CHESTNUT HILL--For the Harvard men's hockey team, it seems that whoever lights the lamp first goes home happy.

When scoring first, the Crimson (5-5-0, 5-3-0 ECAC) is undefeated in five games this season. But the four times that the opposition struck first this year have led to defeats.

And with a 3-0 loss to Boston College (8-5-0, 5-4-0 Hockey East) Friday at the Kelley Rink, the streak continued.

Though Eagles' center Ales Dolinar's shorthanded goal at 12:49 of the first was the eventual game-winner, it was his second goal that sealed the Crimson's fate.

Barely two minutes in to the second period, after Harvard's early offensive surge, Dolinar and winger Kevin Caulfield broke in on a two-on-two against Crimson defensemen Tim Stay and Liam McCarthy.

Caulfield dished to Dolinar, who had sidestepped McCarthy, leaving no one between him and senior goaltender J.R. Prestifilippo. Dolinar slid the puck five-hole between his pads, giving B.C. a 2-0 lead.

The 100th meeting of these two cross-town rivals handed Harvard its first shutout of the season, marking the first time B.C. blanked the Crimson since its 7-0 win on Dec. 12, 1977. It was the Eagles second straight shutout.

Harvard appeared to be pretty evenly matched with the Eagles during the first half of the first period. But unfortunately for the Crimson, it was unable to capitalize on any of the scoring opportunities it created.