Junior goalie Christina Kessler put up solid numbers over the weekend, picking up 27 saves in each of Harvard’s wins over Yale and Brown

When you think about the Harvard-Yale rivalry, it’s probably images of The Game, not women’s hockey, that come to mind. After all, the Crimson leads the all-time hockey series by an astonishing 57-8-2 record.

Someone forgot to tell the Bulldogs that.

After two heated periods of scoreless hockey, Harvard (12-7-3, 11-4-2 ECAC) broke through on a power play in the third to defeat Yale (9-14-0, 5-11-0), 2-1, at Bright Hockey Center.

“It was typical Harvard-Yale, a great rivalry,” Crimson coach Katey Stone said. “It was back and forth, and it was just such a small margin, but special teams were huge for us today.”

Tri-captain Jenny Brine tallied the game-winner, putting a rebound of tri-captain Sarah Vaillancourt’s slapshot in the net with six minutes to play.

But the offensive frenzy of the third period was preceded by two periods of Bulldog defensive dominance.

Harvard controlled the early going, but the team’s offense—which has been prolific of late, exploding for eight goals in Tuesday’s Beanpot opener—was completely stumped by Yale freshman netminder Genny Ladiges and her defensemen.

“Their goalie was in the zone today,” Stone said. “We had some great looks at the net and she was right there lined up most of the time.”

The Crimson got 28 shots on goal in the first forty minutes of play, including a couple of chances on its first three power plays.

But the Yale blueliners were aggressive, playing the Harvard skaters close and blocking a game total of 18 shots before they could even get to Ladiges. The Crimson defense, by comparison, blocked just five.

On the attack, sophomore winger Katharine Chute got some of Harvard’s best looks in the second period.

At 17:34, Chute received the puck at the left post but couldn’t poke it past Ladiges’ pads. Just over a minute later, Vaillancourt fed her linemate a long pass and sent Chute on a breakaway. Good defensive pressure and a body save from Ladiges halted the opportunity.

“The last three games we’ve been putting a lot of pucks in the net, and to start off without getting a goal until the third period, came out in the third period and figured out how to.”

Once the final frame began, it didn’t take long for the Crimson to crack Ladiges.

Bulldog Danielle Kozlowski was called for her third penalty of the night at 1:29, this one for checking.

Harvard set up its offensive pattern quickly, and at 2:09, Vaillancourt crossed the puck to junior Cori Bassett. Bassett lifted the puck into the top left corner of the net, where it crossed the goal line before bouncing out. Though play continued for a few seconds, the referees belatedly ruled in favor of the Crimson, putting the team up, 1-0.

The intensity of the game only increased from there, as Harvard played through a long stretch of penalty kill in the first half of the period. But it was at even strength that Yale found a way to tie the game.

Bulldog Bray Ketchum skated in from the right, skirting two defenders before placing a shot over junior goaltender Christina Kessler’s left shoulder.

Caroline Murphy was credited with the assist.

Harvard caught a break with 8:08 to play, as Yale’s Samantha MacLean was whistled after she tripped up Brine on a breakaway chance.

As the power play wound down, senior Kati Vaughn sent the puck in from the blue line, causing chaos in front of the net. Harvard got a number of shots off on a disoriented Ladiges, with Sarah Vaillancourt finally taking a hard slapshot that ricocheted off of Ladiges’ pads.

Brine was waiting to tip the rebound in for the game-winner.

“You just have to wait, you have to play good defense and wait for those openings and then you have to take advantage,” Stone said. “We made an adjustment in the third period on the first unit’s power play, and we scored two goals. It made a difference.”

Kessler had an excellent night in net, stopping up 27 shots. Ladiges finished with 37 saves.

The Crimson went 2-for-5 on the power play, while its penalty kill unit held Yale scoreless in its five chances.

“I thought that was one of our more exciting games,” Brine said. “A lot of power play, a lot of penalty kill, and it was great to come out on top.”

—Staff writer Kate Leist can be reached at kleist@fas.harvard.edu.