Harvard Drops 4-1 To Union Amid February Slump

Harvard men’s ice hockey came up short 4-1 against the Union Garnet Chargers in a crucial ECAC matchup, failing to bolster its playoff position amidst tight standings.

The Crimson shut out the Garnet Chargers 4-0 in January, but it was Union that prevailed this time around, as defensive mishaps in the second period sunk the Harvard team.

The Crimson (13-12-2, 10-8-1 ECAC) and Garnet Chargers (19-10-2, 9-9-1 ECAC) played an even first few minutes, deadlocked on the scoreboard as both teams struggled to generate offense. Combined, Harvard and Union had six shots at the midway mark of the opening period.

The Garnet Chargers ultimately struck first, as freshman forward Troy Pelton made a no-look pass from behind the Crimson’s net to junior forward Jacob Jeannette, who was left open in the slot and scored to make it 1-0.

Union capitalized on the goal, gaining momentum and hemming Harvard in its own zone. Fortunately, sophomore goaltender Ben Charette kept the deficit at one, and a tripping penalty from Garnet Charger junior defenseman DJ Hart gave the Crimson an opportunity in the dying seconds of the frame.

Union’s penalty kill, which ranks second-best in the nation, limited Harvard’s offense to the perimeter, and the Crimson entered intermission needing a spark.

However, the Garnet Chargers poured it on in the second period, as a giveaway from Harvard freshman forward Chase Stefanek led to another wide-open chance for Union, and senior forward Colby MacArthur tapped the puck in to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Crimson’s misery in Schenectady, N.Y., continued with yet another turnover. Freshman defenseman Donato Bracco lost control of the puck in front of Charette, and Garnet Chargers sophomore forward Lucas Buzziol made no mistake with the yawning cage.

Union added to its three-goal lead when Jeannette and Pelton connected for a second time. Searching for Pelton, Jeannette threw a pass to the slot, and the puck deflected in off a Crimson defender to make it 4-0.

Contrary to the score, Charette played well in net, matched in performance by Union sophomore netminder Cameron Korpi. Harvard’s defensive zone lapses and lack of netfront coverage left Charette hanging out to dry all night.

The Crimson finally caught a break thanks to freshman forward Richard Gallant, whose pass intended for senior forward Casey Severo banked in off Garnet Charger freshman defenseman Etienne Lassard and past Korpi, putting Harvard on the board.

The Crimson’s frustration boiled over at the end of the middle frame, culminating in sophomore forward Will Hughes taking shots at Union senior defenseman Nick Young for holding his stick.

Senior forward Philip Tresca, listed as healthy on Harvard’s second line, did not appear to be on the bench throughout the game. Tresca ranks second on the team in goals, assists, and points.

Looking to maintain their 4-1 lead, the Garnet Chargers employed defensive, chip-and-chase hockey in the third period, much to the Crimson’s dismay.

Harvard received a power play with just under 12 minutes left, but again found little offense as zone entries failed and Union’s defensive unit blocked shots.

With five minutes left in regulation, Crimson head coach Ted Donato ’91 pulled Charette for an extra skater, desperately searching for a goal. However, Korpi denied Harvard at every turn, and a Gallant hooking penalty eventually iced the game.

Despite outshooting the Garnet Chargers 35-31, the Crimson exited M&T Bank Center empty-handed. The loss moved Harvard’s record in February to a disappointing 1-4-1.

With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Crimson will play on the road against the RPI Engineers tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EST. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.

— Staff Writer Kai I. Russell can be reached at [email protected].