A Harvard Hockey Fairy Tale

Ten-year old Lindsey MacDonald entered the Bright Hockey Center like any other fan on Saturday afternoon, but before she left, she was the new crowd sensation.

MacDonald ignited the Harvard-Vermont fans during a first intermission promotion when she propelled a puck from center ice into an eight-inch hole at the goal line and won two tickets to Tuesday’s Women’s Beanpot final.

The fan contest has drawn criticism in the past for its difficulty. Former Crimson men’s hockey columnist Mike Volonnino ’01 once called it “utterly ridiculous” and “near impossible.” Little did he know that a female squirt would one day meet the challenge.

It appeared the deck was stacked against MacDonald as she took her position on the rug at center ice and awkwardly grasped an oversized hockey stick. Any skeptic had their doubts confirmed when her first of three shots sailed wide left of the net.

But little did the crowd know, Harvard hockey flowed deep in her veins. Her father Bill MacDonald was a long-time assistant coach with the Harvard women’s hockey before Stone took over the program in 1994.

Now the Director of the Natick Comets’ girl’s hockey program, the elder MacDonald had brought the Comets to the Harvard game to meet some potential role models. His daughter became one herself far sooner than he ever imagined.

The younger MacDonald found success by rotating her body to compensate for the error of her first shot.

“I was kind of facing that direction, so I kind of turned that way,” said MacDonald, reliving the moment with appropriate hand motions.

When she first attempted her second shot, she whiffed on the puck. The moment was reminiscent of Friday’s game, when freshman Julie Chu whiffed on an odd-man rush but recovered in time to set up linemate Lauren McAuliffe for a game-tying goal. MacDonald bounced back in a fashion that would have made Chu proud.

On her second attempt of her second shot, she struck the puck squarely. MacDonald said at that moment, she knew she would be a winner. The crowd roared as the puck crossed the narrow gap and hit the back of the net.

MacDonald missed the third shot—a sweatshirt was at stake—but it was of no matter. It was already the best moment of her three-year hockey career, and she was the talk of the town.

Bulletin Board Material

If anyone thought Harvard captain Angela Ruggiero looked more excited than usual when she beat Dartmouth goaltender Amy Ferguson for the eventual game-winner on Friday, there was a reason.

Ruggiero had not forgotten a three-year old insult from Ferguson following Harvard’s 3-2 overtime defeat in the 2000 ECAC semifinals.