The Golden Knights limited Harvard to two power plays, and though it cashed in on one, the bulk of the scoring came at even strength.
On the other side of the ice, discipline has been a hallmark of the Clarkson defense all season. It ranks way down the list at 31st in the nation in penalty minutes allowed, with 8.1 per game. That kind of patience combined with the standout play of McDonald has helped the Golden Knights rise to eighth in country in scoring defense with just 2.12 goals allowed per game, the fewest for any team not in the top ten in the polls.
“They like to pack it in front of [McDonald],” Boe said. “The key is to move their goalie laterally and get bodies in front of her so she can’t see the puck and not get down if we don’t score early.”
A slow start in the second game was part of a recent trend that has not fazed the resilient Crimson. Early-season struggles have put the 2004-05 campaign in perspective.
Losses early in the season have made Harvard unafraid to face defeat, more likely aggressively to pursue wins and less likely to be upended by spoilers like Clarkson.
“I think that our struggles in the beginning of the season were so great,” Corriero said. “We’re so much more weathered. We’re not afraid to lose. Now we’ve got this momentum and we’re starting to peak at the time we need to peak.”
Things continue to look up for the Crimson, which was bolstered this week by the announcement of the Ivy League honors on Wednesday. Corriero was unanimously named Player of the Year, Sarah Vaillancourt earned Rookie of the Year, and four other skaters were listed among the top 18 players in the division.
“It’s really great that they were recognized for what they accomplished, said Boe, who was an honorable mention pick at goalie. “They all deserved it.”
The set at Bright kicks off on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a game Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday at the same time, if necessary. If Harvard should advance, they will ship out to Schenectady, N.Y. for the ECAC semi-finals and finals next weekend.
—Staff writer Jonathan Lehman can be reached at jlehman@fas.harvard.edu.