The men’s hockey team fell 7-4 Saturday at Harvard’s Bright Hockey Center in second game of the ECAC quarterfinals. The defeat ends the Elis’ season, with the team finishing with a 14-16-1 record.
Yale took a 4-3 lead four minutes into the final period with a power play goal from Ben Stafford ’01.
However, the Crimson fought back quickly, scoring three goals in a span of just over two minutes midway into the final period, regaining control of the game.
All-American candidate Jeff Hamilton ’01 garnered three assists in the final game of his illustrious career.
The Bulldogs took the early lead, just like they did Friday, with Luke Earl ’02 scoring 12 seconds into the game. The goal continued his goal-scoring streak to seven games.
The Crimson then scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead in ten minutes into the second stanza.
An unusual two minute stretch midway in the second period provided Yale with two goals to tie the game at three.
Forward Lee Jelenic ’01 was tied up by Harvard’s Dave McCulloch in the crease area, and the duo ran into Crimson goalie Oliver Jonas, knocking him to the ice. Bulldog Vin Hellemeyer ’04 took advantage of the open net and scored his first collegiate goal of his career.
Before the ensuing faceoff, Jelenic headed straight towards the Harvard goal, skating around Jonas two times while exchanging unplesantries. Crimson defender Aaron Kim came to his goalie’s defense, checking Jelenic into the boards.
Jelenic was assessed with a 10-minute misconduct, and Kim was given a two-minute minor for hitting after the whistle — surprisingly sending the Elis on the power play.
Harvard took two more penalties in the next minute, and the Bulldogs took advantage of the two-man advantage, with Nick Deschenes ’03 scoring to even the game at three.
Stafford gave the Bulldogs the 4-3 lead four minutes into the final period on the power play, but the Crimson scored four unanswered goals to seal the victory and earn a sweep of the ECAC quarterfinal series.
The game was the last for Yale’s seniors — Joe Dart, John Gauger, Adam Sauve, Peter Toomey, Hamilton, Jelenic and Stafford. This group of Bulldogs were part of Yale’s ECAC championship team in 1998 and captured three Ivy League titles in their four seasons at Yale.