7th Ranked Harvard Holds Off Brown at Meehan Auditorium

Brown news release…

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Junior Zack Pryzbek (Niagara on the Lake, Ontario) scored the game-tying goal early in the third, but No. 7 Harvard scored on the power play late in the period to skate past the Brown men’s hockey team, 3-2, in ECAC action Friday at Meehan Auditorium.

Harvard improves to 13-5-3 overall and 9-3-3 in the conference, while Brown moves to 4-15-4, 2-11-3 ECAC.

In addition to Pryzbek, rookie Tommy Marchin (Algonac, Mich.) also scored for the Bears. Tim Ernst (Pickering, Ontario) made 30 saves in net, while Merrick Madsen recorded 27 stops for the Crimson.

Harvard opened up the scoring at 14:37 in the first period. Wiley Sherman blasted a shot from the point that was stopped by Ernst, but it trickled past the goal line and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Harvard took a two-goal lead early in the second period when Jimmy Vesey scored on a breakaway 25 seconds into the frame.

Nevertheless, Brown continued to fight and the perseverance paid off late in the middle stanza. After Vesey had a goal overturned following video review, Marchin put the Bears on the board at 18:52, trimming the deficit to 2-1. Brown fought for possession in the offensive zone and fellow rookie Max Gottlieb (Old Bridge, N.J.) pushed the puck to Marchin along the boards. Marchin then fired a shot from a tough angle that deflected off the left pad of Madsen for his 12th goal of the season.

Brown outshot the Crimson, 15-11, in the second period.

Pryzbek evened the score at 4:57 in the third period with a shot from the right boards that sailed over the glove of Madsen to make it 2-2.

Harvard took advantage of a power play late in the period when Alexander Kerfoot gained control of the puck behind the net and then found Kyle Criscuolo for the one-timer and one-goal lead.

Brown pulled Ernst with 40 seconds remaining for the extra skater, but Josh McArdle (Roscoe, Ill.) and Charlie Corcoran (New Canaan, Conn.) both had their shots blocked in traffic as Harvard held on for the win.

Harvard outshot the Bears, 33-29.

Brown will host No. 20 Dartmouth tomorrow at 7 p.m.