Crimson senior Mike Gerrity answered back with a goal of his own on a Harvard power play, restoring the Crimson’s three goal lead, 8-5.
MIT refused to go quietly into the night, however, scoring two unanswered goals. Ultimately, though, the Engineers were unable to top the Crimson defense and were denied their two final shots by freshman Christopher Ludwick and Burmeister.
MIT drew first blood with the contest’s initial goal. Burmeister swam out of the goal to get the ball, allowing the Engineers’ John Rogers to lob the ball into the net.
“In the first quarter, they got some really easy scoring opportunities,” Burmeister said. “We definitely had some breakdowns that made the game hectic and disorganized.”
Harvard quickly answered back with a goal from Offsay, who would net one more before the period was up.
“Tonight his goals really kept the game from getting away from us,” Burmeister said. “He really gave our team the momentum we needed to get aggressive on offense and defense.”
The Crimson and MIT alternated scoring, neither able to take a lead.
“It was the first big game we were playing away,” Offsay said, “and we were playing a little tentatively in the beginning.”
Sophomore John Voith continued to prove he is no rookie, even though it is his first season with the team. After a quick pass from Garcia, Voith, who was playing next to the post, was able to eke out Harvard’s second goal, keeping his team in it.
“There were a few kinks that needed to be ruffled out,” Voith said of the Crimson’s play early in the game. “After the first period, we got confidence behind us.”
The two teams were tied at three apiece going into the second period, but Harvard finally settled down, forcing the Engineers to wind the shot clock down and make hasty shots.
During MIT’s nearly 14-minute scoreless stretch, senior John Lynch, Garcia and Offsay notched goals to give the Crimson a commanding 6-3 lead.
The Engineers broke their offensive dry spell with a goal by Zykov late in the third period, but its efforts would be too little and too late to ruffle the confident Harvard squad.
The win against MIT allowed the Crimson to reverse the mini-curse that loomed over Harvard before the game started. The Engineers had defeated the Crimson in the team’s last four meetings, and this was a chance for Harvard to prove that this is a different season.
Just twelve hours after the game ended, the Crimson was scheduled to catch a flight to California and play five games this weekend.
“We know many players on these other teams and will get to see our parents and old friends,” Voith said. “These teams are ranked high, and wins would be huge in terms of our national ranking.”
“It will be fun to go out on a emotional high,” Offsay said. “We will have the chance to relax and have fun, while getting valuable training experience.”
—Staff writer Megha Parekh can be reached at parekh@fas.harvard.edu.