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Big Nights For Gaffney and Laferriere Lead No. 9/9 Men’s Ice Hockey to 8-4 Win Over Northeastern

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore forward Alex Gaffney (goal, three assists) had a career high four-point night, and linemate Alex Laferriere added four points (two goals, two assists) to lead No. 9/9 Harvard men’s ice hockey (9-3-1) to an 8-4 win over Northeastern (8-9-3) to kick off the new year at Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
 
Eleven different Crimson skaters registered a point, as Harvard responded with four straight goals after Northeastern rallied in the second period to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Senior goaltender Mitchell Gibson was excellent in net once again, making 37 saves on the night to earn his sixth win of the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Harvard, returning from a nearly two-month period of playing exclusively road contests, recorded its most goals in a game since a 9-3 win at Dartmouth on Oct. 29, 2021.
The Crimson opened the scoring at 7:53 of the first period, as Laferriere found Gaffney with a no-look pass to the near side as he skated around the net in the opposite direction for a tap in goal to make it 1-0.

Just over a minute later, junior forward Ryan Drkulec scored his first collegiate goal, tipping a point shot from Ryan Siedem past Northeastern goaltender Devon Levi (26 saves) to put Harvard up 2-0 at 9:15.

The score remained that way until early in the second period, when first-year Joe Miller (two goals, assist) skated into open space down the left wing and fired a shot over the shoulder of Levi to put the Crimson up three.

Northeastern responded with three goals in a span of 6:35 to tie the game, as Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (7:24), Aidan McDonough (PPG, 9:05), and Matt Choupani (13:59) helped the Huskies even the score.

But Harvard would regain the lead for good with two late goals in the frame.

Laferriere was once again involved on the go-ahead goal, curling off the left wall and firing a wrist shot that first-year forward Casey Severo tipped past Levi at 15:59.

Then Miller scored his second of the night on some tic-tac-toe passing, with the puck feeding from junior forward Sean Farrell to sophomore forward Matthew Coronato in the slot, and then to Miller on the left wing for an open-net goal at 17:57 to make it 5-3.

Laferriere scored his first goal of the night early in the third period, as Gaffney intercepted a Northeastern clear in the left corner and found his linemate open in the slot for his eighth goal of the season at 1:16.

 

First-year forward Philip Tresca scored his first collegiate goal, a power play goal on another tip in off a shot from Ryan Healey to put Harvard up 7-3 at 7:38 of the final frame.

After Northeastern’s Jack Hughes scored at 8:13 to end the Harvard run of goals, Laferriere closed out the scoring with his team-leading ninth goal of the year, a beautiful backhander at 15:22 to help Harvard seal the win.

GAME NOTES

  • Harvard earned its first win over Northeastern since Feb. 6, 2017, and its first non-Beanpot win over the Huskies since Dec. 19, 1999.
  • Harvard scored its most goals in a game against Northeastern since a Beanpot contest on Feb. 2, 1981 (W, 10-2).
  • Five different players recorded multiple point efforts, including Alex Gaffney (1-3-4, career high), Alex Laferriere (2-2-4, career high), Joe Miller (2-1-3, career high), Ryan Siedem (0-2-2), and Casey Severo (1-2-3, career high).
  • Harvard improved to 5-0-0 at Bright-Landry Hockey Center this season
  • Junior forward Sean Farrell (assist) has points in eight straight games (6-10-16) and leads the team with 20 points (7-13-20) on the year.
  • Sophomore forward Matthew Coronato (assist) has points in five straight games (2-4-6).

UP NEXT

Harvard will dive back into ECAC Hockey play with road contests at Princeton and Quinnipiac on Jan. 6-7.





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