Loss and tie hurt playoff positioning

Though the Tigers (12-9-6 overall, 10-7-3 ECAC Hockey) entered the weekend unbeaten in their last seven games, they did not maintain the momentum, losing to juggernaut Harvard (25-1-0, 20-0-0) 3-1 and tying Dartmouth (14-7-6, 11-5-4) 2-2. Princeton needed the wins to put it within reach of the No. 4 spot in ECAC Hockey standings heading into its final matches of the regular season. This weekend’s matches, however, left Dartmouth sitting in fourth with 26 points, while Princeton fell three points behind. The top four teams host the ECAC Quarterfinal, meaning that for Princeton to clinch home-ice advantage, it needs to sweep next weekend’s matches and hope that Dartmouth loses its last two games.

Despite putting forth a valiant effort to upset No. 1 Harvard, outshooting the Crimson 31-24 and maintaining control for the majority of the match, the Tigers lost it late in the game.

Princeton grabbed a 1-0 lead eight minutes, eight seconds into the first period when senior forward Brittany Salmon crashed the net during a power play. Harvard quickly regained power, peppering junior goaltender Kristen Young with shots and tying the game less than four minutes after the Tigers’ goal. Though Princeton had several power-play opportunities and outshot the Crimson, the Tigers could not get past Harvard’s sticky-fingered netminder, and the game remained tied for more than 30 minutes.

The Crimson finally broke the deadlock, stuffing the puck in with just 5:09 left on the clock and earning its first lead of the night. In the final minute of play, Harvard scored an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

“We had a bit of a breakdown in our defense,” junior forward Annie Greenwood said. “Harvard also has the best player in college hockey on their team. We should have come back at them better than we did, though.”

Despite leading by two goals going into the third period Saturday night, the Tigers let Dartmouth fight back to tie the game in the final frame.

“It was disappointing to tie Dartmouth because I honestly think we are the better team,” Greenwood said. “We deserved to win, though we maybe let up a couple times defensively. I think if we played them again we would definitely beat them.”

Princeton hit the ice on all cylinders, bombarding the Big Green’s goaltender and outshooting Dartmouth 12-3 during the first period. The game remained scoreless for most of the period, however, until sophomore forward Melanie Wallace cut toward the goal and wristed a shot in with just 41 seconds left on the clock.

Though the Big Green outshot the Tigers 11-4 during the second period, the only shot that found the back of the net was Princeton’s. The Tigers earned a five-on-three advantage midway through the period and quickly netted their second goal of the night.

A power-play goal 2:59 into the third cut Princeton’s lead in half. The Tigers maintained control until the final minute of the third period. But a flurry in front of Princeton’s goal resulted in a shot that tied the score 42 seconds before the period ended. The game went into overtime, but neither team was able to break the tie.

“For that final goal Dartmouth had a six-on-five advantage,” Greenwood said. “Kristen [Young], our goalie, couldn’t see the puck because there were so many people crowding the goal. With that many people it is hard to figure out what our opponents are trying to do.”

The Tigers face St. Lawrence and Clarkson this weekend in their final two games of the regular season.