CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's hockey will play its first ECAC series of the second half this weekend when its hosts two nationally ranked opponents in No. 6 Quinnipiac and No. 11 Princeton. The Crimson (3-12-1, 1-9-1 ECACH) will look to pick up its second and third ranked wins of the season when the Bobcats and Tigers roll into Cambridge to battle Harvard at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
Harvard comes into the weekend riding high after a 2-1 victory over Sacred Heart in its first game back from the holiday break. Harvard has now won three of its past four games played on home ice and will look to continue that trend this weekend. The Crimson last competed in an ECAC matchup on Dec. 2 against Clarkson, one day after upsetting No. 8 St. Lawrence in a 1-0 OT thriller at the Bright.
Harvard's active six-game homestand will come to a close next week with the first round of the Beanpot that is set to be held on the Crimson's home ice on Jan. 16, 2024.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The No. 6 Quinnipiac Bobcats come into the matchup with a 19-3-1 record and an 8-3-0 mark in ECAC play, slotting them at fourth in the conference. The Bobcats are coming off an impressive two-game series with Minnesota-Duluth, earning a win and a tie against the then No. 6 Bulldogs. Grad Student Sadie Peart leads QU with 14 goals and 27 points. Logan Angers has locked down the net for the Bobcats, ranking 10th in the nation in both save percentage and GAA.
The Princeton Tigers come into the matchup fresh off a two-game series with Providence in Belfast, Ireland as a part of the Friendship Series. The Tigers won both matchups to improve to 11-5-2 on the season and 4-5-2 in ECAC play.Forward Sarah Fillier leads the team with 16 goals and 25 points, ranking at the top of the ECAC in goals per game (1.07). Uma Corniea leads the goaltending effort for the Tigers with a 5-5-1 record and a 2.38 GAA
LAST TIME OUT
Harvard started the second half of the season strong, picking up a 2-1 victory over the NEWHA's Sacred Heart University at the Bright. The Crimson allowed a season-low 17 shots on goal while putting up a season-high 35 shots on net.
Gwyn Lapp continued her hot streak, scoring both Crimson goals in the victory. Junior goaltender,
Alex Pellicci, allowed just one goal for the second time in three games, making 16 saves and picking up her third win of the season.
LED BY LAPP
Gwyn Lapp has emerged as the team's primary scoring threat in her breakout sophomore season. The Massachusetts native has now scored five goals in her past five games and leads the team with seven goals and ten points on the season. Lapp was especially terrific in the win over Sacred Heart, notching her first career multi-goal game against the Pioneers. The Phillips Academy product has cemented her spot in the top-six for the Crimson and leads the powerplay charge with three goals this season.
POINT LEADERS VS. PRINCETON/QUINNIPIAC
Vs. QUINNIPIAC
S. Hollands - 2g - 1a - 3p
M. Biotti - 0g - 3a - 3p
E. Winges - 0g - 2a - 2p
G. Lapp - 1g - 0a - 1p
P. Lester - 0g - 1a - 1p
S. Ensley - 0g - 1a - 1p
Vs. PRINCETON
E. Bayard - 1g - 1a - 2p
G. Davidson Adams - 1g - 0a - 1p
S. Hollands - 1g - 0a - 1p
B. Manning - 0g - 1a - 1p
PELLICCI PUTS HERSELF IN THE RECORD BOOK
Junior goaltender,
Alex Pellicci, made her way into the record books with her 52-save shutout against St. Lawrence (Dec. 1). Pellicci logged the most saves for a Harvard goalie in a shutout effort in program history and the fourth-most saves in a game all-time. Pellicci now has seven of the 18 highest-save total games in HH history. Her career high save total of 54 against Yale
(Oct. 28, 2022) stands third all-time in the record book.
GETTING IN THE WAY
Maria Pape and
Mia Biotti have been fearless in their defensive zone this season, blocking a team high 36 and 35 shots, respectively, this season. Pape's total is good for T-20 in the nation and T-2 in the ECAC. Biotti sits at T-24 in the nation and T-4 in the ECAC with her total.
DEFENDING THE BRIGHT
Harvard women's hockey has won three of its past four games at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center, outscoring opponents 6-2 in those contests. All of Harvard's wins have come on home ice in 2023-24, sparked by a relentless defensive effort in the efforts. Harvard is in the midst of a six-game homestand that will conclude with the semifinals of the 2024 Women's Beanpot on January 16.
GET TO THE GARDEN
For the first time in history the women's Beanpot will be held at the TD Garden. The championship and consolation games are slated for Jan. 23 on the Bruins ice. Harvard takes on Northeastern in the first round of the Beanpot on Jan. 16, fighting for a chance to raise the first Women's Beanpot Championship banner in the rafters at the Garden.
WELCOME BACK
Junior forward
Paige Lester returned to the Harvard lineup against Sacred Heart, playing in her first game of the 2023-24 season. Lester was slotted on the second line alongside
Shannon Hollands and
Gabi Davidson Adams that had a solid outing in the win over SHU.
PRO CRIMSON
Harvard women's hockey is well represented in the new Professional Women's Hockey League. Five Crimson skaters signed contracts at the next level including…
Emma Buckles '22 | PWHL Boston
Jillian Dempsey '13 | PWHL Montreal
Kristin Della Rovere '23 | PWHL Ottawa
Becca Gilmore '22 | PWHL Ottawa
Emerance Maschmeyer '16 | PWHL Ottawa
Maschmeyer started in her first game with the Ottawa club and Jillian Dempsey became the first Harvard player to notch a point with an assist in Montreal's first contest against Ottawa.
