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Last-Minute Penalty Shot Caps Harvard Comeback, Crimson Keeps Pace in ECAC

Harvard got its first power play of the game early in the second period, when Saint Kelly Sabatine was whistled for tripping.

Junior Liza Ryabkina got the best look at the net during the man advantage, getting an open shot in the slot, but Weisz came up with another save.

The momentum began to shift in the home team’s favor late in the second, as St. Lawrence snapped the scoreless tie with a minute to play in the period.

Alley Bero put the puck on Vanessa Emond’s stick, and Emond wrapped around behind the net to get the puck past an out-of-position Bellamy.

Facing a 1-0 deficit at the start of the third, it took the Crimson 12:37 to get even.

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Buesser slid a centering pass to freshman Jillian Dempsey in the slot, and the rookie went top-shelf to tie the game.

“I lost sight of it, and I just bounced it to [Dempsey],” Buesser said. “She just ripped it right into the net.”

Bellamy stood tall in the final frame, stopping all of the Saints’ nine shots in the period—including a close-range shot from St. Lawrence senior Tara Akstull.

After Griffin’s penalty shot gave Harvard the lead, the Saints pulled Weisz from the net but were unable to convert with the extra skater.

Though the win did have important playoff implications, setting the Crimson up for home-ice advantage in this weekend’s opening round of the ECAC tournament, it had historical significance as well.

Stone’s 337th win ties former Colby and Minnesota coach Laura Halldorson’s NCAA career record. The coach, in her 16th year behind the Harvard bench, has a chance to break that mark at home this weekend.

“She didn’t say anything about it, but we all knew it was going on,” Buesser said. “It just shows what she’s done for this program. You don’t get where she is without a great coaching style.”

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

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