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Harvard celebrates after a late goal from Maria Pape
Zach Webster
2
Providence PRO 6-6-3
2
Harvard HAR 2-7-1
Providence PRO
6-6-3
2
Final
2
Harvard HAR
2-7-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 OT 1 OT 2 F
Providence PRO 2 0 0 0 0 2
Harvard HAR 0 0 2 0 0 2

Game Recap: Women's Ice Hockey |

Women’s Hockey Scores Twice Late to Tie Providence, 2-2.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A relentless effort from the Harvard women's ice hockey team led to a memorable comeback performance in the team's tie against the Providence Friars tonight at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center. In the final game on its home ice this calendar year, Harvard (2-7-1, 1-7-0 ECAC) scored twice in the final 92 seconds of the game to come away with a tie against its non-conference foe Providence (6-6-3, 3-5-2 HEA). Maria Pape got the comeback started with her first goal of the season before Kaley MacDonald scored the game-tying goal with just 29 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
The Crimson showed it resilience, fighting until the final whistle to pull off the comeback and skate away with the draw against a tough non-conference opponent.
 

How it Happened

 
The rivalry between Harvard and Providence reignited for the first time in over a decade tonight, marking the beginning of a home-and-home series between the teams. Despite strong early play from Harvard's goaltender, Ainsley Tuffy, who made six saves in the first ten minutes, the Friars were able to capitalize on a scramble in the crease, scoring the game's first goal with under nine minutes remaining in the first period. Providence doubled their lead late in the frame, taking a 2-0 advantage into the intermission.
 
Harvard had chances of their own in the opening period but couldn't find the back of the net. Tuffy remained resilient, bouncing back strong after the second Providence goal, keeping the Crimson within reach in the early part of the second period. Despite controlling possession for long stretches in the Friars' zone, Harvard couldn't crack the Providence defense or their goaltender, who turned aside 10 shots in the period. The Crimson defense also stood strong, blocking 12 shots in the second to help keep the deficit at 2-0 heading into the third.
 
The third period saw Tuffy continue to shine, making several key saves early as Providence came out aggressively. With the Crimson unable to score on their offensive pressure, Coach Bellamy pulled Tuffy for an extra attacker with just under four minutes remaining. The move paid off as Harvard mounted a dramatic comeback. First, Maria Pape pounced on a loose puck in front of the net to make it 2-1 with 92 seconds left. Less than a minute later, Kaley MacDonald scored another goal after a scrum outside the crease to tie the game at 2-2, sending the contest into overtime.
 
In overtime, the Crimson controlled the puck for nearly three minutes to start. Sophie Ensley had a great scoring chance turned aside after beating her defender in a one-on-one situation. Tuffy cleaned up the two shots she faced in the period to keep the game tied and send the game into a shootout.
 
In the shootout, Harvard's shooters—Paige Lester, Kaley MacDonald, and Ella Lucia—could not find the back of the net, while Tuffy stopped the first two Providence shooters. However, Reichen Kirchmair scored on the final chance, securing the shootout victory for Providence.
 
Ultimately, the game went into the record books as a 2-2 tie, with Harvard showing great resilience and earning a hard-fought draw after an exciting, back-and-forth contest.
 

Harvard Highlights

  • Kaley MacDonald scored the game-tying goal with just 30 seconds left in regulation.
  • Maria Pape scored her first goal of the season to start the comeback.
  • Ainsley Tuffy made 28 saves between the pipes.
  • Brooke Manning assisted on both of the goals to tally two points.
  • Paige Lester and Antonina Dinges both logged assists.
  • Harvard's defense did not allow a single shot attempt in the final 11 minutes of the third period.
  • The Crimson blocked 27 shots in the game, just four shy of breaking the all-time program record.
  • Jenna MacDonald led the team with seven blocked shots.
  • The Crimson did not take a single penalty in the matchup, the first time the team stayed out of the penalty box in a game since the 2022-23 season.
 

Next Up

The Crimson will play Providence again tomorrow night in the second half of the home-and-home series in Rhode Island. The teams will take the ice and drop the puck at 2:00 PM at Schneider Arena and on ESPN+.
 
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