LAKE PLACID, NY – A standout performance by Harvard's top line helped men's ice hockey (20-10-3) rally from a third period deficit for a 5-3 win over No. 14/15 Clarkson (21-10-6) in the ECAC Hockey Semifinals at Herb Brooks Arena on Friday night (March 18).
 
Harvard will play in the ECAC Hockey Championship on Saturday night (March 19) at 7:30 p.m. against No. 6/6 Quinnipiac.
 
Junior captain Nick Abruzzese and first-year forward Matthew Coronato each had two goals and two assists, and sophomore forward Sean Farrell had a goal and two assists to lead the Harvard attack.
 
Junior goaltender Mitchell Gibson made 24 saves to earn the win in net.
 
Trailing 3-2 heading into the third period, Abruzzese scored his second goal of the night at the 4:23 mark, finding a loose puck after an initial shot by Coronato and sliding it under Clarkson goaltender Ethan Hader (29 saves) to tie the game.
 
Then late in the third period, on a rush on up ice, Abruzzese made a spinning backhand pass to a wide-open Coronato, who finished with a shot into the top corner at 15:06 to give Harvard the lead.
 
Coronato sealed the win with an empty net goal at 19:49, and moments later the Harvard bench spilled onto the ice to celebrate Harvard's first championship berth since 2017.
 
Harvard opened the scoring at 8:20 of the first period, as Farrell scored from his knees on a beautiful rush up ice to make it 1-0. Clarkson tied it on the power play at 14:47, and the score remained tied heading into the second period.
 
In the second period, Abruzzese gave Harvard the lead once against at 10:59, as he batted a loose puck out of the air off an initial shot by Ian Moore to make it 2-1.
 
Another power play goal by Alex Campbell, his second of the night, tied the game at 13:11 of the second period. Then Clarkson took its first lead on Zach Tsekos' goal at 16:52 of the second.
 
But Harvard rallied for a memorable victory, setting up a meeting with the Bobcats in the title game tomorrow night.
 
Harvard Highlights

• Both Matthew Coronato (two goals, two assists) and Nick Abruzzese (two goals, two assists) matched their season high of four points on the night
• Junior forward Nick Abruzzese has points in seven straight contests (four goals, seven assists in that span).
• First-year forward Matthew Coronato has 11 goals in his last 15 games, and 19 points in that span. He now leads the team with 17 goals on the season.

Game Notes

• Harvard advanced to the ECAC Hockey Championship game for the first time since 2017, and the 22nd time in program history. Harvard has a 10-11 record all time in the conference title game and last won in 2017.
• Harvard outshot Clarkson 35-27 on the night.