The No. 13 Harvard men’s hockey team saw its first game action of the season, defeating Prince Edward Island (PEI) 4-3 in a penalty-filled exhibition at the Bright Hockey Center yesterday.

The visiting Panthers put up a fight—almost literally—against the Crimson in spite of limping into Cambridge after suffering an 8-1 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday night. The two teams combined for 62 penalty minutes, including 24 in the third period.

Sophomore forward Steve Rolecek netted the game-winner for Harvard, one-timing a pass from the endboards from captain Dylan Reese at 4:19 of the third period.

After committing three minor penalties and failing to register a shot on goal for the initial six minutes of the game, the Crimson discovered its rhythm in the second half of the first period.

Although Harvard did not score on either of its two power play opportunities, Reese put the Crimson on the board just seconds after a Panther penalty expired, driving home freshman center Doug Rogers’ blocked shot at 18:25.

Sophomore Jimmy Fraser notched a tally just 27 seconds later, giving Harvard a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.

Despite being outshot 20-8 by the Crimson in the second period, PEI fared better on the scoresheet. The Panthers potted two power play scores sandwiched around Harvard’s lone goal of the frame, a man-advantage tally by junior winger Dave Watters at 13:01.

After Rolecek’s goal, the final frame was all about penalties, as either one team or the other found itself on the power play.

Even though Harvard spent several minutes killing multiple PEI 5-on-3 man-advantage chances, the Crimson managed to limit the Panthers to just one goal and escaped with the 4-3 victory.

NOTES:

Senior goaltender Justin Tobe played the first two periods and posted 14 saves on 16 shots before being replaced by rookie Kyle Richter in the third. Richter posted 11 saves and allowed just one goal…Harvard outshot PEI, 59-27…The Crimson’s power play was 1-for-9 on the night…Junior forward Paul Dufault is out indefinitely with an ankle injury…The contest against the Panthers was the Crimson’s only exhibition. The season kicks off at Dartmouth on Friday.

—KARAN LODHA