Third-ranked Harvard got a power play tally by freshman Julie Chu with 28 seconds remaining in the game to propel the Crimson to a 2-1 win over top-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson improves to 3-0-0 in knocking off the country’s top ranked team, while Duluth suffers its first loss of the season and falls to 9-1-1.
Harvard opened the afternoon’s scoring with a power-play tally at 12:45. Jennifer Botterill lined up in the faceoff circle to the right of goalie Patricia Sautter, took the pass from defender Angela Ruggiero, and fired a shot on net that ricocheted off the back of Sautter’s leg and into the net. It was the first power play goal of the season allowed by the Bulldogs, who had killed of 69 consecutive extra-man opportunities.
The teams treated the crowd to end-to-end action throughout much of the second, with both goalies coming up with impressive saves. Harvard’s Jessica Ruddock was outstanding, coming up with a pair of saves on a three-on-one odd man rush, as well as stoning Jenny Potter on a breakaway.
The Bulldogs evened the score less than a minute into the third period. Senior winger Maria Rooth eluded a defender along the near boards, skated in, and roofed the puck over Ruddock’s shoulder for her third goal of the season.
The third period was more of the same, with some tense minutes down the stretch. The Crimson successfully killed a delay of game penalty assessed to Chu at 17:16, and caught a break when UMD freshman Krista McArthur was called for an obstruction interference call at 19:27. Botterill won the ensuing faceoff back to Chu, who walked in and sent the puck past Sautter for the game-winner.
Ruddock finished her afternoon with 29 saves, while Sautter made 25.
Harvard jumps right back into action, as it will take on the No. 3 Minnesota, while Minnesota-Duluth takes on No. 7 Brown.
