CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard women's hockey opens up the non-conference portion of its schedule this weekend with a road matchup against No. 7/8 University of Minnesota Duluth. The Crimson and the Bulldogs will square off in what will be a rematch of the the 2022 NCAA Tournament first round. Harvard will look to add a big nonconference win against the Bulldogs who have won the past five straight contests against the Crimson.
WHAT TO KNOW
Context of the Contest
The Harvard Crimson returns to action this weekend for a 2022 NCAA Tournament rematch against the No. 7/8 University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs for what will be the fourth anf fifth matchups in under a year.
This will be the first non-conference action for Harvard women's hockey after an eight game ECAC hockey stretch. This pair of games will be the first of four consecutive nonconference games for the team (UNH, Boston College) before it returns to ECAC play on December 2-3.
Harvard is coming off a win against No. 9/9 Cornell last Saturday, a day after it nearly completeted an incredible comeback against No. 4/5 Colgate. The young Crimson team is beginning to increase its offensive production averaging 2.25 goals per game thorugh four contests in November after averaging just 1.75 goals per game through four games in October.
Scouting The Competition
Minnesota Duluth comes into the matchup with a 9-5-0 record and a No. 7/8 ranking in the national polls. The Bulldogs also enter the contest having won five straight matchups against the Crimson dating back to 2015-16. The Bulldogs have gotten off to a hot start in the 2022-23 season, scoring 12 power play goals to lead the nation. 5th year defender Ashton Bell leads the team and currently sits at second in the nation with four of those powerplay tallies.
UMD also holds the ninth-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 1.71 goals per game to its opponents. Starting goaltender, Emma Soderberg, is a big reason for that, as she owns the nation's 14th-best GAA (1.857) and a .915 save percentage. On the offensive end, Gabbie Hughes leads the team with 16 points off three goals and 13 assists. Mannon McMahon's five goals are second best on the team behind Bell.
Lighting The Lamp
Senior captain, Anne Bloomer, has been a force on the offensive end for the Crimson this season, scoring six goals to lead the team. Bloomer's two-goal game (her third muti-point game of the season) against No. 5/4 Colgate boosted her team lea to six goals. Bloomer now ranks seventh in the nation and second in the ECAC with .75 goals per game.
Dominant on Draws
First-line center, Kristin Della Rovere, has been dominating in the faceoff circle so far this season, posting 146 wins against 87 losses so far this season. Her .627 winning percentage is good for sixth-best in the country amongst qualified centers. Despite playing only eight games, Della Rovere is still ranked within the top 10 with her faceoff wins total. As a team, Harvard ranks fifth in the nation and second in the ECAC with a .565 pct.
Stopping the Puck
Sophomore goaltender, Alex Pellicci, has started every game in net for the Crimson, giving the group excellent goaltending through the first eight games. Most recently, Pellicci recorded her third career shutout by stopping 30 shots against the No. 9/9 Cornell Big Red, her first victory over a ranked opponent. Pellicci has pulled Harvard out of difficult situations time and time again, making 30-plus saves in six games, 40-plus saves in three games and 50-plus saves in one. Her 54 saves against Yale was also third-most all-time for a Crimson goaltender.
Comeback Comes Up Just Short
Heading into the third period against No. 5/4 Colgate last Friday, Harvard trailed 3-0. The Crimson then ripped off four straight goals to take the lead. The Crimson eventually fell 5-4 in the contest, but the team erased the three-goal deficit for the first time since the 2016 season. Harvard has now scored seven goals in the third period this season, the most of any other period.
Chorske Nets a Penalty Shot
Against No 5/4 Colgate, Hannah Chorske was awarded a penalty shot after getting tripped up on a breakaway attempt. Chorkse put the moves on the Raider goalie and scored the first Harvard penalty shot goal since 2018.
Up Next
Harvard women's hockey will continue its pause from ECAC play when it takes on a pair of Hockey east foes next week. First up, the team will battle Boston College on Tuesday before hosting New Hampshire on Saturday.
