Box Score
Postgame Video
BOSTON, MA – Sophomore defenseman Mat Bodie scored with three seconds left in the second period, and senior forward Kelly Zajac added a third period goal to help No. 14/13 Union College (11-5-6, 5-2-3 ECAC Hockey) earn a 2-0 win over Harvard (4-5-6, 3-4-4 ECAC Hockey) in front of 8,981 fans at Fenway Park as part of Sun Life Frozen Fenway 2012.
Sophomore goaltender Troy Grosenick stopped all 18 shots to earn his third shutout of the season, as Union outshot Harvard 32-18, including a 10-2 advantage in the third period. Union, which allowed two power play goals in the first meeting between the two teams last Friday at Messa Rink, held Harvard scoreless in two power play chances, while converting on the power play (1-for-4) for the third consecutive game.
Union's first outdoor game since Feb. 12, 1949 was a success, as the team wore eye black and commemorative jerseys with a similar design to those worn in 1949, when the Dutchmen took on Vermont.
In a scoreless first period, with players acclimating to windy conditions, both teams had quality scoring chances early on. Harvard's Colin Blackwell tested Grosenick early on with a shot in the slot at the 1:00 mark and Union's Wayne Simpson fired a wrist shot from the circle that Michalek stopped with his blocker at the 7:30 mark.
Harvard appeared to score the game's first goal at 3:34 of the second period, when Peter Starrett fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Grosenick. But the goal was waved off after officials determined that the net was off the moorings before the shot was taken.
The Dutchmen took a 1-0 lead later in the second period on their third power play of the night. Harvard's Patrick McNally was called for tripping at 18:14, negating a Crimson power play just 41 seconds into the man advantage. When Union's Daniel Carr returned at 19:33, the Dutchmen took advantage of their short power play.
With time running down in the period, senior forward Kelly Zajac fed sophomore defenseman Mat Bodie at the point. Bodie faked an initial shot, creating space at the top of the point. He followed with a wrist shot from straight away that deflected off the leg of Harvard's Ryan Grimshaw and over the shoulder of Michalek at 19:56 of the second period.
With the assist, Zajac moved past Joel Beal '05 to take sole possession of second place on the school assists list in the Division I era with 75 career helpers.
The Dutchmen pushed their lead to 2-0 early in the third period at even strength, as Zajac recorded his fifth goal of the season and team-leading 23rd point of the season. Senior defenseman Nolan Julseth-White fired wide from the point, but Simpson corralled the rebound behind the net and fed a backhand pass into the slot. Zajac jammed the puck past Michalek at 5:37 to give the Dutchmen a decisive advantage.
Union returns home to face Rensselaer tomorrow night at Messa Rink in a contest that begins at 7:00 p.m.
