Box Score TROY, NY – Sophomore forward Alex Gaffney scored twice - once late in the third period, and again in overtime – to lift No. 12/13 Harvard men's ice hockey (5-0-0, 5-0-0 ECAC Hockey) to a 3-2 (OT) win at Rensselaer (5-5-0, 1-4-0 ECAC Hockey) on Friday night (Nov. 11) at Houston Field House.
 
Senior forward Austin Wong added a third period goal, and senior goaltender Mitchell Gibson made 20 saves, as Harvard rallied from a two goal deficit in the third period to earn a hard fought win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was an energetic start for the Crimson, who piled on four shots in the opening minutes of the contest, including a one-timer chance for junior Sean Farrell that RPI goaltender Jack Watson slid to make a glove stop at the left post.

It was Gibson who had to come up with the best save of the frame, as he gloved a 2-on-1 shot from TJ Walsh, who was all alone in front, at 5:34 of the frame to keep the game scoreless.

At 5:31 of second, a defensive zone turnover led to chance all alone in front for Ryan Mashie, who finished the play to put the Engineers up 1-0.

Just over a minute later, a breakaway for John Evans ended up in the back of the net for Engineers, and RPI held a two-goal lead early in the second period at the 6:40 mark.

Trailing by two goals in the third, Wong helped Harvard start its rally, crashing the net for a rebound and hitting the top corner at 1:48 of the frame.

With just over five minutes to play in the third, on a set faceoff play, Gaffney curled around the left circle and fired wrist shot over the shoulder of Watson at 14:54 to tie the game at 2-2.

In 3-on-3 overtime, Gaffney followed his own shot, skated into the high slot and beat Watson with a shot through traffic at 2:44 to give Harvard the win.

GAME NOTES

• Gaffney recorded his first career two-goal game, and his first career game-winning OT goal.
• Senior goaltender Mitchell Gibson made 20 saves to improve to 3-0-0 on the season.
• Harvard is 5-0-0 in its first five games for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
• Harvard outshot RPI, 37-22, on the night, and has outshot its opponents in its first five games.
• Harvard finished the night 0-for-3 on the man advantage while RPI went 0-for-1 on the power play.

UP NEXT

Harvard completes its trip to upstate New York with a game at Union College tomorrow night (Nov. 12) at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.