CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard women's ice hockey is set to play their final games at home this week, hosting the Brown Bears on Friday (Feb. 9) and the Yale Bulldogs on Saturday (Feb. 10) at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
The Crimson hope to correct a three-game at home losing skid when it takes on the Brown and Yale squads. Harvard has not won a home game since they played Sacred Heart on Jan. 2. Harvard, along with its two opponents, are locked in a standings race currently, with each team looking to pick up valuable points in an attempt to secure a home game in the first round of the ECAC playoffs.
With two wins on the weekend Harvard would potentially catapult itself further up in the standings.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The Bears enter the contest having lost their last game against RPI. Brown had previously been on a two-game win streak, taking down No. 8 Quinnipiac and Union just before RPI. Brown took the first game of the series against Harvard this season in a 2-1 victory.
Yale also got the best of the Crimson in its first matchup this year, defeating Harvard 2-1. The Bulldogs are coming off a strong 4-0 win over Union last weekend. Before that, Yale hit a rough patch, having lost four of their previous six games.
Both teams have had trouble converting on power plays, ranking 39 and 42, respectively in power play goals.
BOUNCING BACK
The Crimson will look to win both games at home this weekend after only beating one of their ECAC foes last week. The Crimson have recorded all five of its wins while coming off a loss this season. The team will also play its final two home games of the year against Brown on Feb. 9 before it takes on Yale on Saturday (Feb. 10), looking to snap its Saturday woes.
UNDEFEATED AT THE GARDEN
Harvard women's hockey had it's name etched in history after registering the first collegiate women's hockey victory at the T.D Garden. After forcing the game into overtime, Harvard defeated the No. 13 Boston College Eagles in a shootout. It was the program's first shootout since the 2011 season. Emily Davidson had another stellar outing between the pipes, making 39 saves while allowing just two goals and stopping all four shots she faced in the shootout. Eva Dorr scored the team's first goal at the Garden and Sophie Ensley netted the team's first short-handed goal of the season. Gabi Davidson Adams was the hero at the end of it all, scoring the only goal in the shootout to lead theteam to the victory.
DAVIDSON SEEING SUCCESS
Emily Davidson made the most of her opportunity after getting the nod for her first collegiate start against RPI earlier this season. The sophomore netminder led the team to a much-needed victory against the Engineers, making 24 saves - including two on the powerplay - while allowing only one goal in a battle with the ECAC foe. Davidson joined good company after getting a win in her first collegiate start, joining the likes of Alex Pellicci, Lindsay Reed '22, Becky Dutton '22 and others. Since then, Davidson has gone on to play in five games, making a high of 39 saves against Boston College and maintaining a 2-2-1 record.
ENSLEY FINDING HER STRIDE
Sophomore forward, Sophie Ensley has been one of the team's best offensive players this month, scoring two goals and making one assist in the Crimson's last five games. Ensley potted both her goals on breakaways against ranked opponents. First, Ensley threaded a wrist shot over the goalie's shoulder against No. 13 Boston College at the T.D. Garden. The Sudbury, Mass. native then scored a great second effort goal against the No. 6 Cornell Big Red to solidify the best offensive stretch of her young career. She made her assist in the game against Union, aiding leading scorer Gwyn Lapp. Ensley has posted a career high seven points this season with three goal and four assists.
LED BY LAPP
Gwyn Lapp has emerged as the team's primary scoring threat in her breakout sophomore season. The Massachusetts native posted a six goals in seven game stretch earlier this season and leads the team with 10 goals and 14 points on the year. Lapp was especially terrific in the win over Sacred Heart, notching her first career multi-goal game against the Pioneers. The Phillips Academy Andover product has cemented her spot in the top-six for the Crimson and leads the powerplay charge with three goals this season. Since then, Lapp has led her team to victory over Union, recording yet another multi-game goal. Lapp's offensive surge has put her in the team lead with 10 goals and 14 points.
POINT LEADERS VS. BROWN/YALE
Active Crimson skaters have had a history of success against these two ECAC foes. Seven players have recorded a point against Brown while six have found their way onto the scoresheet against Yale.
vs. Brown
- M. Biotti - 3p, 0g, 3a
- K. Crawford - 1p, 0g, 1a
- G. Davidson Adams - 1p, 1g, 0a
- P. Lester - 1p, 0g, 1a
- J. MacDonald - 1p, 0g, 1a
- K. MacDonald - 1p, 0g, 1a
- R. O'Connor - 1p, 1g, 0a
vs. Yale
- E. Bayard - 1p, 0g, 1a
- G. Davidson Adams - 1p, 1g, 0a
- S. Hollands - 3p, 1g, 2a
- G. Lapp - 1p, 1g, 0a
- P. Lester - 2p, 0g, 2a
- J. MacDonald - 1p, 0g, 1a
LESTER GOES VIRAL
Junior forward, Paige Lester, made waves across College hockey social media, scoring a diving goal after a nifty series of dekes around RPI defenders. The clip has received over 250 thousand views across all platforms and has been reposted by some of the biggest names in the space. It was Lester's first goal since rejoining the team after missing all of the first semester.
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. Pellicci was lights out in the outing against the Huskies, allowing just one goal (a redirect in front) on 40 Northeastern shots.
BLOCKING SHOTS
Harvard women's hockey has shown a relentless intensity in the defensive zone over the past several weeks, indicated by the team's willingness to step in front of the puck. The Crimson has blocked 115 shots in its past seven games, including a program record 30 blocked shots in its matchup against RPI (Jan. 19). Junior blue-liner, Jenna MacDonald also made history - while helping the team make history - by blocking eight shots in the matchup. MacDonald's career-high block total was the second most in program history and the most since Josephine Pucci '15 blocked nine in the 2014-15 season against then No. 1 Boston College. Mia Biotti and Maria Pape have been fearless in their defensive zone this season, blocking a team high 48 and 55 shots this season. Pape leads the ECAC in blocked shots and is ranked 11th in the nation.
PUCKS ON NET
Harvard logged a season-best 49 shots on goal in the Beanpot Consolation matchup at the Garden. Maria Pape led the team with seven shots on goal while Mia Biotti and Gwyn Lapp each fired six shots on net.
