SCHENECTADY, NY –Late third-period goals by Alex Meintel and Jon Pelle lifted Harvard over Union, 3-2, in men's ECAC Hockey League action at Messa Rink Saturday evening. The loss snaps a five-game home winning streak for the Dutchmen, who held their opponent without a power-play goal for the second-straight night. Union was led by goals from Josh Coyle (Brooklyn, OH) and T.J. Fox (Oswego, NY).

 

Harvard (7-10-0, 5-7-0 ECACHL) jumped out to an early lead as Doug Rogers lit the lamp just 32 seconds into the game. Mike Taylor sent a long breakout pass across the ice to Steve Rolecek, who teamed with Rogers on a two-on-one. Rolocek passed across the crease to Rogers, who sent a wrister from the right of the net past Union netminder Justin Mrazek (Regina, SK).

 

The Dutchmen (9-9-2, 2-6-0 ECACHL) outshot the Crimson, 15-8, in the middle frame, and retook the lead on goals in the first half of the period.

 

Coyle registered his third goal in as many games with a power-play tally at 3:42 of the stanza, collecting a pass from Jason Walters (Renfrew, ON) and sending a wrister over Harvard goaltender Kyle Richter's glove side. Olivier Bouchard (Quebec City, QC) set up the play with a shot that bounced off of Richter's pads, hitting Walters in the slot.

 

Fox scored with a wrist shot on a bad angle at 8:19 of the second period to give the Dutchmen the lead at 2-1. Mike Harr (Norwood, MA) sent the puck down to Fox from the top of the right circle to collect his second assist on the season. Torren Delforte (Shortsville, NY) passed the puck out to Harr to extend his point streak to three games.

 

Meintel knotted the game with less than eight minutes to play when he snapped in a rebound from Alex Biega's shot from the low right. Meintel rushed the net on the left, collecting a rebound and sending the puck past Mrazek's glove side.

 

Pelle netted the game-winner at the 16:00 mark when he lifted a rebound past Mrazek. Paul Dufault took the initial shot and Pelle hoisted the puck for his first game-winner of the season.

 

Mrazek made 26 saves on the night, including 12 in the final frame; he drops to 8-8-2 on the season. Richter made 30 saves in the win and improves to 4-4-0.

 

Union is back in action on Friday, January 12 at cross-town rival Rensselaer in a 7 p.m. ECACHL contest. Union is 1-0-1 against the Engineers in non-conference action this season.