a 2-1 lead at 11:40 on the power-play, before Yale tied the game at 13:21 with a power-play tally of its own. At 18:44 on the man advantage, Keely Moy gave the Crimson what looked like its final lead of the game before Yale forced overtime with 14.1 seconds in regulation after pulling its goalie with just under a minute to play. 

Both teams battled through 40 minutes of sudden death before the Crimson shut it down at 2:39 of the third overtime period on Becca Gilmore's score from Kat Hughes and Kristin Della Rovere 

Harvard Highlights

• Becca Gilmore scored the game winning goal and led the team with 10 shots on goal.
• Kristin Della Rovere notched two goals and led the team alongside Dominique Petrie with three blocks apiece.
• Brooke Jovanovich, Kat Hughes, Maryna Macdonald and Keely Moy also etched their names on the scoresheet.
• Lindsay Reed tallied her 1500th career save today.
• Harvard attempted 118 total shots, putting 59 on net.
• The Crimson won 74 faceoffs while the Bulldogs won 41.

Game Notes

• Harvard advances to championship weekend for the first time since 2015.
• This is the longest ECAC Hockey playoff game since the 2010 quarterfinals when Quinnipiac and Rensselaer went to five overtime periods.
• Harvard's 18 wins this season are the most since 2014-15 when the team went 27-6-3. 

Up Next
Harvard will head to No. 1/1 Cornell for the ECAC Hockey Tournament Championship next weekend, March 7-8. The Crimson will take on No. 1/1 Cornell in the semifinals on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m.