Box score
CAMBRIDGE, MA – Sophomore Torren Delforte (Shortsville, NY) recorded two points, including the game-winning goal, to lift Union over #17 Harvard 2-1 at the Bright Hockey Center. It was the second straight game Delforte scored and now has points in three of his last four games. The Dutchmen halted a nine-game winless streak against the Crimson to improve to 12-11-5 overall and 5-6-3 in the ECACHL. It was the first win in Cambridge since Jan. 10, 1997.
Union came out a quicker and more confident team in the first period of tonight's game and created chances off the face-off. Senior Bryan Campbell (Hannon, ONT) sent in a shot from the top of the Harvard zone after Scott Seney (Silver Spring, MD) won the draw at the right face-off circle. Crimson goaltender John Daigneau read the puck all the way and made the save.
Harvard came back the other way and put Union goaltender Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, PA) to work. J.D. McCabe sent in a fluttering puck through traffic from the left face-off circle. Mayotte followed it in through the crowd in front and gloved it down to cover.
The Dutchmen went ahead 1-0 with the opening goal at 13:21 coming off the stick of freshman Chris Potts (Phillipsburg, NJ). Delforte picked the puck out of the right corner following a defensive clear by Union. Delforte sent a pass up to Potts in the slot for a backhander that snuck between the pads of Daigneau.
Harvard came away with a pair of chances in the closing minutes of the opening period. Steve Mandes' shot from the right sailed just wide of the back post at 17:12. Ryan Maki got his shot on target but the tip-in chance in front was stopped as the period came to a close.
Delforte came back in the second period and scored his sixth goal of the season to make it a 2-0 Union advantage at 9:28. Freshman Matt Cook (Belle Mead, NJ) sent the puck up from the blue line to Mike Harr (Norwood, MA) at the left face-off circle. Harr skated in and shuffled a pass across the front of the goal to Delforte who beat Daigneau with a low shot to cap off the play.
History repeated itself from earlier in the season when these two teams met as the Crimson countered immediately, this time breaking through 19 seconds later, to keep it a one-goal game. Mandes was on point with his shot this time, beating Mayotte from the right of the net for his fifth goal of the season. Freshman Nick Coskren set up Mandes for his fifth assist of the year.
Union had back-to-back chances in front at 16:41 but Daigneau stood his ground. T.J. Fox (Oswego, NY) had the first crack and Augie DiMarzo (West Haven, CT) followed up on the rebound but neither found nylon.
Dan Murphy tried to beat Mayotte on another tip-in for Harvard with 40 seconds left in the second. The senior netminder kicked the puck away to preserve the lead.
Mayotte made the save of the night at 6:21 of the third period, denying Jack Christian. The Crimson came down on a two-on-one break. Charlie Johnson sent a quick pass across the front of the net to Christian on the left side. Mayotte slid over into position to meet the one-timer and make the pad save.
Delforte sought his second goal of the game at 7:59 but his shot went off the back post. Junior Scott Brady (Sutton, MA) missed just wide on his attempt at 14:43.
With an extra attacker, Harvard made one last run for the equalizer. They had two consecutive chances in front with 25 seconds left. Mayotte held his ground and snuffed both shots.
It was the first time Union won the season series against Harvard, going 1-0-1. Harvard outshot Union 27-23. Mayotte finished with 26 saves for his 12th win of the season. Daigneau made 21 saves.
Union is now 9-0-4 this season when scoring the first goal of the game and 9-1-1 with the lead heading into the third period.
The Dutchmen will now prepare to take on cross-town rival Rensselaer in a home and home series next week. The series gets underway at Messa Rink on Friday, February 3 in a 7:00 p.m. face-off.
